Anticipating the effects of groundwater withdrawal on seawater intrusion and soil settlement in urban coastal areas

Intensive pumping in urban coastal areas is a common threat to water resource quality due to seawater intrusion. In those areas where subsurface water resources are not usually used for human consumption or irrigation, intensive pumping is associated with other activities like the lowering of the water table necessary to support underground structures and building foundations. This activity also increases the likelihood of soil settlement that affects building stability and the corrosion of concrete structures due to groundwater salinity. Under these circumstances, the awareness of a certain municipality (Calonge, NE Spain) of the potential effects of groundwater withdrawal upon foundations has led to an integrated approach to anticipate seawater intrusion related to urban development. Geological mapping and correlation of borehole logs, electrical resistivity tomography, and hydrochemical data provide comprehensive knowledge of the geology and hydrogeology of the area and act as screening tools necessary to discern the influence of hydrological processes in coastal areas. Developing Strack's analytical solution, new comprehensive, dimensionless expressions are herein derived to determine the critical pumping rate necessary to prevent seawater intrusion, as well as to reproduce the evolution of the wedge toe and the water table stagnation point under different withdrawal rates. Furthermore, the Dupuit–Forchheimer well discharge formula allows the estimation of the effects of the water table lowering due to such critical pumping in the surrounding building foundations. Field data from the Calonge coastal plain illustrate this approach and provide assessment criteria for future urban development and planning. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The response of vegetation at the end of the last glacial period (MIS 3 and MIS 2) in littoral areas of NW Iberia

This paper describes and discusses the palaeobotanical data obtained from organic levels of two exposed deposits on the Atlantic shore of the northwestern Iberian Peninsula. Radiocarbon dating assigns these levels to a period of marine regression at the end of MIS 3 and the beginning of the Last Glacial Maximum. The pollen record shows an initial predominance of tree taxa (mainly deciduous, including the presence of Fagus far from its current limit), followed by an episode of partial forest retraction related to the end of MIS 3 and the beginning of the Last Glacial Maximum. However, the presence of numerous tree taxa in the record, even during the cold intervals associated with Heinrich events, points to the existence of sheltered refugia for these species during this period, in keeping with the conclusions of recent reviews of the vegetation dynamics of this region for the Lateglacial and the Holocene.     

Reservoir rainfall‐runoff geomorphological model. II: analysis,calibration and validation

The model presented in the complementary document entitled, Reservoir rainfall‐runoff geomorphological model I: parameter application and analysis is analysed, calibrated and validated in this paper. The accuracy of simulated hydrographs is analysed by means of the efficiency defined by Nash and Sutcliffe. The sensitivity of the influence of five parameters on the behaviour of the model developed is analysed. Two different calibration and validation processes of Reservoir rainfall‐runoff geomorphological model are performed in Aixola watershed. Twelve events have been selected for calibrations and 25 for validations. With the first calibration and validation process, the model parameters are set by assigning the medians' values of the distributions obtained by means of the optimum results. The second process is performed by calibrating the most determinant parameter in the adjustment, which is the one that indicates the proportion of infiltrated water that is retained and does not flow; this is done with an empirical formulation depending on the event characteristics. Subsequently, the obtained results are validated. This last process has achieved very good adjustments in both calibrated and validated events. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An overview of the Gulf of Batabanó (Cuba): Environmental features as revealed by surface sediment characterisation

The main environmental features of the Gulf of Batabanó, Cuba, Caribbean, were investigated through the analyses of surface sediments collected at 23 sites. In order to highlight the potential threats affecting the sedimentary compartment of this area, samples were analysed for: granulometry, mineralogy, heavy metals concentration (As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Ni, Pb, Zn), organic carbon, total nitrogen and radionuclides. Findings were compared with published data and “grey” literature.Results showed: granulometric homogeneity and a widespread carbonatic condition all over the gulf, probably due to stable bathymetry and lack of terrigenous input (except for the La Coloma basin); a rather pristine environment for what concerns heavy metals pollution, except for La Coloma where a large arsenic input was recorded; very low levels of natural and artificial radioactivity; a relevant quantity of sedimentary organic matter, providing biota with useful substrate for feeding and enhancing the food-web development while indirectly supplying lobster fisheries. Combined data highlighted the impact of the Dique Sur in reducing terrigenous input in the coastal area.Future studies should focus on dating of sediment cores for identifying and quantifying the changes acting in the gulf and on investigating the origins of the large arsenic input to La Coloma.     

Energy balance and evaporation loss of an agricultural reservoir in a semi‐arid climate (south‐eastern Spain)

A typical agricultural water reservoir (AWR) of 2400 m² area and 5 m depth, located in a semi‐arid area (southern Spain), was surveyed on a daily basis for 1 year. The annual evaporation flux was 102·7 W m^?2, equivalent to an evaporated water depth of 1310 mm year^?1. The heat storage rate G exhibited a clear annual cycle with a peak gain in April (G ～ 45 W m^?2) and a peak loss in November (G ～ 40 W m^?2), leading to a marked annual hysteretic trend when evaporation (λE) was related to net radiation (R_n). λE was strongly correlated with the available energy A, representing 91% of the annual AWR energy loss. The sensible heat flux H accounted for the remaining 9%, leading to an annual Bowen ratio in the order of 0·10. The equilibrium and advective evaporation terms of the Penman formula represented 76 and 24%, respectively, of the total evaporation, corresponding to a annual value of the Priestley–Taylor (P–T) coefficient (α) of 1·32. The P–T coefficient presented a clear seasonal pattern, with a minimum of 1·23 (July) and a maximum of 1·65 (December), indicating that, during periods of limited available energy, AWR evaporation increased above the potential evaporation as a result of the advection process. Overall, the results stressed that accurate prediction of monthly evaporation by means of the P–T formula requires accounting for both the annual cycle of storage and the advective component. Some alternative approaches to estimating R_n, G and α are proposed and discussed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The last deglaciation in the Picos de Europa National Park (Cantabrian Mountains,northern Spain)

