Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Assessment and mapping of the intrinsic vulnerability to pollution: an example from Keritis River Basin (Northwestern crete, Greece)

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Earth Sciences Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Due to the geological and hydrogeological characteristics, the carbonate aquifers are frequently vulnerable to natural and/or anthropogenic polluting sources. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the intrinsic vulnerability to pollution of the Keritis River Basin (northwestern Crete, Greece). The huge amount of the flowing groundwater represents a strategic water resource to be allocated to drinking water purpose and to agricultural activities, too. The studied groundwater are characterized by quality degradation processes represented by the anthropogenic and natural pollution such as olive oil farming, agriculture activities, industrial waste and salt water intrusion. For a better management and protection of the water resources, the assessment and mapping of groundwater vulnerability to pollution are very important. From this investigation, the Keritis Basin showed an intrinsic vulnerability degree from extremely high to very low. This study allows to define the strategies which will permit a proper safeguard criteria, against the pollution sources of the Keritis Basin groundwater resources.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Albinet M, Margat J (1970) Carthographie de la vunerabilitè à pollution des nappes d’eau souterraine. Bull BRGM 3(4):13–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Aller L, Bennet T, Lehr JH, et al. (1987) A standardized system for evaluating ground water pollution potential using hydrogeologic settings. NWWA/EPA Ser., EPA600/287035, 455

  • Bonneau M (1984) Correlation of the Hellenides nappes in the South- East Aegean and their tectonic reconstruction. Geol Soc Lond Spec Publ 17:517–527

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Carter AD, Palmer RC, Monkhouse RA (1987) Mapping the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution from agricultural practice, particularly with respect to nitrate. In: Duijvenbooden W, Waegeninghm HG (eds) Vulnerability of soil and groundwater to pollutants. TNO Committee on Hydrological Research, The Hague, Proc Info, 38:333–342

  • Chartzoulakis K, Psarras G (2005) Global change effects on crop photosynthesis and production in Mediterranean: the case of Crete, Greece. Agric Ecosyst Environ 106:147–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chartzoulakis KS, Paranychianakis NV, Angelakis AN (2001) Water resources management in the island of Crete, Greece, with emphasis on the agricultural use. Water Policy 3:193–205

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Civita M (1994) Le carte della vulnerabilità degli acquiferi all’inquinamento: Teoria and pratica. Pitagora Editrice, Bologna, p 325

    Google Scholar 

  • Civita M (2010) The Combined Approach When Assessing and Mapping Groundwater Vulnerability to Contamination. Water Resour Protect 2:14–28. doi:10.4236/jwarp.2010.21003

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Civita M, De Maio M (1997) SINTACS. Un sistema parametrico per la valutazione e la cartografia della vulnerabilità degli acquiferi all’inquinamento. Metodologia and automatizzazione. Pitagora Editrice, Bologna, p 191

    Google Scholar 

  • Daly D, Dassargues A, Drew D et al (2002) Main concepts of the “European Approach” for (karst) groundwater vulnerability assessment and mapping. Hydrogeol J 10(2):340–345

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Doerfliger N, Jeannin PY, Zwahlen F (1999) Water vulnerability assessment in karst environments: a new method of defining protection areas using a multi-attribute approach and GIS tools (EPIK method). Environ Geol 39(2):165–176

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donta AA, Lange MA, Herrmann A (eds) (2005) Water on Mediterranean Islands: Current conditions and prospects for sustainable management (MEDIS EU Project, ZUFO Reports, Vol. 5). Muenster: Centre for Environmental Research (CER), University of Muenster

  • Fassoulas C (1999) The structural evolution of central Crete: insight into the tectonic evolution of the south Agean (Greece). J Geodyn 27:23–43

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fassoulas C (2000) Field guide to the geology of Crete, Museum of Natural History, Crete

  • Fassoulas C (2001) The tectonic development of a Neogene basin at the leading edge of the active European margin: the Heraklion basin, Crete, Creece. J Geodyn 31(1):49–70

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fassoulas C, Kilias A, Mountrakis D (2000) Post-nappe stacking extension and exhumation of the HP/LT rocks in the island of Crete, Greece. Tectonics 13:127–138

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foster SSD (1987) Fundamental concepts in aquifer vulnerability, pollution risk and protection strategy. Intern. Conf. Vulnerability of Soil and Groundwater to Pollutants, RIVM Proc. and Inf., Proceedings, 38:69–86

  • Fytrolakis N (1980) The geological structure of Crete. Problems, observations and conclusions. Habil. Thesis, National Technical University, Athens

  • Gogu RC, Dassargues A (2000) Current Trends and Future Challenges in Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment using Overlay and Index Methods, Environmenta. Geology 39(6):549–559

    Google Scholar 

  • IGME (1969) Geological Map of Greece, Alikianos sheet. Athens: Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration. Scale: 1:50,000

  • IGME (2006) Institute of the Geology and Mineral Exploration, Institute of Mediterranean Studies, Foundation for research and Technology, (IMSForth), Laboratory of Geophysical—Satellite Remote Sensing and Archaeoenvironment, 2009, Rethymno, Greece

