Urban hydrogeology (UH)

Description

A number of specific topics must be taken into account when dealing with groundwater in urban areas. Cities are strongly antropized, which causes significant impacts in the natural water cycle, both in terms of quantity and quality. In particular the main contributors to recharge and discharge clearly differ from those in natural systems. Moreover, water can affect underground structures and infrastructures characteristic of cities. As a result, urban groundwater is emerging as a distinct branch of hydrogeology. The main topics are:

Some of the main issues have been exemplified for the particular case of Barcelona and sorrounding areas, where a comprehensive hydrogeological study has been carried out during the last few years by a combination of representatives from both the public and the private sectors.

Fluctuation in groundwater levels caused by changes in land and water uses
Pollution problems caused by point or non-point sources in urban areas
Characterization and quantification of the terms contributing to groundwater balance
Peculiarities of groundwater flow and solute transport models in urban areas
Integration of data for sustainable urban water management.

Context

Inverse problem
Geomodels
Stochastic Hydrology

Keywords

Urban groundwater, balance, contamination, modeling, management

Projects

Estudio de la interacción entre el tramo Hospitalet-Can Tunis
Asesoramiento Geotécnico e Hidrogeológico de la L9 del metro de BCN
Ajuntament Barcelona
Intrusíón Marina (Proyecto SALTRANS: Methods for assessing SALt intrusion and TRANSport in heterogeneous and fractured aquifers)

