An Estimation of the Mercury Content in the Waters of the Pomeranian Baltic-Shore-Area

In the catchment area of the Pomeranian Bay an average mercury concentration of 178 ng/l in precipitation was determined. Eight different flowing waters showed mean concentrations between 105 ng/l (?upawa) and 500 ng/l (Odra), a pronounced annual cycle having been demonstrated for the concentrations and for the freights with the minimum in February/March and the maximum in August/September. The total freight of the eight rivers amounts to 19.5 t/a, the share of the Wisla being 11 t/a. The ratio between the mercury precipitation of 335 to 410 μg/m²a Hg and the run-off varies of 30 … 75 μg/m²a Hg for the individual river basins between 0.08 and 0.21. In the Baltic Sea, the mercury concentrations are 40 ng/l in the open sea, 50 ng/l in the coastal region and 290 … 390 ng/l near the estuaries. Trough the eight investigated rivers about 48 km³/a water run off into the Baltic Sea with about 20 t/a Hg. The total introduction of Hg into the Baltic Sea is estimated at 100 t/a with the river water, 35 t/a with precipitation and 35 t/a with dust.     

The exceptional Oder flood in summer 1997 — distribution patterns of the oder discharge in the Pomeranian Bight

The exceptional Oder flood in summer 1997 was a unique event in order to investigate the impacts on and the consequences for the ecosystem of the Baltic Sea of about 6.5 km³ additional water loaded with nutrients and contaminants and discharged within only 5 weeks. About 15 institutions participated in this investigation in both the Szczecin Lagoon and the Pomeranian Bight. The Baltic Sea Research Institute Warnemünde studied the water and nutrient inflow, the spreading of the Oder discharge, and the impact of the discharge on the ecosystem. The main topic of the presented investigations is a detailed study of the spatial and temporal spreading of the extreme river discharge in the Pomeranian Bight and the southern Baltic Sea by satellite data, ship observations and continuous buoy measurements as well as numerical modelling. The meteorological conditions were characterized by mainly easterly winds which guided the outflowing riverine water along the German coast into the Arkona Sea. The spatial and temporal development of the distribution patterns of the Oder discharge was monitored by about 80 Sea Surface Temperature (SST) images of NOAA satellites. Shipborne measurements showed that the vertical extent of the Oder plume ranged between 5 and 7 metres. The concentrations of inorganic nutrients, except higher silicate, were comparable to typical winter/early spring values (seasonal maximum) in this region. The high dilution effect of the flood water reduced the concentration of contaminants and thus, prevented a direct negative impact of trace metals and chlorinated organic compounds on the marine environment. Coupled physical-biochemical modelling in combination with SST-images demonstrated the temporal development and satellite data in the visible spectral range delivered the maximum extent of discharged river water into the southern Arkona Sea where a further western transport was limited by the upwelling region off Hiddensee. Thus, all detected effects of the Oder flood were confined to the Pomeranian Bight and the southern Arkona Sea, without long-term consequences for the ecosystem.     

Multi-tracer assessment of seasonal water source changes in coastal water systems along the southeastern coast of Ivory Coast (West Africa)

ABSTRACT

Proper management of coastal freshwater resources depends on an understanding of processes controlling their chemistry and seasonal flowpaths. A quantitative approach involving the coupling of major solutes and isotopes (δ¹⁸O, δ²H) of 180 samples in end-member mixing analysis (EMMA) was adopted to elucidate seasonal patterns of hydraulic exchanges amongst coastal waters along the Ebrié Lagoon catchment, Ivory Coast. The results show that the Ebrié Lagoon is a hydrologically dynamic system. In the dry season, evaporation and seawater inflow are the dominating processes, while in the wet season, river discharge is the main water source in the lagoon. Regional geology plays a significant role in aquifer recharge patterns. The Quaternary aquifer responds faster to precipitation, while the Mio-Pliocene aquifer is recharged indirectly via floodplain seepages. Salinization of over 90% of wells arises from hydrological exchanges with the Ebrié Lagoon. A diluted seawater effect was recorded in wells during the wet season owing to the relative increase in freshwater inflow.     

Effects of an artificial stream on marine communities

A brackish lagoon near Marseilles now receives an erratic inflow of fresh water. The fauna and flora were studied before and after the construction of a canal which introduces the fresh water. Instead of the expected change from a marine-dominated to a brackish biota, a general impoverishment has resulted. Increasing urbanization and industrialization of the area is causing extensive deterioration of the coastal environment of which this lagoon forms a part.     

