Study of «lockdown_Covid-19» effects on groundwater

The “lockdown" measures determined by the COVID-19 emergency also provided the stoppage of many productive activities, which rely on groundwater exploitation.

The “lockdown" measures determined by the COVID-19 emergency also provided the stoppage of many productive activities, which rely on groundwater exploitation. This sudden shutdown, and its maintenance for some weeks, translated into "anomalous" hydrodynamic conditions in the aquifers, respect to the average trend awaited for the period. As evidence of this, the quantitative monitoring network of the Tuscany Region has highlighted in some sectors of the territory significant piezometric increases, in contrast with the hydro-meteorological boundary conditions. In this frame, the IGG-CNR has promoted a study exploiting the peculiar hydrodynamic state induced in several Significant Groundwater Bodies (SGB) by the "lockdown" (and more in general by indirect effects of the health emergency), for achieving new insights into the physical and chemical features of selected aquifer systems, and their relations to groundwater exploitation as well. These purposes will be pursued by crossing monitoring data of groundwater quantity and the map of permitted and not permitted activities during lockdown, as well as providing new chemical and isotopic data in selected groundwater sites. The proposed study has been shared with, and it will be actively supported by, the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Pisa, the Hydrological and Geological Sector and the Sector of Water and Coast Protection of the Tuscany Region, the ARPAT, the Water Authority of Tuscany, and the Basin Authority of the Northern Apennine District.