Superexplotação de águas subterrâneas é um termo que vem sendo utilizado irrestritamente na literatura científica e na mídia. Entretanto não existe definição técnica do termo, sendo utilizado quando os efeitos negativos da explotação dos aquíferos são percebidos. Apesar da indefinição técnica, o termo superexplotação traz consigo um alerta à sociedade, colocando a explotação do aquífero em evidência. Logo seu uso pode ser justificado desde que essas limitações sejam reconhecidas. Ante uma análise criteriosa dos efeitos do bombeamento de poços é possível delinear seis aspectos de superexplotação de aquíferos: (1) hidráulico, relacionado à exaustão física do aquífero; (2) qualidade de água, queda na qualidade da água a níveis inaceitáveis; (3) econômico, caracterizado pelo aumento exacerbado nos custos de bombeamento; (4) ecológico, relacionado à diminuição da vazão de rios e outros corpos d\'água e extinção da flora e fauna dependentes do aquífero; (5) geotécnico, identificado como a perda da estabilidade de terrenos devido à retirada de água do aquífero; e (6) ético e social, relacionado à distribuição desigual dos recursos hídricos. Nesse cenário, Recife é um exemplo típico de cidade abastecida parcialmente com águas subterrâneas, em Recife houve uma expansão muito rápida da rede de poços, bombeamento desordenado, queda acentuada nos níveis d\'água e depreciação da qualidade da água. Dessa forma nos últimos anos os trabalhos desenvolvidos na área caracterizaram o regime de explotação dos aquíferos como superexplotação. Esse trabalho analisou o regime de explotação do Sistema Aquífero Cabo, em Recife, frente aos seis aspectos de superexplotação. Para tanto foram utilizados dados históricos de análises químicas e medições de nível obtidos por projetos anteriores, ademais foram realizadas duas campanhas de amostragem de água e uma campanha para geofísica da área. Com esses métodos não foi possível caracterizar a superexplotação do Aquífero Cabo, entretanto foi identificada uma área onde pode estar ocorrendo depreciação da qualidade da água, todavia essa queda na qualidade não está relacionada ao bombeamento. No aspecto econômico foi caracteriza um expressivo custo extra devido à queda dos níveis d\'água, entretanto a explotação do aquífero ainda é muito vantajosa frente ao abastecimento público. No aspecto ético foi demonstrado que os usuários do Aquífero Cabo têm poder aquisitivo maior, não havendo impedimentos de acesso ao aquífero. Como estratégia foi proposta a outorga mediante monitoramento do poço, sendo os dados utilizados para alimentar um modelo de fluxo da região. Dessa forma esse modelo seria cada vez mais representativo, podendo ser utilizado como ferramenta de gestão e para prever cenários futuros. / Groundwater overexploitation are been used in scientific literature and media in an unrestrained way. Nevertheless there are no technical definition of this term, usually this expression are used when the negative aspects of groundwater exploitation are perceived by stakeholders. Despite his technical indetermination the term puts groundwater exploitation in evidence, creating more awareness for the situation. Then the usage can be justified since those limitations are taken into account. Before careful analysis of pumping effects is possible to outline six aspects of overexploitation: (1) hydraulic, related to aquifer exhaustion; (2) water quality, decline of water quality to unacceptable levels; (3) economic, increase of pumping costs to an level in which others sources of water are more suitable; (4) ecologic, related to loss of base flow in rivers and others superficial water bodies and extinction of aquifer dependent flora and fauna; (5) loss of land stability due to water withdrawal; (6) ethic and social, related to unequal distribution of water resources. In this scenario, Recife is a typical example of partial groundwater supplied city, in Recife there was a very fast increase of wells, uncontrolled pumping, marked water level drawdown and decrease of water quality in some spots. Therefore in the last years all studies in characterized the area as overexploitated. This study analyzed the exploitation regime in Cabo Aquifer, in Recife, in face of the previous cited six aspects os overexploitation. For this purpose, were historical chemical analysis and water level logging were used, furthermore two sampling campaigns and one geophysical campaign were done. With these methods were not possible to characterize an overploitation scenario. However, were possible to delineate and area in which groundwater depreciation might be happening, nonetheless this depreciation are not related to groundwater pumping. Concerning the economic aspect the extra costs due to drawdown was estimated, notwithstanding, even with extra costs, groundwater exploitation where much more advantageous than water from public supply. Regarding the ethical aspect were shown that Cabo Aquifer users has high economic power, therefore any of those users are hindered to aquifer access. As management strategy was purposed that groundwater permission would be only gave to users who are involved in well monitoring programs, such monitoring data would be used to feed an flux model. In this way, this model could be an managing tool and also foresee future scenarios.

