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The role of alpine valley fill deposits for groundwater storage (Dolomites, Italy)

Die Rolle der alpinen Talverfüllungen für die Grundwasserspeicherung (Dolomiten, Italien)

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Abstract

In the Dolomites mountain range, the most productive aquifers are found in porous valley-fill deposits, such as alluvial, glacial and other heterogeneous types of clastic sediments. These deposits store significant amounts of groundwater resources and are laterally bordered by steep carbonate reliefs, which in turn constitute fractured high-yielding aquifers. The talus cones and slopes at the base of the rock cliffs play the role of hydraulic connection between the fractured aquifers and the porous aquifers at the valley floor. This situation is very well represented in the San Lucano glacial valley system in the Dolomite Mountains (Italy), where average groundwater resources were estimated at approximately 2 m3/s. The hydrogeological data collected in this study allowed to identify the interaction between stream discharge and the saturated zone of the aquifers and to define a preliminary model of recharge and storage of the valley-fill aquifer.

Zusammenfassung

In alpinen Gebieten sind die ergiebigsten Grundwasserleiter in durchlässigen alluvialen, glazigen und anderen heterogen aufgebauten Talverfüllungen zu finden. Diese Lagerstätten speichern bedeutende Mengen an Grundwasserressourcen und werden seitlich von steilen Karbonatreliefs begrenzt, die wiederum stark ergiebige Kluftwasserleiter darstellen. Die Schuttkegel und Hangschutthalden am Fuß der Felswände stellen die Verbindung zwischen den Kluftwasserleitern und den Porengrundwasserleitern im Talboden. Diese Situation ist im Gletschertalsystem San Lucano in den Dolomiten (Italien) sehr gut ersichtlich, wo die durchschnittlichen erneuerbaren Grundwasservorkommen auf etwa 2 m3/s geschätzt wurden. Dank der in dieser Studie gesammelten hydrogeologischen Daten wurde die Wechselwirkung zwischen der Abflussströmung und der gesättigten Zone der Grundwasserleiter identifiziert und ein vorläufiges Modell für die Auffüllung und die Verweilzeit des Porengrundwasserleiters ausgearbeitet.

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Acknowledgements

The present work was conducted within the research project “Evaluation and distribution of groundwater resources in the dolomitic group Pale di San Martino” Research supervisor: prof. Roberto Mazza

The authors would like to thank the following institutions for their assistance with the collection of the data: Parco di Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino; A.R.P.A.V. (Agenzia Regionale per la Prevenzione e Protezione Ambientale del Veneto); Provincia di Belluno; Skiarea Miara s.r.l.; Bim Gestione Servizi Pubblici—Belluno; The authors are grateful to Lucio D’Alberto and Mario Bonat for providing field and technical support.

The Grant of Excellence Departments, MIUR (ARTICOLO 1, COMMI 314–337 LEGGE 232/2016), is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sciences, Roma Tre University, Largo S. Leonardo Murialdo 1, 00146, Roma, Italy

    Marco Bonat, Giorgia Lucianetti, Lucia Mastrorillo, Stefano Viaroli & Roberto Mazza

  2. Paneveggio-Pale di San Martino Natural Park, San Martino di Castrozza, Località Castelpietra, 2, 38054, Primiero, Trento, Italy

    Giorgia Lucianetti

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  1. Marco Bonat
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Correspondence to Giorgia Lucianetti.

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Bonat, M., Lucianetti, G., Mastrorillo, L. et al. The role of alpine valley fill deposits for groundwater storage (Dolomites, Italy). Grundwasser - Zeitschrift der Fachsektion Hydrogeologie 25, 3–14 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00767-019-00438-7

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