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The hydrological budget is one of the fundamental tools for the sustainable management of water resources. In the last decades, the knowledge of the distribution of freshwater resources in space and time is becoming of great concern due to the growing pressure related to increasing population, water pollution, and climate change. Furthermore, in the scope of hydrological balance, the estimation of aquifer assumes particular concern in Italy. In fact, more than 80% of water withdrawal for domestic and drinkable use is derived from groundwater. In this context, the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) has developed a mathematical model for estimating the hydrological budget components at a national and macro-regional scale called BIGBANG. The aquifer recharge is estimated as a percentage of the monthly soil water surplus by the potential infiltration coefficient defined as a function of the permeability of the hydrogeological complexes beneath the soil layer. In this paper, a comparison highlighting the differences between the estimations of the long-term annual average of two of the main hydrological budget components, aquifer recharge and surface runoff, at national and sub-national levels, is carried out. The estimations are based on the new and more detailed Permeability Map of Italy produced by ISPRA and on the old map of the hydrogeological complexes currently used at national level used so far in the BIGBANG budget model.

Located at an altitude of about 1950 m a.s.l. in a glacial cirque of Mount Vettore (Monti Sibillini National Park - Central Italy), Pilato Lake is one of the few glacial lakes existing in the Apennines. Due to the endemic presence of the crustaceous Chirocephalus marchesonii, the Pilato Lake was in the past mainly studied from the biological viewpoint, but hydrogeological information on this groundwater dependent ecosystem is scarce. Furthermore, for investigating the lake drying in the recent 2017, 2019 and 2020 summers, the seasonal lowering of lake levels during 2010, 2012 and 2014-2020 was reconstructed. It resulted that in the preseismic years, the lake emptying was slower than in the post-seismic time. It is then supposed that seismic quaking induced an increase in permeability and, consequently, increased infiltration velocity through the lake sustaining surficial (detrital and glacial) and/or bedrock deposits towards the subsurface. More frequent summer dryings of the lake are then supposed for the next future. The hydrogeological conceptual model of the study area showed that the refilling process of the lake is driven by snow and rain precipitations. The air temperatures during 2017-2020 and their effects on evaporation from lake and on actual evapotranspiration were estimated. The infiltration through sustaining sediments was calculated and the estimation with time of lake wet surface and lake volume variations, and then bulk permeability of sustaining sediments, were evaluated as well.

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Nel mese di Aprile del 2020, è stata sottoscritta tra ISPRA, Dipartimento per il Servizio Geologico d’Italia, e Roma Capitale una convenzione di ricerca con l’obbiettivo di sistematizzare il monitoraggio delle acque sotterranee cittadine.

Il cosiddetto “Quaderno 5” (Servizio Geologico Nazionale 1995; Quaderni serie III, volume 5), dedicato alle linee guida al rilevamento e alla rappresentazione della Carta Idrogeologica d’Italia scala 1:50.000, è piuttosto conosciuto, anche grazie ai suoi 25 anni di vita, ed è anche stato, almeno parzialmente, preso in considerazione per cartografie idrogeologiche elaborate da altre istituzioni (e.g. Boscherini et al. 2005; Celico et al. 2005; Civita et al. 2005; La Vigna e Mazza 2015). Proprio per la sua vetustà, i contenuti del Quaderno 5 attendevano di essere rivisti, anche in base ai risultati della discussione tecnico-scientifica proposta dal Servizio Geologico d’Italia dell’ISPRA nella seconda metà della prima decade del XXI secolo. Ma procediamo con ordine [...].

Il Servizio Geologico d’Italia di ISPRA (SGI) è coinvolto, insieme ad altri servizi geologici degli Stati Membri europei, nel Programma H2020 GeoERA (luglio 2018-giugno 2021; per riferimento consultare il sito web https://geoera.eu/projects/) e sta partecipando ai singoli progetti denominati FRAME, EUROLITHOS e MINTELL4EU (riguardanti le risorse minerarie), HotLime e HIKE (sulle geo-energie), TACTIC e HOVER (sulle acque sotterranee) e GIP-P (per quanto concerne la realizzazione di una piattaforma informatica dedicata al programma GeoERA). Questi progetti sono cofinanziati dal programma di ricerca ed innovazione Horizon 2020 dell’Unione Europea nell’ambito del Grant Agreement N.731166 [...].