Most relevant publications related to this line

Abarca, E., Carrera, J., Voss, C.I, Sánchez-Vila, X. Effect of aquifer bottom morphology on saltwater intrusion. 17th Salt Water Intrusion Meeting (SWIM), Delf, 2002.
Abarca, E., Carrera, J. and Sánchez-Vila, X. Heterogeneous Dispersive Henry Problem. Second International Conference on Saltwater Intrusion and Coastal Aquifers—Monitoring, Modeling, and Management. Mérida, México, March 30-April 2, 2003 (Submitted extended abstract).
Abarca, E., E.Vázquez-Suñe, J. Carrera, X. Sánchez-Vila, y R. Arandes, (2001). “Bombeo en torno a una estación de metro: optimización de la gestión de recursos urbanos y evaluación de riesgos”.VII Simposio de hidrogeología. T XXIII, pp: 611-623. AEH-IGME, 2001 (NIPO: 405-01-003-8).
Delgado, J.C., Navarro, J. A., y E. Vázquez-Suñé (2001). “Condicionantes hidrogeológicos del trazado de la nueva línea 9 de metro de Barcelona”. VII Simposio de hidrogeología. T XXIII, pp: 635-649. AEH-IGME, 2001 (NIPO: 405-01-003-8).
Gámez, D., J.A., Simó, E. Vázquez-Suñé, J.M. Salvany, J. Carrera, 2005. Variación de las tasas de sedimentación en el Complejo Detrítico Superior del Delta del Llobregat (Barcelona): su relación con causas eustáticas, climáticas y antrópicas. Pp. 175-178. Geogaceta, 38, 2005.
Iribar, V., J. Carrera, E. Custodio and A. Medina, (1997). Inverse modelling of sweater intrusion in the Llobregat delta deep aquifer. Journal of Hydrology, 198 (1-4), 226-247.
Sanz, E., Custodio, E., Carrera, J.,Ayora, C., Barón, A. González, C. Modeling coastal salty springs: first aproach in carbonate media (S’Almadrava, Mallorca, Spain). 17th Salt Water Intrusion Meeting (SWIM), Delf, 2002.
Sanz, E., Custodio, E. , Carrera, J., Ayora, C., Barón, A., González, C. Modeling coastal salty springs in carbonate media (S’Almadrava, Mallorca, Spain). Second International Conference on Saltwater Intrusion and Coastal Aquifers—Monitoring, Modeling, and Management. Mérida, México, March 30-April 2, 2003 (Submitted abstract).
Simó, J.A., D. Gámez, J.M. Salvany, E. Vázquez-Suñé, J. Carrera, A. Barnolas, F.J. Alcalá, 2005. Arquitectura de facies de los deltas cuaternarios del río Llobregat, Barcelona, España. Pp. 171-174. Geogaceta, 38, 2005.
Slooten, L.J., Hidalgo, J.J, Carrera, J.: Parameter estimation in density dependent groundwater flow and solute transport modeling. 17th Salt Water Intrusion Meeting (SWIM), Delf, 2002.
Sánchez-Vila, X., E.,Vàzquez-Suñé (2000) Capitol nº ?? ,"Gestió de les aigües subterrànies urbanes”. A Recursos d’Aigua, ___ pp. Ed
Vázquez-Suñé, E., X. Sánchez-Vila, J. Carrera “Groundwater level rises in barcelona”. In: Environtment and Interaction. Proceedings of the International symposium held at the university of Porto, November 18-19, 1996. Paper 12, 6 pag.
Vázquez-Suñé, E., X. Sánchez-Vila.“Calculo del balance y recarga en la ciudad de Barcelona”. En: “La evaluación de la recarga a los acuíferos en la planificación hidrológica”. Textos del Seminario celebrado en Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Enero 1997. AIH-GE/ITGE. Madrid 1997. (ISBN 84 7840 292 6).
Vázquez-Suñé, E., X. Sánchez-Vila, J. Carrera, M. Marizza, R. Arandes, L.A. Gutiérrez. “Rising groundwater levels in Barcelona: evaluation and effects on urban estructures”. In: Groundwater in the urban environtment, XXVII Congres of IAH. Notthingam sept 1997. (ISBN 90 5410 923 8).
Vàzquez-Suñé, E., X., Sánchez-Vila, (1999). “Groundwater modelling in urban areas as a tool for local authorities management. Barcelona case study (Spain)”. Impacts of urban growth on surface water and groundwater qualtity, IAHS Publ. 259, ed. B. Ellis, p. 65-73) (ISBN – 1-901502-21-x)
Vàzquez-Suñé, E., X., Sánchez-Vila (1999). “Gestión de las aguas subterráneas en zonas urbanas. Conceptualización y modelización: Aplicación a Barcelona (España)”. Serie Correlación geológica (Argentina), ed. A. Tineo, 13: 41-49. (ISSN – 1576-4186)
Vázquez-Suñé, E., O. Castillo, X. Sánchez-Vila, C. Alberich and J. Carrera, (2000). “Chemical tracers to discriminate the sources of groundwater recharge in urban areas”. Abstracts of XXIII General Assembly of European Geophysical Society, Nice, France. Abril 2000.
Vázquez-Suñé, E., O. Castillo, X. Sánchez-Vila, C. Alberich and J. Carrera, (2000). “Use of natural and anthropogenic tracers to discriminate the sources of groundwater recharge in urban areas. Application to Barcelona”. In: Tracers and modeling in hydrogeology. IAHS Publ. 262.
Vázquez-Suñé, E., E. Abarca, , X. Sánchez-Vila, J. Carrera, y M. Enrich, 2001. “El modelo numérico del acuífero superficial del delta del Llobregat como herramienta de planificación. Evaluación de impactos y medidas correctoras”. VII Simposio de hidrogeología. T XXIII, pp: 43-59. AEH-IGME, 2001.
Vázquez-Suñé, E., E. Custodio, A. Soler, y J. Carrera, 2001. “Aplicación de la geoquímica isotópica del azufre para la determinación del origen de la recarga en los acuíferos del Llano de Barcelona”. Las caras del Agua Subterránea (Medina y Carrera, eds.) IGME, Madrid 2001. pp: 429-436.
Vázquez-Suñé, E., X. Sánchez-Vila, J. Carrera, 2002. Urban groundwater a new branch of hydrogeology? A review of specific issues. Hydrogeology Journal (submitted)
Vázquez-Suñé, E., J. Carrera, O. Castillo, X. Sánchez-Vila, 2002. Multivariate statistics analisys methodology for the discrimination and quantification of recharge terms in urban areas. (submitted)