The future of the western Baltic Sea: two possible scenarios

Globally coupled climate models are generally capable of reproducing the observed trends in the globally averaged atmospheric temperature. However, the global models do not perform as well on regional scales. Here, we present results from four 100-year, high-resolution ocean model experiments (resolution less than 1 km) for the western Baltic Sea. The forcing is taken from a regional atmospheric model and a regional ocean model, imbedded into two global greenhouse gas emission scenarios, A1B and B1, for the period of 2000 to 2100 with each two realisations. Two control runs from 1960 to 2000 are used for validation. For both scenarios, the results show a warming with an increase of 0.5–2.5 K at the sea surface and 0.7–2.8 K below 40 m. The simulations further indicate a decrease in salinity by 1.5–2 practical salinity units. The increase in water temperature leads to a prolongation of heat waves based on present-day thresholds. This amounts to a doubling or even tripling of the heat wave duration. The simulations show a decrease in inflow events (barotropic/baroclinic), which will affect the deepwater generation and ventilation of the central Baltic Sea. The high spatial resolution allows us to diagnose the inflow events and the mechanism that will cause future changes. The reduction in barotropic inflow events correlates well with the increase in westerly winds. The changes in the baroclinic inflows can be consistently explained by the reduction of calm wind periods and thus a weakening of the necessary stratification in the western Baltic Sea and the Danish Straits.     

An analysis of the salt water inflow into the Baltic in 1975 to 1976

Time series measurements from light vessel and coastal stations in the transition area of the Kattegat and the Baltic Sea are analyzed for the period August 1975 to March 1976. The data consist of daily sampled salinities from different depth levels and daily means of sea levels, surface current, and wind, respectively. The purpose of this paper is to examine the dynamics of the mass- and salt-transport during a major salt water inflow.The principal conclusions of this paper are that

Nitrogen,Phosphorus and Primary Production in the Pomeranian Bay

The Pomeranian Bay in the south-western part of the Baltic sea has an area of 4300 km² and a volume of 51.4 km³ and contains a fresh-water inflow of 17.3 km³/a from a catchment area of 137,220 km². There were evaluated 18 investigations of specific dates at 14 stations in the years 1976 … 1978: 229 … 235 hydrochemical measurements and 75 phytoplankton investigations. It can be demonstrated by multiple regression analyses that the nutrient concentrations are mainly determined by the fresh-water inflow and the mixing ratios, phytoplankton having a secondary effect. Of the nutrients mainly ammonium influences the phytoplankton development and the oxygen production, the full utilization of the nitrogen stock being limited by an N/P ratio of 48 in the surface water and of 41 in the bottom water layers. Obviously, a limitation of the primary production is out of the question due to the high turnover rates of phosphorus. The N/P ratio is also a clear evidence of the great influence of the inflowing nitrate-rich freshwater on the nutrient situation of the bay.     

Water balance variability in the confined Aba’ala limestone graben at the western margin of the Danakil depression,northern Ethiopia

Marginal grabens are major development corridors in Ethiopia, and need to be understood for proper assessment of the hydrological budget. This study investigates the water balance of the Aba’ala graben (553 km²) in the period 2015–2016 under the challenge of data scarcity. We measured the rainfall and river discharge in order to analyse the runoff components of the graben. The rainfall volume in the Aba’ala graben showed erratic behaviour, which led to rapid flood runoff of the major river into the graben bottom. The average annual inflow and outflow of the graben bottom for the period 2015–2016 amounted to 364 and 254 hm³, respectively. However, flood runoff and evapotranspiration had a marked effect on water availability. Water storage took 36% of the water inflow into the graben bottom. Sustainable water management could reduce the temporal variation of the water storage in Aba’ala graben.     