Superexplotação de águas subterrâneas é um termo que vem sendo utilizado irrestritamente na literatura científica e na mídia. Entretanto não existe definição técnica do termo, sendo utilizado quando os efeitos negativos da explotação dos aquíferos são percebidos. Apesar da indefinição técnica, o termo superexplotação traz consigo um alerta à sociedade, colocando a explotação do aquífero em evidência. Logo seu uso pode ser justificado desde que essas limitações sejam reconhecidas. Ante uma análise criteriosa dos efeitos do bombeamento de poços é possível delinear seis aspectos de superexplotação de aquíferos: (1) hidráulico, relacionado à exaustão física do aquífero; (2) qualidade de água, queda na qualidade da água a níveis inaceitáveis; (3) econômico, caracterizado pelo aumento exacerbado nos custos de bombeamento; (4) ecológico, relacionado à diminuição da vazão de rios e outros corpos d\'água e extinção da flora e fauna dependentes do aquífero; (5) geotécnico, identificado como a perda da estabilidade de terrenos devido à retirada de água do aquífero; e (6) ético e social, relacionado à distribuição desigual dos recursos hídricos. Nesse cenário, Recife é um exemplo típico de cidade abastecida parcialmente com águas subterrâneas, em Recife houve uma expansão muito rápida da rede de poços, bombeamento desordenado, queda acentuada nos níveis d\'água e depreciação da qualidade da água. Dessa forma nos últimos anos os trabalhos desenvolvidos na área caracterizaram o regime de explotação dos aquíferos como superexplotação. Esse trabalho analisou o regime de explotação do Sistema Aquífero Cabo, em Recife, frente aos seis aspectos de superexplotação. Para tanto foram utilizados dados históricos de análises químicas e medições de nível obtidos por projetos anteriores, ademais foram realizadas duas campanhas de amostragem de água e uma campanha para geofísica da área. Com esses métodos não foi possível caracterizar a superexplotação do Aquífero Cabo, entretanto foi identificada uma área onde pode estar ocorrendo depreciação da qualidade da água, todavia essa queda na qualidade não está relacionada ao bombeamento. No aspecto econômico foi caracteriza um expressivo custo extra devido à queda dos níveis d\'água, entretanto a explotação do aquífero ainda é muito vantajosa frente ao abastecimento público. No aspecto ético foi demonstrado que os usuários do Aquífero Cabo têm poder aquisitivo maior, não havendo impedimentos de acesso ao aquífero. Como estratégia foi proposta a outorga mediante monitoramento do poço, sendo os dados utilizados para alimentar um modelo de fluxo da região. Dessa forma esse modelo seria cada vez mais representativo, podendo ser utilizado como ferramenta de gestão e para prever cenários futuros. / Groundwater overexploitation are been used in scientific literature and media in an unrestrained way. Nevertheless there are no technical definition of this term, usually this expression are used when the negative aspects of groundwater exploitation are perceived by stakeholders. Despite his technical indetermination the term puts groundwater exploitation in evidence, creating more awareness for the situation. Then the usage can be justified since those limitations are taken into account. Before careful analysis of pumping effects is possible to outline six aspects of overexploitation: (1) hydraulic, related to aquifer exhaustion; (2) water quality, decline of water quality to unacceptable levels; (3) economic, increase of pumping costs to an level in which others sources of water are more suitable; (4) ecologic, related to loss of base flow in rivers and others superficial water bodies and extinction of aquifer dependent flora and fauna; (5) loss of land stability due to water withdrawal; (6) ethic and social, related to unequal distribution of water resources. In this scenario, Recife is a typical example of partial groundwater supplied city, in Recife there was a very fast increase of wells, uncontrolled pumping, marked water level drawdown and decrease of water quality in some spots. Therefore in the last years all studies in characterized the area as overexploitated. This study analyzed the exploitation regime in Cabo Aquifer, in Recife, in face of the previous cited six aspects os overexploitation. For this purpose, were historical chemical analysis and water level logging were used, furthermore two sampling campaigns and one geophysical campaign were done. With these methods were not possible to characterize an overploitation scenario. However, were possible to delineate and area in which groundwater depreciation might be happening, nonetheless this depreciation are not related to groundwater pumping. Concerning the economic aspect the extra costs due to drawdown was estimated, notwithstanding, even with extra costs, groundwater exploitation where much more advantageous than water from public supply. Regarding the ethical aspect were shown that Cabo Aquifer users has high economic power, therefore any of those users are hindered to aquifer access. As management strategy was purposed that groundwater permission would be only gave to users who are involved in well monitoring programs, such monitoring data would be used to feed an flux model. In this way, this model could be an managing tool and also foresee future scenarios.