Il Servizio Geologico d’Italia di ISPRA (SGI), nell’ambito di una convenzione (inizio giugno 2018 e termine aprile 2020) con il Parco Nazionale dei Monti Sibillini, sta conducendo alcuni studi finalizzati ad accertare le principali variazioni delle condizioni idrogeologiche di alcune sorgenti e corsi d’acqua verificatesi nel territorio del Parco a seguito degli effetti della sequenza simica 2016-2017 dell’Italia centrale. Il Parco ha garantito i permessi per raggiungere alcune aree sottoposte a vincoli e ha fornito i dati idrogeologici in suo possesso. Inoltre, è stata avviata una raccolta di dati presso gli Enti gestori della risorsa idrica ed altri Enti coinvolti nello studio degli effetti sismici sulle risorse idriche dei Monti Sibillini [...].

The better knowledge of the subsurface is one of the challenges faced by the Geological Survey Organizations all around the world. The assessment, and sustainable use, also concurrent, of subsurface resources, requires a holistic approach that takes into account also natural hazards and environmental impacts. Such approach is particularly significant in Italy where a large part of the territory is affected by several hazards (earthquakes, landslides, floods, volcanic eruptions, ground subsidence), and the exploitation of subsurface resources has been recently a theme for a scientific and political debate to address, investigate, and manage the potential contribution of human activities to increase natural hazards.Exploration and knowledge, sustainable use and management, impacts, and publicly available information are key topics addressed in the GeoERA Programme by the Geological Survey of Italy (SGI) a department of ISPRA, , through the participation to eight GeoERA projects.In the Geo-Energy Theme, the SGI contribution focuses on subsurface knowledge and database production: geological 3D model of the Po Basin subsurface as base input data for geothermal assessment of Mesozoic multilayer carbonate reservoir (HotLime); the implementation of the European Fault Database – EFD with information about faults characteristics, including 3D geometry and activity (HIKE).As regards the Raw Materials Theme, inthe last decade, various projects aimed at implementing data and metadata on available raw materials have been fostered by the EU Commission. The projects involving SGI range from cataloguing mineral resources (MINTELL4EU) into a Database INSPIRE compliant, to the inventory of ornamental stones containing information about the physical and mechanical characteristics of the rocks (EUROLITHOS), as well as to deepen the knowledge aimed at a possible recycling/reuse of minerals from extractive wastes (FRAME) in a circular economy perspective.In the Groundwater Theme, the main efforts of the SGI are involved on the implementation of an Italian inventory of available information on thermal-mineral water, an investigation on their geological background and the preparation of maps and web-map service (HOVER); the calculation of groundwater recharge at selected observation boreholes applying a statistical lumped model and as well using satellite data to produce spatially distributed recharge maps (TACTIC).Finally, SGI contributes to the implementation and development of the GeoERA Information Platform that is established to support the other GeoERA projects in managing and disseminating geospatial data, reports and unstructured data, and the results of their research.In a long term perspective, through the participation to eight GeoERA projects, the SGI has contributed to the development of a geological service for Europe built on the joint cooperation among national and regional geological surveys, that will be the long term objective of the whole GeoERA Programme.This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 731166.

The Pilato Lake has glacial origin, is located in the Sibillini Mountains, Central Italy, and is characterized by the endemism of the small crustaceous Chirocephalus marchesonii. In the context of a research agreement with the Monti Sibillini National Park, the ISPRA Geological Survey of Italy is carrying on some studies aimed to evaluate the supposed effects of the 2016–2017 Central Italy earthquakes on the hydrogeological conditions controlling the lake’s evolution. The study, started in July 2018, aims primarily at the reconstruction of the geological and hydrogeological subsoil setting, beneath the valley hosting the lake. In order to define the conceptual model of groundwater circulation and, thus, to evaluate the emptying and recharge seasonal cycle of the lake, hydrogeological surveys and geophysical investigations were performed. The research program is still in progress and only preliminary results may be proposed. The hydrogeological surveys demonstrate the absence of geomorphological evidence of seismic-induced surface fractures generated by the seismic sequence 2016-2017. Consequently, the complete drying of the lake, occurred in summer 2017, was probably due to meteoclimatic reasons and/ or to not yet verified variations in the permeability characteristics of the surficial deposits and/or bedrock affecting the infiltration towards the subsoil, caused by the severe seismic shaking. The low electrical conductivity values of the lake’s waters are in accordance with the prevailing origin of the lake’s recharge by snow melting and direct rainfall. As concerns the first geophysical surveys in the Pilato Lake area, seismic surveys by surface wave method assessed that the maximum thickness of debris here estimated is about 12.5-14 m. As a whole, the factors responsible for the progressive lowering of the lake level are: i) the water overflow through the Fonte del Lago spring, ii) the evaporation from the lake surface and iii) the drainage through the scarcely permeable glacial deposits towards the Basal Calcareous Aquifer, hosted within the limestone at lower altitude.

