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Rita Masciale
Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche Istituto di Ricerca Sulle Acque via Francesco De Blasio, 5 Bari Italy

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Review article
Published: 17 July 2021 in Water Resources Research
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In a literature review of the recent advancements in mathematical hydrologic models applied in fractured karstic formations, we highlight the necessary improvements in the fluid dynamic equations that are commonly applied to the flow in a discrete fracture network (DFN) via channel network models. Fluid flow and pollutant transport modeling in karst aquifers should consider the simultaneous occurrence of laminar, nonlaminar, and turbulent fluxes in the fractures rather than the laminar flow by the cubic law that has been widely applied in the scientific literature. Some simulations show overestimations up to 75% of the groundwater velocity when non-laminar flows are neglected. Moreover, further model development is needed to address the issues of tortuosity of preferential saturated fluid flow in fractures suggesting adjustments of the size of the mean aperture in DFN models. During the past decade, DFN mathematical models have been significantly developed aimed at relating the three-dimensional structure of interconnected fractures within rocky systems to the specific fracture properties measurable on the rock outcrops with the use of reliefs, tracer/pumping tests, and geotechnical field surveys. The capabilities and limitations of previous reported hydrological models together with specific research advancements and findings in modeling equations are described herein. New software is needed for creating three-dimensional contour maps in fractured aquifers corresponding to the outputs of particle tracking simulations. Existing software based on the equivalent continuum or multiple-interacting continua cannot delineate the spread of pollutant migrations affected by the tortuous preferential flow pathways that occur in DFNs.

ACS Style

Costantino Masciopinto; Giuseppe Passarella; Maria C. Caputo; Rita Masciale; Lorenzo De Carlo. Hydrogeological Models of Water Flow and Pollutant Transport in Karstic and Fractured Reservoirs. Water Resources Research 2021, 57, 1 .

AMA Style

Costantino Masciopinto, Giuseppe Passarella, Maria C. Caputo, Rita Masciale, Lorenzo De Carlo. Hydrogeological Models of Water Flow and Pollutant Transport in Karstic and Fractured Reservoirs. Water Resources Research. 2021; 57 (8):1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Costantino Masciopinto; Giuseppe Passarella; Maria C. Caputo; Rita Masciale; Lorenzo De Carlo. 2021. "Hydrogeological Models of Water Flow and Pollutant Transport in Karstic and Fractured Reservoirs." Water Resources Research 57, no. 8: 1.

Journal article
Published: 18 June 2021 in Sensors
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The efficient and reliable monitoring of the flow of water in open channels provides useful information for preventing water slow-downs due to the deposition of materials within the bed of the channel, which might lead to critical floods. A reliable monitoring system can thus help to protect properties and, in the most critical cases, save lives. A sensing system capable of monitoring the flow conditions and the possible geo-environmental constraints within a channel can operate using still images or video imaging. The latter approach better supports the above two features, but the acquisition of still images can display a better accuracy. To increase the accuracy of the video imaging approach, we propose an improved particle tracking algorithm for flow hydrodynamics supported by a machine learning approach based on a convolutional neural network-evolutionary fuzzy integral (CNN-EFI), with a sub-comparison performed by multi-layer perceptron (MLP). Both algorithms have been applied to process the video signals captured from a CMOS camera, which monitors the water flow of a channel that collects rain water from an upstream area to discharge it into the sea. The channel plays a key role in avoiding upstream floods that might pose a serious threat to the neighboring infrastructures and population. This combined approach displays reliable results in the field of environmental and hydrodynamic safety.

ACS Style

Aimé Lay-Ekuakille; John Okitadiowo; Moïse Avoci Ugwiri; Sabino Maggi; Rita Masciale; Giuseppe Passarella. Video-Sensing Characterization for Hydrodynamic Features: Particle Tracking-Based Algorithm Supported by a Machine Learning Approach. Sensors 2021, 21, 4197 .

AMA Style

Aimé Lay-Ekuakille, John Okitadiowo, Moïse Avoci Ugwiri, Sabino Maggi, Rita Masciale, Giuseppe Passarella. Video-Sensing Characterization for Hydrodynamic Features: Particle Tracking-Based Algorithm Supported by a Machine Learning Approach. Sensors. 2021; 21 (12):4197.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Aimé Lay-Ekuakille; John Okitadiowo; Moïse Avoci Ugwiri; Sabino Maggi; Rita Masciale; Giuseppe Passarella. 2021. "Video-Sensing Characterization for Hydrodynamic Features: Particle Tracking-Based Algorithm Supported by a Machine Learning Approach." Sensors 21, no. 12: 4197.

Journal article
Published: 31 March 2021 in Water
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Defining natural background levels (NBL) of geochemical parameters in groundwater is a key element for establishing threshold values and assessing the environmental state of groundwater bodies (GWBs). In the Apulia region (Italy), carbonate sequences and clastic sediments host the 29 regional GWBs. In this study, we applied the Italian guidelines for the assessment of the NBLs, implementing the EU Water Framework Directive, in a south-European region characterized by the typical Mediterranean climatic and hydrologic features. Inorganic compounds were analyzed at GWB scale using groundwater quality data measured half-yearly from 1995 to 2018 in the regional groundwater monitoring network (341 wells and 20 springs). Nitrates, chloride, sulfate, boron, iron, manganese and sporadically fluorides, boron, selenium, arsenic, exceed the national standards, likely due to salt contamination along the coast, agricultural practices or natural reasons. Monitoring sites impacted by evident anthropic activities were excluded from the dataset prior to NBL calculation using a web-based software tool implemented to automate the procedure. The NBLs resulted larger than the law limits for iron, manganese, chlorides, and sulfates. This methodology is suitable to be applied in Mediterranean coastal areas with high anthropic impact and overexploitation of groundwater for agricultural needs. The NBL definition can be considered one of the pillars for sustainable and long-term groundwater management by tracing a clear boundary between natural and anthropic impacts.

ACS Style

Rita Masciale; Stefano Amalfitano; Eleonora Frollini; Stefano Ghergo; Marco Melita; Daniele Parrone; Elisabetta Preziosi; Michele Vurro; Annamaria Zoppini; Giuseppe Passarella. Assessing Natural Background Levels in the Groundwater Bodies of the Apulia Region (Southern Italy). Water 2021, 13, 958 .

AMA Style

Rita Masciale, Stefano Amalfitano, Eleonora Frollini, Stefano Ghergo, Marco Melita, Daniele Parrone, Elisabetta Preziosi, Michele Vurro, Annamaria Zoppini, Giuseppe Passarella. Assessing Natural Background Levels in the Groundwater Bodies of the Apulia Region (Southern Italy). Water. 2021; 13 (7):958.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rita Masciale; Stefano Amalfitano; Eleonora Frollini; Stefano Ghergo; Marco Melita; Daniele Parrone; Elisabetta Preziosi; Michele Vurro; Annamaria Zoppini; Giuseppe Passarella. 2021. "Assessing Natural Background Levels in the Groundwater Bodies of the Apulia Region (Southern Italy)." Water 13, no. 7: 958.

Journal article
Published: 15 July 2020 in Water
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In the test site of Castellana Grotte (Southern Italy), since 2016, around 2300 m3d−1 of tertiary treated wastewater has been alternatively spread in nine infiltration trenches, dug into fractured and karstified limestone. In one of these trenches, located upstream, seasonal variations in the infiltration rate were observed, with a lower infiltration rate during summer than in winter. This effect could be due to the occurrence of a bioclogging phenomenon in the warm season. In addition, time-lapse electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) was carried out in two different periods, corresponding to the wet and dry seasons, in order to investigate the infiltration process dynamics below the bottom of the trench. Remarkable variability was observed between the south and north sides of the trench—clearly related to the local-scale heterogeneity of the rock formation of the trenches. The results suggest that such an integrated approach should be considered of great interest in case of using infiltration trenches as managed aquifer recharge (MAR) plants. This methodology could provide useful information about the heterogeneities of the rock formation, supporting an alert system for the identification of clogging effects during the life cycle of the plant.

ACS Style

Lorenzo De Carlo; Maria Clementina Caputo; Rita Masciale; Michele Vurro; Ivan Portoghese. Monitoring the Drainage Efficiency of Infiltration Trenches in Fractured and Karstified Limestone via Time-Lapse Hydrogeophysical Approach. Water 2020, 12, 2009 .

AMA Style

Lorenzo De Carlo, Maria Clementina Caputo, Rita Masciale, Michele Vurro, Ivan Portoghese. Monitoring the Drainage Efficiency of Infiltration Trenches in Fractured and Karstified Limestone via Time-Lapse Hydrogeophysical Approach. Water. 2020; 12 (7):2009.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Lorenzo De Carlo; Maria Clementina Caputo; Rita Masciale; Michele Vurro; Ivan Portoghese. 2020. "Monitoring the Drainage Efficiency of Infiltration Trenches in Fractured and Karstified Limestone via Time-Lapse Hydrogeophysical Approach." Water 12, no. 7: 2009.

Journal article
Published: 18 April 2020 in Sustainability
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The hydrological monitoring of springs is an auxiliary and indispensable tool that goes alongside investigations in wells to reconstruct a conceptual phenomenological model of an aquifer–groundwater system and its interactions with surface waters. There are manifold ways to carry out this monitoring, but the choice of which way is significant for a correct qualitative and quantitative knowledge of spring systems. The present work focuses on the characterization of the thermo-saline and flow regimes of the Tara spring system along the northern coast of Taranto (southern Italy), where a karst groundwater basin is the major source of the Tara River and the surrounding coastal wetland. A series of measurements was carried out on the spring system to support a technical feasibility study on the possible use of the brackish water of this river to feed a future desalination plant. To estimate the flow rate, a comparison was made between different flow measurement methods in a derivation channel. Through an analysis of the available dataset, the response of the aquifer to the autumn–winter recharge, for which updated hydrologic measurements were not available, is highlighted.

ACS Style

Ivan Portoghese; Rita Masciale; Maria C. Caputo; Lorenzo De Carlo; Daniela Malcangio. Combined Discharge and Thermo-Salinity Measurements for the Characterization of a Karst Spring System in Southern Italy. Sustainability 2020, 12, 3311 .

AMA Style

Ivan Portoghese, Rita Masciale, Maria C. Caputo, Lorenzo De Carlo, Daniela Malcangio. Combined Discharge and Thermo-Salinity Measurements for the Characterization of a Karst Spring System in Southern Italy. Sustainability. 2020; 12 (8):3311.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Ivan Portoghese; Rita Masciale; Maria C. Caputo; Lorenzo De Carlo; Daniela Malcangio. 2020. "Combined Discharge and Thermo-Salinity Measurements for the Characterization of a Karst Spring System in Southern Italy." Sustainability 12, no. 8: 3311.

Preprint content
Published: 23 March 2020
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Coastal areas worldwide are often highly impacted due to the concurrence of aquifer exploitation for irrigation, human consumption exacerbated during touristic seasons and industrial activities. In order to meet the objectives of the GWD, European groundwater bodies’ status (chemical and quantitative) is evaluated every 6 years. Criteria for good status include chemicals exceeding standards and threshold values, saline intrusion and others. Apulian region features a very high ratio coastline/area (44 m/km2, for Italy is 25 m/km2) thus seawater intrusion is a very common phenomenon, due to both natural and anthropogenic drivers.

In this contribution, the first results of the VIOLA project (Natural Background Values for the Apulian groundwater bodies) are presented, supplying a preliminary geochemical characterization of the coastal Murgia groundwater body. This is part of a fractured and karstified calcareous-dolomitic aquifer with groundwater naturally flowing to the Adriatic sea. Exceedances were reported for nitrates, as well as for EC, Cl, SO4, Fe, Mn. The main objective for this groundwater body is to assess the natural background levels for the aforementioned parameters, and discriminate between the natural and anthropogenic origin of saline intrusion. Four sampling campaigns have been planned, and we present here the result of the first two sampling rounds carried out in spring and fall 2019.

Groundwater sampling was performed at 47 wells with submergible pumps or with a water depth sampler. Field parameters (T, EC, pH, DO, ORP) were measured with a multiparametric probe in a flow through cell. Ammonia, cyanides and nitrites were measured in the field (UV-VIS). Laboratory analysis were performed for major anions, major cations, minor and trace elements, environmental isotopes, DOC and microbial parameters.

Natural background values (NBLs) for the critical parameters have been provisionally assessed using the preselection method. Sampled waters show neutral/weakly alkaline and mostly oxidizing conditions, with conductivity values between about 700 and 20.000 µS/cm. The high salinity detected in some water points (chlorides up to 10 g/L, sulphates up to 1 g/L) is clearly linked to mixing with seawater. On a Piper diagram, the samples show a clear transition from earth alkaline-bicarbonate water towards mean seawater composition. A clear trend from coastline to inland can be recognized, with the most extended contamination in the northern and southern sectors. Trace elements (B, Sr, Ba), show a similar pattern. From spring (beginning of the irrigation season) to fall (end of the irrigation season) only a slight increase in salinity/chloride concentration can be observed. Nitrates are widespread in the study area, as well as the agricultural pressures, with values even higher than 100 mg/L without a specific spatial pattern.

As for the NBLs derivation, classic indicators of anthropogenic contamination (e.g. nitrates, ammonia, NaCl) for the pre-selection of uninfluenced samples failed, due to the extensive distribution of saline groundwaters in the study area. Thus, new solutions, including environmental isotope analysis, for discriminating the anthropogenic and natural origin of the salinity are under evaluation.

ACS Style

Daniele Parrone; Eleonora Frollini; Stefano Amalfitano; Stefano Ghergo; Rita Masciale; Marco Melita; Giuseppe Passarella; Michele Vurro; Annamaria Zoppini; Elisabetta Preziosi. The VIOLA project: geochemical characterization and natural background levels in a coastal groundwater body of the Apulia Region (southern Italy). 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Daniele Parrone, Eleonora Frollini, Stefano Amalfitano, Stefano Ghergo, Rita Masciale, Marco Melita, Giuseppe Passarella, Michele Vurro, Annamaria Zoppini, Elisabetta Preziosi. The VIOLA project: geochemical characterization and natural background levels in a coastal groundwater body of the Apulia Region (southern Italy). . 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Daniele Parrone; Eleonora Frollini; Stefano Amalfitano; Stefano Ghergo; Rita Masciale; Marco Melita; Giuseppe Passarella; Michele Vurro; Annamaria Zoppini; Elisabetta Preziosi. 2020. "The VIOLA project: geochemical characterization and natural background levels in a coastal groundwater body of the Apulia Region (southern Italy)." , no. : 1.

Preprint content
Published: 23 March 2020
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The European Water Directives (WDs, 2000/60/EC; 2006/118/EC) force Member States to proceed to the characterization of groundwater bodies in order to define their quantitative and chemical status and their environmental objectives. Since the earlier years of this century, the Department of Water Resources Management of the Apulia Region implemented the WDs by setting a wide groundwater monitoring network, delineating regional groundwater bodies and characterizing their status. The groundwater bodies characterization showed that the risk of not achieving a good status was generally related to salt contamination and the exceedance of the threshold values or the quality standards for some parameters (e.g., NO3, Fe, Mn), as expected for regions with a predominantly agricultural vocation and characterized by extensive coastal development. The main regional aquifers reside in the carbonate bedrock characterized by intense fracturing and karstification.

The groundwater Directive 2006/118/EC allows the evaluation of Natural Background Levels (NBLs) to be taken into account when establishing the relevant threshold values.

During the last years, the IRSA-CNR collaborated with the National Environmental Protection Agency (ISPRA) in defining scientifically based guidelines for the NBLs assessment and clarifying some methodological aspects. These guidelines suggest excluding water samples characterised by high levels of specific markers clearly indicating anthropogenic inputs.

The project "VIOLA - Natural background levels for the groundwater bodies of Apulia Region ", has been funded by the Department of Water Resources Management of the Apulia Region for carrying out the application and validation of the above mentioned methodologies and to develop and test methodologies better tailored for coastal aquifers. In particular, isotopic techniques will be used to discriminate between the anthropogenic and natural origin of the salinization and historical data of groundwater salinization will be processed in order to study its evolution in time. . Finally, the investigation of innovative microbiological techniques is envisaged to evaluate how changes in groundwater quality will affect the resident microbial community properties involved in C-flux.

