A regional-scale study on fresh-water aquifers of Messinan–Quaternary successions of the western Po Plain has been carried out, extending the investigation to the maximum depths of fresh water occurrence, namely ca. 1500-2000 m. The research has been focused on the Savigliano Basin and the Alessandria Basin, to the south, and the western termination of the Po Basin, to the north. The application of a physical-stratigraphic approach, based on the integration of subsurface and surface data, allowed the reconstruction of a 3D geological model, and the subdivision of the basins fill into major synthems. An “ad hoc” project methodology has been developed, in order to assign hydrogeologic value to the defined stratigraphic units. The synthem here represents the “operational unit” of the hydrostratigraphic model. Each synthem is conceptually considered as an “Aquifer Group”: it corresponds to an unconformity bounded sedimentary body, the hydrostratigraphic properties of which are determined by its overall stratigraphic architecture and its lithofacies associations. The stratigraphic architecture represents a prominent factor in controlling main regional groundwater flow directions. The lithofacies associations (and group of lithofacies associations) allow to identify “Hydrogeologic Units”, corresponding to unconfined aquifers, multi-layered (“continuous or discontinuous”) aquifers or aquitards/aquicludeS. The most relevant results of this work are: - the reconstruction of the first 3D hydrostratigraphic framework of Messinian-Quaternary basins, in Piedmont region; - reconstruction and mapping of the freshwater-saltwater interface; the positioning of this interface has an extremely important relapse, because it allows to recognize areal distribution and cumulative thickness of potentially exploitable aquifers and consequently, to identify their usable volumes; - delineation of main groundwater flow directions and modalities within Aquifer Groups and identification of the direct and indirect recharge areas.
Hydrostratigraphy of Messinian-Quaternary basins in the Western Po Plain (NW Italy)
CLEMENTE, PAOLO;DE LUCA, Domenico;VIOLANTI, Donata;NATALICCHIO, Marcello;
2009-01-01
Abstract
A regional-scale study on fresh-water aquifers of Messinan–Quaternary successions of the western Po Plain has been carried out, extending the investigation to the maximum depths of fresh water occurrence, namely ca. 1500-2000 m. The research has been focused on the Savigliano Basin and the Alessandria Basin, to the south, and the western termination of the Po Basin, to the north. The application of a physical-stratigraphic approach, based on the integration of subsurface and surface data, allowed the reconstruction of a 3D geological model, and the subdivision of the basins fill into major synthems. An “ad hoc” project methodology has been developed, in order to assign hydrogeologic value to the defined stratigraphic units. The synthem here represents the “operational unit” of the hydrostratigraphic model. Each synthem is conceptually considered as an “Aquifer Group”: it corresponds to an unconformity bounded sedimentary body, the hydrostratigraphic properties of which are determined by its overall stratigraphic architecture and its lithofacies associations. The stratigraphic architecture represents a prominent factor in controlling main regional groundwater flow directions. The lithofacies associations (and group of lithofacies associations) allow to identify “Hydrogeologic Units”, corresponding to unconfined aquifers, multi-layered (“continuous or discontinuous”) aquifers or aquitards/aquicludeS. The most relevant results of this work are: - the reconstruction of the first 3D hydrostratigraphic framework of Messinian-Quaternary basins, in Piedmont region; - reconstruction and mapping of the freshwater-saltwater interface; the positioning of this interface has an extremely important relapse, because it allows to recognize areal distribution and cumulative thickness of potentially exploitable aquifers and consequently, to identify their usable volumes; - delineation of main groundwater flow directions and modalities within Aquifer Groups and identification of the direct and indirect recharge areas.
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