Mapping groundwater discharge to a coastal lagoon using combined spatial airborne thermal imaging,radon (222Rn) and multiple physicochemical variables

Coastal lagoons are significant wetland environments found on coastlines throughout the world. Groundwater seepage may be a key component of lagoon water balances, though only a few studies have investigated large (>100 km²) coastal lagoons. In this study, we combined airborne thermal infrared imagery with continuous measurements of radon (²²²Rn—a natural groundwater tracer), conductivity, water temperature and dissolved oxygen to map groundwater seepage to a large coastal lagoon in New Zealand. We found evidence of seepage along the margins of the lagoon but not away from the margins. Our findings confirmed previously known seepage zones and identified new potential locations of groundwater inflow. Both point source and diffuse seepage occurred on the western and northwestern margins of the lagoon and parallel to the barrier between the lagoon and sea. These observations imply geologic controls on seepage. The combination of remote sensing and in-situ radon measurements allowed us to effectively map groundwater discharge areas across the entire lagoon. Combined, broad-scale qualitative methods built confidence in our interpretation of groundwater discharge locations in a large, dynamic coastal lagoon.     

East Greenland freshwater runoff to the Greenland‐Iceland‐Norwegian Seas 1999–2004 and 2071–2100

In this paper, we quantify the terrestrial flux of freshwater runoff from East Greenland to the Greenland‐Iceland‐Norwegian (GIN) Seas for the periods 1999–2004 and 2071–2100. Our analysis includes separate calculations of runoff from the Greenland Ice Sheet (GrIS) and the land strip area between the GrIS and the ocean. This study is based on validation and calibration of SnowModel with in situ data from the only two long‐term permanent automatic meteorological and hydrometric monitoring catchments in East Greenland: the Mittivakkat Glacier catchment (65°N) in SE Greenland, and the Zackenberg Glacier catchment (74°N) in NE Greenland. SnowModel was then used to estimate runoff from all of East Greenland to the ocean. Modelled glacier recession in both catchments for the period 1999–2004 was in accordance with observations, and dominates the annual catchment runoff by 30–90%. Average runoff from Mittivakkat, ～3·7 × 10^?2 km³ y^?1, and Zackenberg, ～21·9 × 10^?2 km³ y^?1, was dominated by the percentage of catchment glacier cover. Modelled East Greenland freshwater input to the North Atlantic Ocean was ～440 km³ y^?1 (1999–2004), dominated by contributions of ～40% from the land strip area and ～60% from the GrIS. East Greenland runoff contributes ～10% of the total annual freshwater export from the Arctic Ocean to the Greenland Sea. The future (2071–2100) climate impact assessment based on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A2 and B2 scenarios indicates an increase of mean annual East Greenland air temperature by 2·7 °C from today's values. For 2071–2100, the mean annual freshwater input to the North Atlantic Ocean is modelled to be ～650 km³ y^?1: ～30% from the land strip area and ～70% from the GrIS. This is an increase of approximately ～50% from today's values. The freshwater runoff from the GrIS is more than double from today's values, based largely on increasing air temperature rather than from changes in net precipitation. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Holocene salinity fluctuations of the East Korean lagoon related to sea level and precipitation changes

Detailed diatom records within core sediments from Maeho Lagoon along the Eastern coast of South Korea revealed that the ecological dynamics of the lagoon during the Holocene were associated with relative sea level and regional precipitation. Accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) ¹⁴C dating indicates that sediment accumulation began prior to 8300 cal. year BP, and that the lagoon formed around 8000 cal. year BP. The salinity level of the lagoon increased until 5000 cal. year BP, and then decreased. Long‐term trends in salinity were dependent upon changes in sea level: periods of high salinity in the lagoon were generally coincident with periods of high sea levels along the east coasts of Korea and Japan. On the other hand, multicentennial‐scale fluctuations in diatom assemblages and magnetic susceptibility (MS) suggest that a 400 year fluctuation in salinity was regulated by changes in precipitation in the area of this lagoon. Changes in the westerly jet stream, controlled by variation in solar irradiance, had an important influence on precipitation volume in South Korea, suggesting that the patterns of the westerly jet stream fluctuate on a 400 year cycle.     

Modeling the water exchanges between the Venice Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea

A hydrodynamic model of the Venice Lagoon and the Adriatic Sea has been developed in order to study the exchanges at the inlets of the Venice Lagoon, a complex morphological area connecting the sea and the lagoon. The model solves the shallow water equations on a spatial domain discretized by a staggered finite element grid. The grid represents the Adriatic Sea and the Venice Lagoon with different spatial resolutions varying from 30 m for the smallest channels of the lagoon to 30  km for the inner areas of the central Adriatic Sea. Data from more than ten tide gauges displaced in the Adriatic Sea have been used in the calibration of the simulated water levels. After the calibration, the tidal wave propagation in the North Adriatic and in the Venice Lagoon is well reproduced by the model. To validate the model results, empirical flux data measured by acoustic Doppler current profiler probes installed inside the inlets of Lido and Malamocco have been used and the exchanges through the three inlets of the Venice Lagoon have been analyzed. The comparison between modeled and measured fluxes at the inlets outlines the efficiency of the model to reproduce both tide- and wind-induced water exchanges between the sea and the lagoon. Even in complex areas, where highly varying resolution is needed, the model is suitable for the simulation of the dominating physical processes.     

Groundwater connections under a barrier beach: A case study in the Venice Lagoon

The flow of groundwater beneath barrier islands has been cited as a possible pathway for salt water and chemical exchange between a protected embayment and the open sea. Evidence is presented that identifies an exchange of groundwater through a highly permeable paleoinlet along the barrier beach of Cavallino, which separates the northern Venice Lagoon from the Adriatic Sea. We utilized both point measurements of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and a geophysical investigation of the subsurface resistivity to analyze the movement of saline groundwater. Discharge of groundwater and associated nutrients, was higher at the site of a former inlet than at a similar site along the barrier and modulated by the difference in tidal water level between the lagoon and Adriatic Sea. If the measured conditions are typical, storm surge barriers could potentially result in a saline groundwater flow of up to 1.5×10⁶ m³ d⁻¹ into the lagoon.     

High resolution water body mapping for SWAT evaporative modelling in the Upper Oconee watershed of Georgia,USA

Technological improvements in remote sensing and geographic information systems have demonstrated the abundance of artificially constructed water bodies across the landscape. Although research has shown the ubiquity of small ponds globally, and in the southeastern United States in particular, their cumulative impact in terms of evaporative alteration is less well quantified. The objectives of this study are to examine the hydrologic and evaporative importance of small artificial water bodies in the Upper Oconee watershed in the northern Georgia Piedmont, USA, by mapping their locations and modelling these small reservoirs using the Soil Water Assessment Tool. Comparative Soil Water Assessment Tool models were run with and without the inclusion of small reservoir surface area and volume. The models used meteorological inputs from 1990–2013 to represent years with drought, high precipitation, and moderate precipitation for both the calibration and evaluation periods. Statistical comparison of streamflow indicated that the calibration methodology produced results where the default model simulation without reservoirs fit observed flows more closely than the modified model with small reservoirs included (e.g., Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.72 vs. 0.64, r² of 0.73 vs. 0.66, and percent bias of 11.4 vs. 21.6). In addition, Penman–Monteith, Hargreaves, and Priestley–Taylor evapotranspiration equations were used to estimate actual evaporation from 2,219 small water bodies identified throughout the 1,936.8 km² watershed. Depending on the evaporation equation used, water bodies evaporated an average of 0.03–0.036 km³/year for the period 2003–2013. Using Penman–Monteith further, if the reservoirs were not considered and average actual evapotranspiration rates from the rest of the basin were applied, only 0.016 km³ of water would have left the basin as a result of evapotranspiration. This finding suggests construction of small reservoirs increased evaporation by an average of 0.017 km³ per year (approximately 46,500 m³/day). As the construction of small reservoirs continues and high resolution image data used to map these water bodies becomes increasingly available, watershed models that evolve to address the cumulative impacts of small water bodies on evaporation and other hydrologic processes will have greater potential to benefit the water resource management community.     

Water regime of Vrana Lake in Dalmatia (Croatia): changes,risks and problems

Abstract

Vrana Lake in Dalmatia is a karstic kryptodepression connected to the nearby sea through the karstic subsoil and a canal. Due to interactions with the sea, lake water salinity increases greatly during severe dry periods, seriously endangering the ecosystem. Trend analysis (1961–2010) reveals a decrease in precipitation and surface inflow, but an increase in air temperature, and in sea and lake water levels. Lake inflow and water losses are only partially monitored. Average annual inflow from the monitored part of the catchment is 1722 m³ s^-1, but total inflow is significantly greater; the average difference between total inflow and cumulative water losses is 3072 m³ s^-1. The paper uses modelling to evaluate total inflow into the lake system, taking into consideration projected climate changes/variations till 2100 from the RegCM3 and ALADIN climate models. The analysis indicates marked decrease in discharge values by the end of this century, by as much as 60%.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz     