The definition of common international guidelines for the compilation of high quality hydrogeological maps has been attempted from the second half of the last century for hydrogeologists, to solve the lack of uniformity among national guidelines due to the various geological-hydrogeological and climatic situations of different countries worldwide. With this aim, the China Geological Survey and the Geological Survey of Italy-ISPRA are undertaking cooperative research in implementing 1:50,000 scale hydrogeological survey and mapping at selected sites in both countries. The project intends to develop a new generation of hydrogeological and groundwater resource maps with descriptive effectiveness and consistency with field survey data. The project will promote improvements of technologies in hydrogeological survey and mapping of the two countries and might even be agreed at a wider international level. Chinese and Italian hydrogeological guidelines have similar aspects as well as concerns: 1) the undertaking of field surveys at the 1:50,000 scale and more detailed (1:25000) scale; 2) building of a hydrogeological database; 3) publication of the official map in both paper and electronic form; 4) inclusion of several small scale maps inlayed at the margin of a main map in the hydrogeological map layout; 5) comparable level in required survey quota. Furthermore, more attention will be paid to a 3D map, conceptual model, aquifer structure, groundwater cycle and hydrogeological parameter description.In contrast, the most important difference regards the following. The hydrogeological mapping guidelines of Italy have integrated specifications for both survey and mapping, i.e. they deal with a structural layout characterized by survey contents followed by mapping contents and reflect a technical route of surveying for mapping. In contrast, there are no mapping contents in the current hydrogeological guidelines of China and these then needed to be formulated. The Italian guidelines could provide important references for China in legend organization, mapping rules, survey quota and so on.Finally, the collaboration between China and Italy is of great significance for the two ancient civilized countries sharing the “One Belt and One Road” international initiative.&nbsp

Da oltre un decennio è in atto una collaborazione istituzionale tra il Servizio Geologico d’Italia di ISPRA e Roma Capitale. Questa collaborazione è finalizzata alla conoscenza e valutazione dei dissesti idrogeologici ed alla pianificazione degli interventi della loro messa in sicurezza che possano ridurre i potenziali impatti sul territorio [...].

Nel volume 103 delle Memorie Descrittive della Carta Geologica d’Italia è stata recentemente pubblicata la Carta Idrogeologica dell’area del Foglio n. 348 Antrodoco (Conte et al. 2018; il link per scaricare il lavoro è riportato in bibliografia), realizzata quale prodotto ad integrazione del Progetto CARG (Cartografia Geologica e Geotematica d’Italia alla scala 1:50.000) [...].

The Rieti Plain is crowned by calcareous-marly reliefs (Rieti and Sabini Mountains) and represents an intra-Apennine Plio- Quaternary alluvial and fluvial-lacustrine basin formed after multistage extensional tectonic processes. This territory presents huge amounts of water resources (Velino and Turano rivers; several springs; Lungo and Ripasottile lakes, relics of ancient Lacus Velinus). The aquifers occurring in the reliefs often have hydraulic continuity with the Rieti plain groundwater (detected at about 1-4 m below ground surface), which has general flow directions converging from the reliefs to the lake sector. Hydraulic exchanges between groundwater and surface waters are variable in space and time and play a relevant role for groundwater resource distribution. The Rieti Land Reclamation Authority was instituted in 1929 by Royal Decree N. 34171-3835, and integrates eight former authorities, dating the end of 1800s. It contributes to maintain the reclamation actions in the Rieti Plain, which started with the realization of the Salto and Turano artificial reservoirs, along two left tributaries of Velino River. The hydroelectric energy production purposes struggle with the reclamation and flood mitigation activities in the plain. The Land Reclamation Authority actuated the Integrated Reclamation General Project through the realization of pumping stations, connection and drainage canals, forestry-hydraulic works, rural roads, movable dams along Velino River and irrigation ditches. The irrigation activities, granted by the derivation of 5 m3/s from the Velino River, are carried out through 194,000 hectares within the territory of 42 municipalities of the Rieti Province. The Rieti Land Reclamation Authority contributes to the irrigation needs and to the environmental and hydrogeological protection and monitoring.

