Abstract
The assessment of surface water resources carried out in 1972 and updated in 1990 is compared with the results of an estimate relevant to the 1996–2015 period. The assessment of groundwater resources, also estimated in 1972, is compared with the results of hydrogeological studies developed in 1979 and with a more recent estimate (2017), based on hydrological balances in selected zones of the country. The analysis of all the available data stresses some discrepancy in the evaluation of the national water resources, due, in particular, to large uncertainties on river runoff and aquifer infiltration. The total potential freshwater availability of Italy can be per capita almost 2000 m3/year, with reference to the population of 2015. The impacts of climate change on the water resources in the various regions are analysed according to the Plan for Adaptation to Climate Changes (2017). A decrease of the amount of usable water, in particular due to the emission of greenhouse gas, is expected in the next decades.
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Rossi, G., Benedini, M. (2020). Conventional Water Resources. In: Rossi, G., Benedini, M. (eds) Water Resources of Italy. World Water Resources, vol 5. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-36460-1_5
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