Evaluating actual evapotranspiration and impacts of groundwater storage change in the North China Plain

As a critical water discharge term in basin‐scale water balance, accurate estimation of evapotranspiration (ET) is therefore important for sustainable water resources management. The understanding of the relationship between ET and groundwater storage change can improve our knowledge on the hydrological cycle in such regions with intensive agricultural land usage. Since the 1960s, the North China Plain (NCP) has experienced groundwater depletion because of overexploitation of groundwater for agriculture and urban development. Using meteorological data from 23 stations, the complementary relationship areal evapotranspiration model is evaluated against estimates of ET derived from regional water balance in the NCP during the period 1993–2008. The discrepancies between calculated ET and that derived by basin water balance indicate seasonal and interannual variations in model parameters. The monthly actual ET variations during the period from 1960 to 2008 are investigated by the calibrated model and then are used to derive groundwater storage change. The estimated actual ET is positively correlated with precipitation, and the general higher ET than precipitation indicates the contributions of groundwater irrigation to the total water supply. The long term decreasing trend in the actual ET can be explained by declining in precipitation, sunshine duration and wind speed. Over the past ~50 years, the calculated average annual water storage change, represented by the difference between actual ET and precipitation, was approximately 36 mm, or 4.8 km³; and the cumulative groundwater storage depletion was approximately 1700 mm, or 220 km³ in the NCP. The significantly groundwater storage depletion conversely affects the seasonal and interannual variations of ET. Irrigation especially during spring cause a marked increase in seasonal ET, whereas the rapid increasing of agricultural coverage over the NCP reduces the annual ET and is the primary control factor of the strong linear relationship between actual and potential ET. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1990—2019年咸海水量平衡及其影响因素分析

咸海地处中亚,气候和人类的双重影响下湖面急剧萎缩引发区域生态危机,定量解析其水量平衡互动关系及影响因素对咸海地区水资源管理和生态保护有重要意义.基于1990—2019年密集时序Landsat影像、T/P卫星、Jason1/2测高卫星及咸海数字测深模型（DBM）,提取近30年咸海面积、水位变化信息,重建咸海水位-面积-库容曲线,探明咸海水量变化特征;建立水量平衡模型,定量分析研究区水量平衡要素变化及时空差异,探讨其互动关系与影响机制.结果表明：（1）1990—2019年间,咸海水量减少了2271.6×10⁸ m³（约75.15%）,年平均变化率达-78.3×10⁸ m³/a;南咸海水量变化趋势与咸海整体基本一致,北咸海除1999年出现了极小值外,其余年份水量变化趋势均呈波动上升状态,至2019年水位已恢复至1984年水平.（2）1990s以来,南、北咸海水量平衡结构变化时空差异显著,阿姆河入湖径流量呈波动减少趋势,随着咸海持续退缩水体蒸发不断减小,区域水量支出收入比由1990年的2.46降低到2015年的0.87;近年来丰水年份南咸海地下水可由亏损转化为盈余状态,水域变化进入相对平缓的状态.北咸海入湖径流量波动增加,蒸散发随水域面积增加而增加,1990s初以来水量收入超过水量支出,区域地下水盈余,湖泊水位不断抬升.（3）湖区尺度上,入湖径流量和水域蒸发量是咸海水量变化的主导因素.流域尺度上,气候变化与人类活动共同影响咸海入湖水量,南咸海入湖水量与阿姆河上游来水、流域耕地面积显著相关,而北咸海入湖水量主要与锡尔河上游来水相关.     

Glacier shrinkage and negative mass balance in the Chilean Lake District (40°S) / Rétrécissement glaciaire et bilan massique négatif dans la Région des Lacs du Chili (40°S)

Abstract

Ice-capped volcanoes of the Chilean Lake District have shown significant glacier retreat during recent decades, probably in response to tropospheric warming and precipitation decrease. Volcán Mocho-Choshuenco (39°55′S, 72°02′W) is one of the main active volcanoes in this part of the country. A mass balance programme was initiated on its southeastern glacier in 2003, in view of its representative conditions as an ice body that is presumably not affected by current volcanic activity. The glaciers of this volcano have been retreating and shrinking in recent decades; by 2003 there had been a reduction of 40% of the original area of 28.4 km² in 1976. A maximum decrease of area was observed in the most recently analysed period, a rate of 0.45 km² year^-1 between 1987 and 2003. The glacier average net mass balance of 2003/04 yielded ?0.88 m w.e. (water equivalent) per year (±0.18), with an average net accumulation and ablation of 2.59 and ?3.47 m w.e. per year, respectively. This is the first direct measurement of glacier mass balance in southern Chile, where very little is known about glacier variations and glacier–volcano interactions.     

