The main aim of this study is to identify strategic groundwater resources belonging to the hydrostructure of the northern sector of Lauria Mountains; in particular, the groundwater of the La Spina - Zaccana Mounts limestone-dolomite aquifer, to allocate for drinking water supply during water emergency conditions. The aquifer under study lies in the north-eastern portion of the Lauria Mountains hydrostructure, between 1652 m (La Spina Mount) and 506 m a.s.l. (San Giovanni spring), and is drained from the San Giovanni spring front; minor springs are scattered at the edges of the hydrostructure and characterized by limited shallow groundwater flow path. The in situ geological and hydrogeological surveys, still in progress, make evident that the limestone-dolomite lithologies are characterized by intensely fractured steep slopes, locally affected by karst morphologies, particularly present along the Zaccana Mount northern and southern slopes and in the spring emergencies area, characterized by high permeability. The dolomitic limestones show very fissured and karstified features, interstratal karst cavities are also frequently present mainly in the western portion of the San Giovanni spring. The investigations carried out highlight that the aquifer geometry, the groundwater circulation and the groundwater emergencies are closely connected to the geostructural and karst arrangement. The structural elements present in the hydrostructure, such as faults, tectonic contacts, rock fissuring and fracturing and karst evidences, define deep groundwater flow, determining specific hydrodynamic characteristics of the spring. The Castelluccio Fault constitutes the morphostructural southern limit of the hydrostructure and represents the superimposed permeability threshold of the San Giovanni spring front. The groundwater flow, predominantly in the NW-SE direction, feeds the several emergencies of the San Giovanni located along a steep slope between 480 m and 504 m a.s.l., with the discharge rate of around 550 l/s, of which only around 150 l/s are used for drinking purposes. The remaining rate is not captured and could be utilized as strategic groundwater resources.
Hydrogeological characterization of the San Giovanni spring (Castelluccio Inferiore, Basilicata region).
Muzzillo R.;Canora F.;Sdao F.
2024-01-01
Abstract
The main aim of this study is to identify strategic groundwater resources belonging to the hydrostructure of the northern sector of Lauria Mountains; in particular, the groundwater of the La Spina - Zaccana Mounts limestone-dolomite aquifer, to allocate for drinking water supply during water emergency conditions. The aquifer under study lies in the north-eastern portion of the Lauria Mountains hydrostructure, between 1652 m (La Spina Mount) and 506 m a.s.l. (San Giovanni spring), and is drained from the San Giovanni spring front; minor springs are scattered at the edges of the hydrostructure and characterized by limited shallow groundwater flow path. The in situ geological and hydrogeological surveys, still in progress, make evident that the limestone-dolomite lithologies are characterized by intensely fractured steep slopes, locally affected by karst morphologies, particularly present along the Zaccana Mount northern and southern slopes and in the spring emergencies area, characterized by high permeability. The dolomitic limestones show very fissured and karstified features, interstratal karst cavities are also frequently present mainly in the western portion of the San Giovanni spring. The investigations carried out highlight that the aquifer geometry, the groundwater circulation and the groundwater emergencies are closely connected to the geostructural and karst arrangement. The structural elements present in the hydrostructure, such as faults, tectonic contacts, rock fissuring and fracturing and karst evidences, define deep groundwater flow, determining specific hydrodynamic characteristics of the spring. The Castelluccio Fault constitutes the morphostructural southern limit of the hydrostructure and represents the superimposed permeability threshold of the San Giovanni spring front. The groundwater flow, predominantly in the NW-SE direction, feeds the several emergencies of the San Giovanni located along a steep slope between 480 m and 504 m a.s.l., with the discharge rate of around 550 l/s, of which only around 150 l/s are used for drinking purposes. The remaining rate is not captured and could be utilized as strategic groundwater resources.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
