Proyectos de Investigación

Introducing the IMPAS‑GARRAF Project

IMPAS‑GARRAF is an interdisciplinary project funded by the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) that examines how groundwater, affected by a historic landfill, emerges along the coast of the Garraf Massif. A team of hydrogeologists, chemists and microbiologists will lead field campaigns to characterise the variability of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) and quantify the associated solute fluxes. The goal is to understand how these processes influence the marine ecosystem.

Objetivos

1) Characterise groundwater discharge in the Garraf Massif by measuring its spatial and temporal variability.

2) Quantify solute fluxes (nutrients, metals and contaminants) transported by subterranean discharge into the sea.

3) Assess environmental effects on coastal ecosystems through integrated physical, chemical and microbiological analyses.

4) Inform coastal aquifer management by providing data to minimise pollution impacts and guide mitigation strategies.

Impactos

Scientific advancement: The project will deliver new insights into the dynamics of subterranean estuaries and interactions between groundwater and marine systems, opening avenues for further research within the MACGNET network.

Environmental management: By quantifying contaminant fluxes, it will improve the management of coastal aquifers and help design measures to protect vulnerable areas like the Garraf Massif.

Interdisciplinary collaboration: It strengthens cooperation among institutions and disciplines (hydrogeology, geochemistry and microbiology), enhancing research capabilities and knowledge transfer.

Outreach and awareness: The results will raise public awareness about the importance of subterranean processes for coastal ecosystem health and encourage coastal protection initiatives.

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