CO2 sequestration is one of the proposed methods for reducing anthropogenic CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and therefore mitigating global climate change. Few studies on storing CO2 in an aquifer have been conducted on a regional scale. This study offers a conceptual approach to increasing the storage efficiency of CO2 injection in saline formations and investigates what an actual CO2 storage project might entail using field data for the Woodbine aquifer in East Texas. The study considers three aquifer management strategies for injecting CO2 emissions from nearby coal-fired power plants into the Woodbine aquifer. The aquifer management strategies studied are bulk CO2 injection, and two CO2-brine displacement strategies. A conceptual model performed with homogeneous and average reservoir properties reveals that bulk injection of CO2 pressurizes the aquifer, has a storage efficiency of 0.46% and can only last for 20 years without risk of fracturing the CO2 injection wells. The CO2-brine displacement strategy can continue injecting CO2 for as many as 240 years until CO2 begins to break through in the production wells. This offers 12 times greater CO2 storage efficiency than the bulk injection strategy. A full field simulation with a geological model based on existing aquifer data validates the storage capacity claims made by the conceptual model. A key feature in the geological model is the Mexia-Talco fault system that serves as a likely boundary between the saline aquifer region suitable for CO2 storage and an updip fresh water region. Simulation results show that CO2 does not leak into the fresh water region of the iv aquifer after 1000 years of monitoring if the faults have zero transmissibility, but a negligible volume of brine eventually gets through the mostly sealing fault system as pressure across the faults slowly equilibrates during the monitoring period. However, for fault transmissibilities of 0.1 and 1, both brine and CO2 leak into the fresh water aquifer in increasing amounts for both bulk injection and CO2-brine displacement strategies. In addition, brine production wells draw some fresh water into the saline aquifer if the Mexia-Talco fault system is not sealing. A CO2 storage project in the Woodbine aquifer would impact as many as 15 counties with high-pressure CO2 pipelines stretching as long as 875 km from the CO2 source to the injection site. The required percentage of power plant energy capacity was 7.43% for bulk injection, 7.9% for the external brine disposal case, and 10.2% for the internal saturated brine injection case. The estimated total cost was $0.00132–$0.00146/kWh for the bulk injection, $0.00191–$0.00211/kWh for the external brine disposal case, and $0.0019–$0.00209/kWh for the internal saturated brine injection case.