  • Kalisperi D, Parisi S, Collins P, et al. (2010) Groundwater resource quality in the north-central coastal aquifer of Crete, Greece, from Hydrochemical and isotopic analysis. Proceeding GIRE 3D Conference, Agadir 24–26 March 2010, Morocco

  • Kallioras A, Pliakas F, Diamantis I (2006) Conceptual model of a coastal aquifer system in northern Greece and assessment of saline vulnerability due to seawater intrusion conditions. Environ Geol 51:349–361. doi:10.1007/s00254-006-0331-0

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kanta A, Soupios P, Vallianatos F, Rust D, Barsukov P (2009) The application of Time Domain Electromagnetic Method to characterize the Keritis Basin, in Western Crete, Greece, Proc. 3rd IASME International Conference on Geology and Seismology, (GES ’09), Cambridge, UK

  • Kouli M, Vallianatos F, Soupios P, Alexakis D (2007) Gis-based morphometric analysis of two major watersheds, western Crete, Greece. J Environ Hydrol 15:1–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Kouli M, Lydakis-Simantiris N, Soupio, P (2008) GIS-based aquifer modeling and planning using integrated geoenvironmental and chemical approaches.In: König LF, Weiss JL (eds) Groundwater: modeling, management and contamination. Nova Publishers, USA (ISBN: 978-1-60456-832-5)

  • NRA (1994) Policy and practice for the protection of groundwater. UK National Rivers Authority, Bristol

    Google Scholar 

  • Organization of Development of Western Crete (ODWC), Prefecture of Chania, (2007) Water resources of Chania prefecture—Technical report, (in Greek), Chania, Greece

  • Papanikolalou D, Vassilakis E (2008) Middle Miocene E-W tectonic horst structure of Crete through extensional detachment faults. Earth Environ Sci 2:012003

    Google Scholar 

  • Perleros C, Vozinakis K (2002a) Hydrological study of the Chania county, geological map, (in Greek), Organization for Development of West Crete (ODWC), Chania, Greece

  • Piscopo G (2001) Lachlan catchment groundwater vulnerability map explanatory notes. Department of Land and Water Conservation, Sydney

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapti-Caputo D, Sdao F, Masi S (2006) Pollution risk assessment based on hydrogeological data and management of solid waste landfills. Eng Geol 85:122–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sdao F, Parisi S, Kalisperi et al (2009a) Groundwater high salinity in Geropotamos basin (Crete, Greece): sea water intrusion or Miocene Evaporites water interaction processes? Suppl Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 73(13S):A1189

    Google Scholar 

  • Sdao F, Parisi S, Pascale S, et al. (2009b) Vulnerability to pollution evaluation and mapping of Keritis River Basin, Crete, Greece, CEST2009, 11th International Conference on Environmental Science and Technology—2009, Chania, Crete, Greece, September 3rd–5th, 2009

  • Sdao F, Parisi S, Kalisperi D et al (2012) Geochemistry and quality of the groundwater from the karstic and coastal aquifer of Geropotamos River Basin at north-central Crete, Greece. Environ Earth Sci 67(4):1145–1153. doi:10.1007/s12665-012-1558-6

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soupios P, Kouli M, Vallianatos F et al (2007) Estimation of aquifer hydraulic parameters from surficial geophysical methods: a case study of Keritis Basin in Chania (Crete–Greece). J Hydrol 338:122–131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soupios P, Kalisperi D, Kanta A et al (2009) Coastal aquifer assessment based on geological and geophysical survey, northwestern Crete, Greece. Environ Earth Sci 61(1):63–77. doi:10.1007/s12665-009-0320-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tsagarakis PK, Dialynas EG, Angelakis NA (2004) Water resources management in Crete (Greece) including water recycling and reuse and proposed quality criteria. Agric Water Manag 66(1):35–47

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tucker GE, Bras RL (1998) Hill slope processes, drainage density, and landscape morphology. Water Resour Res 34(10):2751–2764

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • UNESCO/FAO (1963) Carte bioclimatique de la Zone Méditerrané [Bioclimatic map of the Mediterranean zone]. UNESCO, New York, FAO, Rome

  • Van Hinsbergen J, Meulenkamp E (2006) Neogene supradetachment basin development on Crete. Greece Ltd, Basin Research, Blackwell Publishing 18:103–124

  • Vrba J, Civita M (1994) Assessment of groundwater vulnerability, In: “Guidebook on Mapping Groundwater Vulnerability”, Vrba J. Zaporozec A (eds) Intern. Cont. To Hydrogeol, Heise Ver. Edit. Hannover, 16:31–48

  • Zwahlen F (ed) (2004) Vulnerability and risk mapping for the protection of carbonate (karst) aquifers. Final Report (COST action 620), European Commission, Brussels, 315

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Engineering, University of Basilicata, Potenza, 85100, Italy

    S. Parisi, S. Pascale & F. Sdao

  2. Technological Educational Institute of Crete, 73133, Chania, Crete, Greece

    P. Soupios

Authors
  1. S. Parisi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. S. Pascale
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Sdao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. P. Soupios
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Parisi.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Parisi, S., Pascale, S., Sdao, F. et al. Assessment and mapping of the intrinsic vulnerability to pollution: an example from Keritis River Basin (Northwestern crete, Greece). Environ Earth Sci 70, 2659–2670 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2321-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-013-2321-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation