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This paper proposes a methodology for managing groundwater monitoring directly in the field through a specific data entry system installed on mobile devices and a relational geographic database that allows the visualization and querying of data via a specific web interface. The study area is the city of Rome, where a monitoring system of approximately 150 piezometers and wells, currently manually monitored twice a year. The proposed method uses the Enterprise cloud platform (ESRI, 2024) managed by ISPRA-SNPA, which guarantees the repository of the data collected in an online cloud system and the use of Web applications. The data of the time series of levels and chemical-physical parameters such as temperature, pH, conductivity are freely accessible through attribute tables, graphs, and viewer elements. The results highlight numerous possibilities for expanding the network of active wells, enabling the use of groundwater resources for adaptation measures to address ongoing climate change.

Italy is one of the richest countries in the world with regards to number and quality of thermal-mineral waters and has developed a widespread and extensive use of such resource (e.g. bathing, central heating, electric power production). Premised that, the Geological Survey of Italy (GSI) took part in a work package of the GeoERA Hover project (EU Horizon 2020 program under grant agreement N.731166) aimed at defining the interactions involving the geological asset and the hydrogeological processes with natural quality and contamination risk of groundwater and at building a geodatabase of thermal-mineral groundwater within an Information Platform at European level. The GSI activities also aimed at contributing to fill the lack of a comprehensive work dealing with a national scale hydrogeological picture of thermal-mineral waters in Italy. This paper shows the first results obtained with Hover Project on the definition of a general geologicalhydrogeological scenario of thermal-mineral occurrences at an Italian national scale (240 occurrences with cropping temperature >20°C have been included in a database). Most of exploited thermal-mineral water resources are aligned along the Tyrrhenian-Apenninic margin and in the Italian islands, where the most relevant active or quiescent geothermal fields related to magma ascent processes occur. As concerns physicalchemical features, extreme situations of over-mineralized and very-high temperature waters are not uncommon throughout Italy and correspond to a cluster of important SPA and geothermal field sites. Some preliminary geochemical considerations agree with mutual interaction between hydrothermal fluids rich in SO4-Cl-Na-K, likely originated from (ultra)potassic/calcalkaline/alkaline magmas, and HCO3/CO3-Ca waters, originated from leaching of calcareous rocks by groundwater. A preliminary statistical analysis on geochemical and other features of the Italian thermal-mineral sources on a regional basis envisaged that they do not display fully homogeneous characteristics.

The geoscience knowledge has improved our ability to access clean water, cultivate food, mitigate natural hazards and enhance the economy. It also plays a significant role in policymaking, often supported by an interdisciplinary approach. The sustainable energy transition requires a larger supply of raw materials within the framework of a circular economy. In Italy, despite a rich history of mining, a decision was made to import the majority of mineral resources from abroad, as it was more economically sustainable. However, over the past decade, there has been increased awareness, particularly after the introduction of the EU Green Deal. The Italian Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA) is actively supporting the mining sector, by coordinating technical panels and discussions on eco-friendly raw material perspectives at the national level. Additionally, ISPRA is developing a Geodatabase as a tool to promote the sustainable production of both primary and secondary mineral resources, while also contributing national and regional policies.

[Article in Italian] Le attività avviate per la realizzazione di una Carta Idrogeologica d’Italia alla scala 1:500.000

[Article in Italian]

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.

[Article in Italian]

[In Italian]

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.

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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.

Not available [In Italian]

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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 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.

Il Servizio Geologico d’Italia di ISPRA, in qualità di Organo Cartografico dello Stato e quindi depositario di una notevole mole di informazioni geologiche territoriali, organizzate anche in banche dati, cura la produzione di varia cartografia geologica e geotematica, in buona parte consultabile on-line dal Portale del Servizio Geologico (http://sgi.isprambiente.it/ geoportal) [...].

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.

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 [...].

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The present research is aimed to contribute to the groundwater resource sustainable management of a carbonate aquifer in a test area of the Lepini Mountains (Central Italy). This aquifer constitutes a major exploited groundwater body of central Apennines. At regional scale, the hydrogeological features of the Lepini hydrostructure are well known. The present study focuses on a portion of the Lepini Mountains where important tapping-works for drinking water supply are in activity (about 1.2 m3/s). New investigations were carried out including: meteo-climatic analysis, spring discharge and hydrometric time series processing, pumping test result interpretation. In addition, a detailed lithostratigraphical and structural survey of a portion of the Lepini hydrostructure at 1:10,000 scale was performed also examining the dense network of discontinuities affecting the carbonate aquifer. Extensional Plio-Pleistocene tectonic activity displaced the carbonate rock sequence under the Pontina Plain, where the carbonate aquifer is confined. The investigation results have allowed the reconstruction of the hydrogeological conceptual model of the studied portion of carbonate massif. Given the scale of the study and the results of the investigation, the carbonate aquifer can be treated as an equivalent porous medium, and the simplified numerical model of the aquifer was constructed with the code MODFLOW-2005. The numerical model, still now under continuous implementation, produced first results on the current withdrawal sustainability, allowing evaluation of possible alternative exploitation scenarios of the carbonate aquifer also considering the probably not significant flow exchanges with the Pontina Plain aquifer.

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).

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.

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]