A disponibilidade por água direcionou e motivou o desenvolvimento das atividades e das ocupações territoriais na Bacia Hidrográfica do Alto Tietê (BAT). Nessa trajetória, a água subterrânea passou a ser uma das grandes reservas disponíveis para suprir a essa crescente demanda onde atualmente existem aproximadamente 12 mil poços fornecendo cerca de 10m³/s. Na BAT este cenário de dependência ao recurso hídrico subterrâneo se acentua, na medida em que a disponibilidade de água superficial diminui. Dessa forma, a intensa extração de água, concentrada na área urbana da bacia, tem causado rebaixamentos nos níveis dos aquíferos. A situação é agravada, pois parte da água fisicamente disponível torna-se qualitativamente indisponível por contaminações provenientes das atividades antrópicas mal operadas. Hoje na BAT são reconhecidas 2.018 áreas onde os aquíferos e os solos são contaminadas, ademais de existirem outras 53 mil atividades com potencial para gerar contaminação aos aquíferos. Nessa pesquisa foi realizado um mapeamento das áreas críticas integradas de qualidade e quantidade, onde a área da BAT foi dividida em células de 500x500m. De um total de 23.867 áreas em toda a BAT, foi possível identificar, 943 áreas de alta, 1876 áreas de média e 3120 áreas de baixa criticidade. Entretanto, essa situação é desconhecida pelos usuários dos recursos hídricos. Apesar desse cenário, a gestão das águas subterrâneas ainda é bastante incipiente na bacia. A limitação é ainda maior, pois a identificação dos poços é difícil e os problemas, quando detectados, não são de responsabilidade de apenas um, mas de um conjunto de usuários. Assim, como em outras regiões metropolitanas do Brasil, a BAT possui uma alta densidade de poços ilegais, onde a sua explotação acarreta em um rebaixamento excessivo nos níveis dos aquíferos, reduzindo a oferta de água, diminuindo assim, a segurança hídrica da bacia. Experiências recentes na gestão das águas subterrâneas têm indicado que o gerenciamento desse recurso terá mais sucesso quanto maior for a participação do usuário, portanto a gestão da água, aplicada nesse trabalho através da integração de informações relativas ao meio físico, uso e ocupação do solo, aspectos sócios econômicos, do balanço hídrico, e os aspectos hidrogeológicos torna-se fundamental para prover o conhecimento e as ferramentas gerenciais para a tomada de decisões e conscientização dos usuários, que levarão à proteção e ao uso controlado dos recursos hídricos subterrâneos. / The availability of water directed and motivated the development of activities and land occupations along the Alto Tiete Basin (BAT). In this way, groundwater has become one of the major reserves available to supply the growing demand, where there are currently approximately 12 thousand wells supplying almost 10m³/s. In the BAT, the scenery of groundwater resource dependence increases whereas the availability of surface water decreases. In this way, the intense water extraction, concentrated in the urban area of the basin, has led downgrades in the levels of aquifers. The situation is exacerbated because the water physically available becomes qualitatively unavailable due to chemical contamination from chemicals used in productive activities and services. The BAT has serious quality problems in part of the aquifers, having 2.018 contaminated areas recognized by CETESB, furthermore there are other 53.000 activities with the potential to generate contamination to aquifers. In the BAT, 23.867 areas of 500x500m, it was identified by mapping of the integrated critical areas, 943 high critical areas, 1876 medium critical areas, and 3120 low critical areas. However, this scenario is unknown to users. . Despite this scenario, the management of groundwater is still incipient in the basin. The limitation is even greater, since identification of the wells is difficult and problems, when detected, are not the responsibility of just one, but a number of users. As well as in other metropolitan areas of Brazil, BAT has a high density of illegal wells, where the illegal exploitation may result in an excessive drawdown of groundwater levels, reducing the supply of water, thus reducing water security of the basin. Recent experiments in management of groundwater have indicated that the management of this resource will be more successful with greater user participation. Therefore, water management applied in this work through the integration of information relating to the environment, use and occupation of land, socio economics aspects, of the water balance and hydrogeological aspects becomes essential to provide the knowledge and managerial tools for making decisions and user awareness, which will lead to the protection and controlled use of groundwater resources.