A sedimentological and geochemical study of the Lago Enol sequence (Cantabrian Mountains, northern Spain), together with detailed geomorphological mapping, provides a first record of glacier evolution and climate change over the last 40 ka in the Picos de Europa National Park. The Enol glacier retreated from its maximum extent prior to 40 ka BP as demonstrated by the onset of proglacial lacustrine sedimentation in two glaciated depressions: the Comella hollow to the north (before 40 ka BP) and the Lago Enol (before 38 ka BP). These results support previous evidence that the maximum extent of southern European glaciers occurred earlier than in northern Europe. Alternation of homogeneous and laminated proglacial sediments during the glacier retreat illustrate a dynamic glacial evolution during the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (40–26 ka BP). A slight warming is detected at 26 ka ago with the change from proglacial sediments (in a lake located in contact to the glacier) to glaciolacustrine sedimentation (in a non‐contact or distal lake). Finally, the onset of organic‐rich sediments took place at 18 ka ago. This last transition occurred in two phases, similarly to the North Atlantic Last Termination, suggesting a link between North Atlantic Deep Water formation oscillations and palaeohydrological variability in the Cantabrian Mountains. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Variability of mangrove ecosystems along the Brazilian coast

Brazilian mangroves extend from 4°30′N to 28°30′S, varying greatly in growth form, species distribution patterns, and stand structure, in spite of a limited floristic diversity. We divided the Brazilian coastline into eight units, within which physiographic and climatic conditions are relatively uniform, and described mangrove occurrence, species distribution and structural attributes characteristic of each segment. In general, greates mangrove coverage and greatest forest stature are found in areas with a large surplus of rainfall over potential evapotranspiration and macrotidal regimes. An exception was the segment containing the mouth of the Amazon river, where freshwater systems dominate over brackish or marine associations. We believe that the variability in species associations and the dominance of each in a given environment is predominantly determined by the characteristics of the landforms that can be colonized by each species in a given region. The type, size, and frequency of occurrence of available landforms is a function of the particular mix of fluvial, tidal, and wave energies found in a region. Different species colonize these sites depending on their adaptations and edaphic preferences. Climate affects mangrove colonization and growth. We suggest that Brazilian mangroves play a minor role in modifying the geomorphic setting; the spatial arrangement of the various forest types is a response to the underlying topography and edaphic conditions, and to the constraints imposed by climatic and hydrologic factors. The spatial arrangement of species does not necessarily show successional processes, but may be the result of direct and differential colonization on appropriate substrates.     

Conflicts between wetland conservation and groundwater exploitation: Two case histories in Spain

The problems in two Spanish national parks located on wetlands are analyzed. The hydrogeological and ecological characteristics of the two parks are somewhat different as are their respective degrees of deterioration. The Tablas de Daimiel National Park is located on the Central Plateau of Spain. It used to consist of a marshy area of about 20 km² around the confluence of two relatively small rivers. The area was marshy mainly because it was the natural discharge zone for a Tertiary aquifer system about 100 m thick extending over an area of some 5,000 km², composed of calcareous and detrital material of continental origin. The average annual recharge has been estimated at approximately 350 hm³/yr. Current groundwater withdrawal is around 450 hm³/yr, mainly used to irrigate a surface area of some 1,000 km². This overdevelopment has led to a continuous depletion of the regional water table and eventually to the drying out of the marshy area. Spontaneous combustion or fires caused by man have occurred in about 10 km² of the desiccated areas since the spring of 1986. The Doñana National Park is located on the estuary of the River Guadalquivir. The aquifer system of the Lower Guadalquivir estuary consists essentially of a permeable formation of unconsolidated Plioquaternary materials with an area of some 3,000 km². Under the marshy area (about 1,800 km²) the aquifer system is confined below low-permeability estuary deposits which can be over 100 m thick. Around most of the marshland the aquifer crops out and is recharged by rain. The Doñana National Park is over 700 km² in size, part of which is in the marshland and part in the recharge area where the aquifer is phreatic. In the 1970s Spain's largest irrigation project using groundwater, covering a surface area of 240 km², was planned in an area bordering on the national park. The initial project has been scaled down considerably as a result of protests by conservation groups. However, it seems likely that the water table depletion as a result of pumpage for irrigation could cause a large part of the ecotone situated at the contact-line between the marshland and the phreatic aquifer to disappear. This ecotone exists because it is a natural groundwater dischange area.     

Deformation and stability of an elasto-plastic softening pillar

Summary A model of rock pillar or coal seam is considered assuming linear elastic behaviour before reaching the maximum strength and post-peak behaviour characterized by the residual strength. The deformation and stress across the pillar height are assumed to be uniform and the interaction with overlying rock strata is treated assuming beam model of the strata. The elasto-plastic stress distribution within pillar and the onset of instability occurring for the critical opening span are determined. Comparison with a solution for a simplified spring model of pillar is also presented.