The Geological Survey of Italy, Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research is realizing the Sheet N.348 Antrodoco (Central Italy) of the Hydrogeological map of Italy as a cartographical test of the Italian hydrogeological survey and mapping guidelines, in the frame of the Italian Geological Cartography Project. The study area is characterized by structural units deeply involved in the Apennine Orogeny (Latium and Abruzzi region territory, Rieti and L’Aquila provinces) and including deposits of marine carbonate shelf, slope, basin and foredeep environments hosting relatively large amounts of groundwater resources. The map was realized to obtain the best possible representation of all hydrogeological elements deriving from field surveys, in order to characterize the hydrogeological asset. A control network for monthly measurement of surface and groundwater flow rates and hydrogeochemical parameters was performed. Data were uploaded in a geographic information system to perform the present preliminary hydrogeological cartography consisting in a main map showing the following hydrogeological complexes based on relative permeability degree (from bottom to top): i) calcareous (Jurassic-Cretaceous; high permeability); ii) calcareous-marly (Upper Cretaceous-Middle Eocene; intermediate permeability); iii) marly-calcareous and marly (Upper Eocene- Upper Miocene; low permeability); iv) flysch (Upper Miocene; low permeability); v) conglomeratic-sandy and detritic (Upper Pliocene- Pleistocene; intermediate permeability); vi) alluvial (Quaternary; low permeability). Among other elements shown in the main map there are hydrographical basin and sub-basin boundaries, stream gauging stations, meteo-climatic stations, streamwater-groundwater exchange processes, hydrostructure boundaries, point and linear spring flow rates, groundwater flow directions. Furthermore, complementary smaller-scale sketches at the margin of the main map were realized (e.g., hydrogeological structure map, hydrogeological complex map based on effective infiltration information, hydrogeological crosssections).

This paper describes the contents of the new Hydrogeological Map of the City of Rome (1:50,000 scale). The map extends to the entire municipality (1285 km2) and is based on both the most recent scientific studies on the groundwater field and new survey activities carried out in order to fill the data gaps in several areas of the examined territory. The map is the result of a combination of different urban groundwater expertise and Geographic Information System (GIS)-based mapping performed using the most recent available data and has been produced with the intention of furnishing the City of Rome with the most recent and updated information regarding groundwater.

In this paper rainfall trends and a seasonal distribution model of the period 1984-2014 for the urban area of Rome and surroundings are presented using the available data of 46 rain gauge stations. The average annual precipitation is 793 mm in the urban area and increases up to 945 mm in the surrounding hilly areas. The seasonal distribution of the isohyets is almost homogeneous, increasing from plain towards hilly areas. The scattered variability of annual rainfall does not allow the recognition of trends and cyclic tendencies, with the exception of seasonal variations. Nevertheless, the rainfall analysis highlights an increasing trend in winter and, to a lesser significant extent, in summer, while a decreasing tendency characterizes autumns and, definitely less spring periods. The annual rainfall time series analysis show significant changes for 28% out of the 46 stations considered, i.e.: descending to ascending trends or increasing of average values concomitant to the absence of significant trends. The plots of three-monthly (seasonal) total rainfall values show, for most of the rainfall stations, a winter season characterized by a negative to positive tendency inversion around 1993. According to the qualitative classification of the Seasonal Index (SI), the study area sectors fall between the classes “uniform but with a clear wet season” (SI=0.20-0.39) and “fairly seasonal with a minor dry season” (SI=0.40-0.59).The analysis of the rainfall was further developed by spatial elaboration of long-term trends derived from the data analysis of the Standard Precipitation Index (SPI), aggregated at annual, semiannual and quarterly scale.The analysis of the temperature data of 21 stations for the period 1984-2014 highlighted that, generally, isotherms follow the topographic elevations and the existence of an area, coinciding with the metropolitan area of Rome, characterized by temperatures greater than those of the surroundings.

This work is aimed to contribute to the revision of the Italian hydrogeological cartographical guidelines, after the last field-testing promoted by the Geological Survey of Italy (now ISPRA – Land Resources and Soil Protection Dept.) in representative hydrogeological situations of the Italian territory, taking into account that a good quality hydrogeological map has to be based on the collection of field survey measurements, in order to allow a characterization of quantitative and protection management aspects of groundwater resources.The current Italian guidelines propose to distinguish the hydrogeological complexes based on relative permeability degree using a colour scale following a chronological criterion. But in this way, the complex ages and not the hydrogeological features are evidenced and, thus, the use of a colour scale strictly related to the permeability degree of the hydrogeological complexes is here proposed.The official guidelines suggest the representation of surface and spring waters based on annual mean discharge. This rule, as a suitable long time of discharge measurements to calculate the annual mean discharge is not always available in the Italian territory sites, may be modified allowing the representation of both surface and spring waters also by mean discharge values, obtained after field measurement surveys.It is also significant to evidence the opportunity of including in the guidelines some specific symbols for: i) boundary of suspended aquifer recharge areas; ii) open (i.e., allowing hydraulic exchange) and closed (i.e., not allowing hydraulic exchange) groundwater divide; iii) groundwater drainage process; iv) lake monitoring station; v) linear spring; vi) area affected by intense tectonic lamination.

An innovative approach to hydrogeological mapping based on quantitative analysis is shown in this paper. It gives some cartographical solutions for an immediate evaluation of the groundwater resources and their spatial distribution.All relevant aquifers, springs and their regime, geological and structural setting and their hydraulic role should be shown in several understandable and clear hydrogeological maps where all hydrogeological information is reported in detail in the Hydrogeological experimental Map composed by a. Hydrogeological Complexes and Natural Springs Map, b. Surface Hydrology Map, c. Conceptual Hydrogeological Model and d. Hydrogeological sections.The cartographical solutions adopted for representing all these documents are proposed in this paper. Some graphical solutions have been proposed for improving the Italian official guidelines of hydrogeological mapping at scale 1:50.000, explain the legends symbols and illustrate the structure of a hydrogeological GIS database. An application of this approach has been carried out in north-western sector of Sibillini Mts. (Marche, Italy).

This study discusses 1) the national legislative frameworks, terminologies, and criteria for the recognition of natural mineral waters and thermal waters in selected European countries (Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Denmark, France, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Serbia, Slovenia, and Spain), and 2) it provides a first extensive multi-national overview of hydrogeological and hydrogeochemical characteristics of numerous water sources from those regions. Natural mineral waters are well defined and regulated in the European Union by the Directives 2009/54/EC and 2003/40/EC that are implemented by national law regulations. In contrast, no legal definition exists for thermal waters on an EU level and national definitions commonly differ or are not present. Defining thermal waters by water temperatures of at least 20 °C at the outlet is commonly found (6 out of 15 countries), but other definitions like considering the difference to the average air temperature are also present. Furthermore, no definitions on a national level are quite frequent (5 out of 15 countries), those countries preferentially refer to expert recognitions. We considered 678 natural mineral waters and 2,390 thermal waters in this study and collected information on practical use, hydrogeological settings and hydrogeochemical conditions. The comparison of the datasets shows commonalities like a predominance porous aquifers, especially sandy aquifers, and sedimentary carbonate rock aquifers (limestone, dolomite, chalk). Furthermore, natural mineral waters commonly show TDS contents of less than 1 g/l and alkaline-earth-HCO3 water types. Surprisingly, 21 % of the considered sources bear water temperatures above 20 °C and could be considered as thermal waters as well. Thermal waters – the majority (above 30 °C) is found in Hungary - usually show water temperatures between 20 and 70 °C and TDS contents between 1 and 14.5 g/l. The hydrogeochemical properties show a larger variation in contrast to natural mineral waters, but Na-(HCO3, Cl) waters seem to be most commonly found.

The deposit of dawsonite and realgar–orpiment in the Koman area, northern Albania, is aligned along the NE–SW-trending tectonic line joining the Krasta–Cukal and Mirdita structural-tectonic zones. The deposit contains the following main paragenet ic assemblages: i) marcasite – greigite (Fe-sulfide stage), ii) stibnite – realgar – orpiment (As–Sb-sulfide stage), iii) dolomite – calcite – dawsonite – aragonite – barite – gypsum (carbonate–sulfate stage), iv) native As – gibbsite (supergene stage). There was lithostratigraphic control of mineralization; carbonate-rich wallrocks reacted with the mineralizing fluids emanating from a bu ried magmatic body and migrating along Albanian transversal faults, rather than argillaceous lithotypes. Values of � 18 O and � 13 C indicate that dawsonite and hydrothermal dolomite are derived at the expense of carbonate rocks, which occur extensively in the stratigraphic sequence of the host rocks. The water:rock ratio during the carbonate–sulfate stage of deposition was probably small. Moreover, oxygen and carbon isotopic exchange during metasomatic transformation of the rocks, recrystallization and late involvement of groundwater, probably all occurred. The sulfur involved in realgar and orpiment deposition may be of magmatic origin, and there was enrichment of heavier S during late hydrothermal processes. Both marcasite and greigite have low Co/Ni values reflecting low-temperature conditions during their formation; the amount of As in the fluids was relatively high during both Fe- and As–Sb-sulfide stages of deposition. The wallrocks were the source of Al and Na involved in dawsonite deposition. Al, Na, K and Si were the elements most effectively leached from rocks during hydrothermal alteration.