A disponibilidade por água direcionou e motivou o desenvolvimento das atividades e das ocupações territoriais na Bacia Hidrográfica do Alto Tietê (BAT). Nessa trajetória, a água subterrânea passou a ser uma das grandes reservas disponíveis para suprir a essa crescente demanda onde atualmente existem aproximadamente 12 mil poços fornecendo cerca de 10m³/s. Na BAT este cenário de dependência ao recurso hídrico subterrâneo se acentua, na medida em que a disponibilidade de água superficial diminui. Dessa forma, a intensa extração de água, concentrada na área urbana da bacia, tem causado rebaixamentos nos níveis dos aquíferos. A situação é agravada, pois parte da água fisicamente disponível torna-se qualitativamente indisponível por contaminações provenientes das atividades antrópicas mal operadas. Hoje na BAT são reconhecidas 2.018 áreas onde os aquíferos e os solos são contaminadas, ademais de existirem outras 53 mil atividades com potencial para gerar contaminação aos aquíferos. Nessa pesquisa foi realizado um mapeamento das áreas críticas integradas de qualidade e quantidade, onde a área da BAT foi dividida em células de 500x500m. De um total de 23.867 áreas em toda a BAT, foi possível identificar, 943 áreas de alta, 1876 áreas de média e 3120 áreas de baixa criticidade. Entretanto, essa situação é desconhecida pelos usuários dos recursos hídricos. Apesar desse cenário, a gestão das águas subterrâneas ainda é bastante incipiente na bacia. A limitação é ainda maior, pois a identificação dos poços é difícil e os problemas, quando detectados, não são de responsabilidade de apenas um, mas de um conjunto de usuários. Assim, como em outras regiões metropolitanas do Brasil, a BAT possui uma alta densidade de poços ilegais, onde a sua explotação acarreta em um rebaixamento excessivo nos níveis dos aquíferos, reduzindo a oferta de água, diminuindo assim, a segurança hídrica da bacia. Experiências recentes na gestão das águas subterrâneas têm indicado que o gerenciamento desse recurso terá mais sucesso quanto maior for a participação do usuário, portanto a gestão da água, aplicada nesse trabalho através da integração de informações relativas ao meio físico, uso e ocupação do solo, aspectos sócios econômicos, do balanço hídrico, e os aspectos hidrogeológicos torna-se fundamental para prover o conhecimento e as ferramentas gerenciais para a tomada de decisões e conscientização dos usuários, que levarão à proteção e ao uso controlado dos recursos hídricos subterrâneos. / The availability of water directed and motivated the development of activities and land occupations along the Alto Tiete Basin (BAT). In this way, groundwater has become one of the major reserves available to supply the growing demand, where there are currently approximately 12 thousand wells supplying almost 10m³/s. In the BAT, the scenery of groundwater resource dependence increases whereas the availability of surface water decreases. In this way, the intense water extraction, concentrated in the urban area of the basin, has led downgrades in the levels of aquifers. The situation is exacerbated because the water physically available becomes qualitatively unavailable due to chemical contamination from chemicals used in productive activities and services. The BAT has serious quality problems in part of the aquifers, having 2.018 contaminated areas recognized by CETESB, furthermore there are other 53.000 activities with the potential to generate contamination to aquifers. In the BAT, 23.867 areas of 500x500m, it was identified by mapping of the integrated critical areas, 943 high critical areas, 1876 medium critical areas, and 3120 low critical areas. However, this scenario is unknown to users. . Despite this scenario, the management of groundwater is still incipient in the basin. The limitation is even greater, since identification of the wells is difficult and problems, when detected, are not the responsibility of just one, but a number of users. As well as in other metropolitan areas of Brazil, BAT has a high density of illegal wells, where the illegal exploitation may result in an excessive drawdown of groundwater levels, reducing the supply of water, thus reducing water security of the basin. Recent experiments in management of groundwater have indicated that the management of this resource will be more successful with greater user participation. Therefore, water management applied in this work through the integration of information relating to the environment, use and occupation of land, socio economics aspects, of the water balance and hydrogeological aspects becomes essential to provide the knowledge and managerial tools for making decisions and user awareness, which will lead to the protection and controlled use of groundwater resources.

From the Proceedings of the 1975 Meetings of the Arizona Section - American Water Resources Assn. and the Hydrology Section - Arizona Academy of Science - April 11-12, 1975, Tempe, Arizona / Aquifer flow systems have been simulated by a variety of techniques. The results of these simulations can be presented in several ways. Of the approaches in modeling groundwater flow, the finite element method offers an advantage through its ease in approximating various boundary conditions. Graphic methods offer a means of simplifying data presentation. This study demonstrates the use of a finite element technique in modeling aquifer flow systems, and illustrates a 3-dimensional graphic approach when representing the results of the modeling.