A regional water balance indicator inferred from satellite images of an Andean endorheic basin in central-western Argentina

In the Central Andes of Argentina (30–37°S), snowmelt is the main source of freshwater, an essential natural resource for ~2.2 million people in the adjacent arid lowlands. In this region, Laguna Llancanelo collects the water inputs from the Malargüe endorheic basin. Previous studies concerning the annual and intra-annual variations of this lagoon and its relationship with regional climate are rare. We obtained a monthly record for the Laguna Llancanelo area (LLA, 1984–2013) using the modified normalized difference water index derived from Landsat images. Monthly LLA ranges between 35 km² and 411 km² and is significantly related to variations of the Río Malargüe, the main snow-fed tributary to the lagoon. There is no long-term relationship between LLA and local rainfall, but rapid increases in LLA result from heavy rainfall around the lagoon. Conversely, rapid reductions in LLA encompass periods with both reduced discharge from the Río Malargüe and low local rainfall. The LLA integrates moisture of both Pacific (snowfall in the upper Andes) and Atlantic (lowland rainfall) origins; therefore, we propose using LLA as an indicator of regional water balance.     

Isotopic and geochemical characterization of salinization in the shallow aquifers of a reclaimed subsiding zone: The southern Venice Lagoon coastland

The coastal plain bordering the southern Venice Lagoon is a reclaimed lowland characterized by high subsidence rate, and ground level and water-table depth below sea level. In this agricultural region, where the surface hydrologic network is entirely artificially controlled by irrigation/drainage canals, salinization problems have long been encountered in soils and groundwaters. Here we use isotopic and geochemical tracers to improve our understanding of the origin of salinization and mineralization of the semi-confined aquifer (0–40 m), and the freshwater inputs to this hydrological system. Water samples have been collected at different seasons in the coastal Adriatic Sea, lagoon, rivers and irrigation canals, as well as in the semi-confined aquifer at depths between 12 and 35 m (14 boreholes), and in the first confined aquifer (three boreholes drilled between 40 and 80 m depth). Stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δD) and conductivity profiles show that direct saline intrusion from the sea or the lagoon is observed only in a restricted coastal strip, while brackish groundwaters are found over the entire topographic and piezometric depression in the centre of the study area. Fresh groundwaters are found only in the most western zone. The sharp isotopic contrast between the western and central regions suggests disconnected hydrological circulations between these two parts of the shallow aquifer. The border between these two regions also corresponds to the limits of the most strongly subsiding zone.Our results can be interpreted in terms of a four end-member mixing scheme, involving (1) marine water from the lagoon or the open sea, (2) alpine and pre-alpine regional recharge waters carried either by the main rivers Adige, Bacchiglione and Brenta (irrigation waters) or by the regional groundwater circulation, (3) local precipitation, and (4) evaporated waters infiltrated from the surface. Infiltration from the surface is also revealed by the stratification of the electrical conductivity profiles, showing that the brackish groundwaters are overlain by a shallow layer of less saline water all over the central depression. In the first confined aquifer, the groundwaters have isotopic compositions similar to the deep groundwaters of the Venetian confined aquifers (40–400 m depth). The isotopic data and the Br/Cl ratio show that the origin of the salinization of the phreatic aquifer can be ascribed to seawater intrusion alone, with no indication of the involvement of deep brines (identified at 450 m depth) in the process.The chemical composition of the saline and brackish groundwaters is characterized by an excess of sodium and a deficit of calcium compared to conservative mixing between fresh groundwaters and seawater. This suggests that the phreatic aquifer is progressively freshening, as a consequence of the beneficial influence of the extensive irrigation/drainage network, including raised canals acting as a hydraulic barrier along the coast. This freshening tendency may have been lasting since the reclamation in the mid-twentieth century, and has probably been accelerated by the ban on groundwater abstraction since the 1970s.