Module 3 – Scientific and Technical Aspects of Groundwater Resources Management

Topics:	From porous media to aquifers Managing aquifer recharge Advanced geophysical methodologies for the characterization of subsurface water resources Numerical modeling to manage subsurface water resources: Some guidelines Case studies: Managing subsurface resources in Egypt and Tunisia
Tutor:	dr. eng. Pietro Teatini (module coordinator) prof. Esben Auken dr. eng. Massimiliano Ferronato dr. Ahmad A. Behroozmand
Type:	Course
Date:	18.02.2014 (First on-line lesson)
Duration of event:	January – June 2014
Location:	web-based & Field Work

How to register	On-line registration form
Contents and Structure	go to page
Tutoring	go to page

Background

Groundwater resources represent the main source of potable water for the majority of the Mediterranean countries.

The overexploitation of shallow and deep aquifers caused by the growth of population and the related increase of water need for potable, agricultural, and industrial purposes, has yielded a general lowering of the water table and worsening of water quality, e.g., enhancing the seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers.

To meet water requirements we need to both continue to conserve water and to diversify our sources of supply, also in view of the expected climate changes.

Groundwater management, and in particular the artificial recharge of aquifers, represents a unique opportunity. Properly brought to the required quality levels, wastewater can represent a valuable resource to recharge aquifers in rural areas affected by saltwater contamination.

Geophysical investigations and numerical modelling provide powerful methodologies to help planning groundwater management and artificial aquifer recharge.

The European Union will try to implement these concepts in the project SWIM through an e-learning program, working in parallel with the implementation of two pilot projects to test two different approaches for groundwater recharge.

The main purpose is to transfer the experience of the IMPROWARE project to the course’s students

Learning Objectives

The e-learning module provides a series of lessons in which the technical skills and experiences resulting from the project IMPROWARE will be transferred. The focus is on the management of subsurface water resources. Basic information on groundwater flow-dynamics as well as introductive lessons on specific and innovative hydrogeophysical and numerical modelling will be provided.At the end of the course, the participants should be able to:

develop a preliminary groundwater balance of a certain aquifer system;
select the most appropriate geophysical method with respect to the targeted issue;
set-up appropriately a numerical model (domain, boundary condition, discretization. time step, etc.) for the simulation of the artificial recharge of an aquifer.

Methodology

The program foresees a preliminary preparation to the course. It will be preparatory to a more efficient use of the concept taught during the course.

The lectures will be divided into five main topics, through which we will analyze in detail the management of groundwater resources.

The first lesson will offer an overview on the basic concept of the groundwater flow in the subsurface. How subsurface can be represented form the point of view of the groundwater management? Which are appropriate scales of investigations? What about the groundwater balance?

The second lesson will be focused on the various methodologies used to recharge artificially aquifers. In particular the re-use of TWW and the aspects concerning the issue of coastal aquifers contaminated by saltwater intrusion will be addressed.

The third lesson will analyze the state-of the art geophysical methodologies presently available to characterize the groundwater resources. Ideas will be provided on how these techniques can be effectively used to manage groundwater

How numerical models can be appropriately implemented to manage the groundwater resources will be the target of the forth lesson. Some general guidelines will be provided on how the several commercial codes or research-free software can be effectively used.

Finally, the analysis of the two cases addressed by IMPROWARE, and other case studies in context similar to North Africa will be presented in the last lesson.

The aforementioned modules will be covered through a commented power point presentation ot a video explanation.

Within the course, students are invited to submit a paper, based on a relevance case study of their choice, and present it to the course’s tutor. Elaboration of the paper should be pertinent to the objectives and should be representative of the knowledge acquired during the course. The paper will be evaluated by the course’s tutor to verify the appropriateness, the territorial pertinent and the deepening of the study.

Entrance and final self-evaluation tests for each lesson will be implemented.

Targeted Audience

This course is designed specifically for:

postgraduates and professionals in hydrogeology and water resources management,
civil and environmental engineers,
geologists and hydrologists who are engaged in investigation, management, and protection of groundwater resource

Additional Information

A certificate of completion will be issued jointly by CUIEM and IMPROWARE under the patronage of the Unviersity La Sapienza, Rome Italy – at the end of the course.