Διερευνώνται επιμέρους θέματα διαχείρισης παράκτιων υδροφορέων που αφορούν στην διασφάλιση της αειφορίας των υπόγειων αποθεμάτων μέσω (α) της προστασία τους έναντι στην υποβάθμιση της ποιότητάς τους που μπορεί να προέλθει από τη διείσδυση του θαλασσινού νερού και από ανθρωπογενείς δραστηριότητες και (β) της διασφάλισης της κάλυψης των αναγκών σε υπόγειο νερό κατά τις περιόδους αυξημένης ζήτησης. Η διερεύνηση βασίζεται στη χρήση δύο αριθμητικών μοντέλων υπόγειας ροής που λαμβάνουν υπόψη τις διαφορές πυκνότητας μεταξύ γλυκού και αλμυρού νερού και περιλαμβάνει τα ακόλουθα: Παρουσιάζεται ο τρόπος με τον οποίο διατυπώνονται και επιλύονται οι εξισώσεις που περιγράφουν την υπόγεια ροή υπό την επιρροή διαφορών πυκνότητας σε δύο ευρέως χρησιμοποιούμενα αριθμητικά μοντέλα, που είναι το μοντέλο SEAWAT-2000 (Langevin et al., 2003) και το μοντέλο SUTRA v2.2 (Voss & Provost, 2010). Βάσει των ανωτέρω και της εμπειρίας που αποκτήθηκε από την παράλληλη εφαρμογή τους, οι δύο κώδικες αξιολογούνται συγκριτικά και διατυπώνονται κριτήρια, στα οποία μπορεί να βασιστεί η επιλογή του κατά περίπτωση προσφορότερου κώδικα. Γίνεται η ρύθμιση αριθμητικού μοντέλου, το οποίο είναι βασισμένο στον κώδικα SEAWAT-2000, για τον παράκτιο υδροφορέα του Γλαύκου π., ο οποίος βρίσκεται στα νότια της πόλης των Πατρών και αποτελεί σημαντικό υδατικό πόρο για την περιοχή. Η ρύθμιση του μοντέλου βασίζεται σε μετρήσεις της υπόγειας στάθμης που προέρχονται από ένα σχετικά πυκνό δίκτυο γεωτρήσεων παρατήρησης το οποίο όμως έχει χρονικά περιορισμένη διάρκεια λειτουργίας. Το δίκτυο κατασκευάστηκε στα πλαίσια του προγράμματος INTERREG Ελλάδα – Ιταλία, 2000 – 2006, σε συνεργασία του Εργαστηρίου Υδραυλικής Μηχανικής του Πανεπιστημίου Πατρών και της Δημοτικής Επιχείρησης Ύδρευσης και Αποχέτευσης της Πάτρας (Δ.Ε.Υ.Α.Π.) και ολοκληρώθηκε στα μέσα του 2008. Η διαδικασία ρύθμισης του μοντέλου περιλαμβάνει τα εξής: (α) Τη συστηματική οργάνωση, συνδυασμό και αξιολόγηση των διαθέσιμων πληροφοριών σε λογισμικό συστημάτων γεωγραφικών πληροφοριών. (β) Την εφαρμογή υδραυλικών και στατιστικών μεθόδων σε συνδυασμό με την τροποποίηση και εφαρμογή μεθόδων αριθμητικής προσομοίωσης αντλητικών δοκιμών για τον προσδιορισμό των υδραυλικών χαρακτηριστικών του υδροφορέα. (γ) Τη συνδυαστική ανάλυση υδρολογικών δεδομένων και χρονοσειρών της υπόγειας στάθμης για την εκτίμηση των συνιστωσών του υδρολογικού ισοζυγίου. (δ) Τον καθορισμό κατάλληλων κριτηρίων αξιολόγησης των προσομοιώσεων. (ε) Την εμπειρική ρύθμιση των παραμέτρων του μοντέλου, η οποία επειδή έγινε παράλληλα με την συλλογή των μετρήσεων της υπόγειας στάθμης πραγματοποιήθηκε για δύο περιόδους, κατ’ αρχήν για την περίοδο 