The VIOLA project will last three years during which the IRSA-CNR will:

  • collect and order all the background knowledge relating to the hydro-geo-chemical characteristics of the Apulian groundwater bodies,
  • define adequate groundwater sampling procedures and assessment protocols for the NBLs,
  • carry out field activities, aimed at sampling groundwater at a specific monitoring network and measuring values of main physico-chemical and microbiological parameters, in the study area of the coastal Murgia groundwater body, and
  • produce tools to support the planning and management of groundwater resources integrated in a GIS environment.

This contribution aims at providing an overview at the ongoing activities at the regional scale, illustrating the groundwater bodies setting, the main pressures and the preliminary derivation of NBL using the historical data.

ACS Style

Rita Masciale; Stefano Amalfitano; Eleonora Frollini; Stefano Ghergo; Marco Melita; Daniele Parrone; Elisabetta Preziosi; Michele Vurro; Annamaria Zoppini; Giuseppe Passarella. The VIOLA Project: Natural background levels for the groundwater bodies of Apulia Region (Southern Italy). 2020, 1 .

AMA Style

Rita Masciale, Stefano Amalfitano, Eleonora Frollini, Stefano Ghergo, Marco Melita, Daniele Parrone, Elisabetta Preziosi, Michele Vurro, Annamaria Zoppini, Giuseppe Passarella. The VIOLA Project: Natural background levels for the groundwater bodies of Apulia Region (Southern Italy). . 2020; ():1.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Rita Masciale; Stefano Amalfitano; Eleonora Frollini; Stefano Ghergo; Marco Melita; Daniele Parrone; Elisabetta Preziosi; Michele Vurro; Annamaria Zoppini; Giuseppe Passarella. 2020. "The VIOLA Project: Natural background levels for the groundwater bodies of Apulia Region (Southern Italy)." , no. : 1.

Journal article
Published: 13 September 2019 in Science of The Total Environment
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Bioclimatic indices combine atmospheric parameters to provide analytical indication of climatic features and their evolution in space and time that can directly relate with natural resource availability, distribution, and related bio-physical processes. The availability of bioclimatic information can provide natural resource managers with analytical means to assess the magnitude and temporal evolution of drought and climate change parameters that could affect the availability, demand and use of natural resources for various sectors. This paper presents a methodology to process bioclimatic data in the space and time domains for assessing the moisture/dryness level and water requirements of a region, and inform water resource planning and management decisions related to drought, climate variability and change. The methodology relies on a modular assembly of statistical tests and methods, and utilizes point scale measurements of meteorological data to perform the analysis of the spatial behavior of derived bioclimatic indicators at the continuous regional scale, and evaluate the significance of the temporal trends. Also, the article presents an application of the proposed methodology to a coastal area of southern Italy (the Apulia Region) that is characterized by recurring water supply limitations, involving the use of the popular De Martonne bioclimatic aridity index. The methodology allowed to obtain qualitative and quantitative information about the aridity level of the Apulia region, the identification of main bioclimatic zones, and the evaluation of spatial pattern and time evolution of aridity. The determination of bioclimatic zones showed that nearly 40% of the regional territory is characterized by dry sub-humid (Mediterranean) climate, about 30% by sub-humid climate, while nearly 10% and 20% are characterized by semi-arid and humid climates, respectively. The temporal analysis revealed that the Salento and the Ionian coastal zone are areas at risk of increasing aridity, with resulting impacts on the water supply and demand for irrigated agriculture.

ACS Style

Giuseppe Passarella; Delia Bruno; Aimé Lay-Ekuakille; Sabino Maggi; Rita Masciale; Daniele Zaccaria. Spatial and temporal classification of coastal regions using bioclimatic indices in a Mediterranean environment. Science of The Total Environment 2019, 700, 134415 .

AMA Style

Giuseppe Passarella, Delia Bruno, Aimé Lay-Ekuakille, Sabino Maggi, Rita Masciale, Daniele Zaccaria. Spatial and temporal classification of coastal regions using bioclimatic indices in a Mediterranean environment. Science of The Total Environment. 2019; 700 ():134415.

Chicago/Turabian Style

Giuseppe Passarella; Delia Bruno; Aimé Lay-Ekuakille; Sabino Maggi; Rita Masciale; Daniele Zaccaria. 2019. "Spatial and temporal classification of coastal regions using bioclimatic indices in a Mediterranean environment." Science of The Total Environment 700, no. : 134415.