2008-2010 και εν συνεχεία για την περίοδο 2010-2012 και (στ) την εκτέλεση προσομοιώσεων Monte Carlo για την πραγματοποίηση καθολικής ανάλυσης ευαισθησίας (global sensitivity analysis, βλ. Saltelli et al., 2004) και τη διερεύνηση ύπαρξης περισσοτέρων συνδυασμών των τιμών των παραμέτρων του μοντέλου που οδηγούν σε παρόμοια αποτελέσματα (equifinality thesis, Beven, 2006). Από τη ρύθμιση του μοντέλου με τη βοήθεια των μετρήσεων της υπόγειας στάθμης που συλλέχτηκαν με το δίκτυο παρατήρησης προέκυψαν πληροφορίες για τους μηχανισμούς εμπλουτισμού του υδροφορέα στις διάφορες περιοχές, κάτι που είναι σημαντικό για τη διαχείρισή του. Το ρυθμισμένο μοντέλο του παράκτιου υδροφορέα του Γλαύκου χρησιμοποιήθηκε για την εξέταση θεμάτων διαχείρισης του υδροφορέα: (α) Προσδιορίστηκαν οι ζώνες τροφοδοσίας των γεωτρήσεων της ΔΕΥΑΠ με χρήση του κώδικα MODPATH v3 (Pollock, 1994) και εκτιμήθηκε η τρωτότητα αυτών των γεωτρήσεων. Διαπιστώθηκε ότι οι γεωτρήσεις που βρίσκονται κοντά στην κοίτη του Γλαύκου, όπως συμβαίνει με πολλές από τις γεωτρήσεις της ΔΕΥΑΠ, αντλούν σχεδόν αποκλειστικά νερό που προέρχεται από τον ποταμό. Έτσι είναι δυνατόν να προσβληθούν από ρυπάνσεις του νερού του ποταμού καθώς επίσης και από ανθρωπογενείς δραστηριότητες στις παρόχθιες ζώνες. (β) Εκτιμήθηκε ο κίνδυνος διείσδυσης θαλασσινού νερού σε περίπτωση εμφάνισης περιόδων ξηρασίας, για δύο διαφορετικά σενάρια αντλήσεων: ένα σύμφωνα με το σημερινό καθεστώς χρήσης του υπόγειου νερού και ένα για την αύξηση των αντλήσεων κατά 50%. Διαπιστώθηκε ότι για ξηρασία διάρκειας τεσσάρων ετών και αύξηση των αντλούμενων ποσοτήτων τα φαινόμενα υφαλμύρισης θα είναι έντονα. Με την επάνοδο όμως των μέσων υδρολογικών συνθηκών ο υδροφορέας ανακάμπτει. (γ) Για συνθήκες ξηρασίας εξετάστηκε η αποτελεσματικότητα του τεχνητού εμπλουτισμού για τον περιορισμό της διείσδυσης του θαλασσινού νερού. Ως μέθοδος εμπλουτισμού εξετάστηκε η εποχιακή αύξηση της στάθμης του νερού στον ποταμό με τη βοήθεια φουσκωτών φραγμάτων (βλ. Κωτσοβίνος, 1999). Διαπιστώθηκε ότι με τη μέθοδο αυτή μπορεί να επιτευχθεί σημαντική αύξηση των υπόγειων αποθεμάτων. Τέλος, εξετάζεται ως μέτρο προστασίας έναντι της διείσδυσης του θαλασσινού νερού η τεχνική των υπόγειων φραγμών. Επειδή στις μελέτες της τεχνικής αυτής που έχουν παρουσιαστεί στη βιβλιογραφία (π.χ. Luyun et al., 2011) έμφαση δίνεται μόνο στην επιρροή των γεωμετρικών χαρακτηριστικών των φραγμών (απόσταση από την ακτή, βάθος φραγμού), έγινε στην παρούσα εργασία συστηματική διερεύνηση της συναρτησιακής σχέσης ανάμεσα στην αποτελεσματικότητα της μεθόδου και τα χαρακτηριστικά τόσο των φραγμών όσο και του υδροφορέα (υδραυλική αγωγιμότητα, ανισοτροπία, υδρομηχανική διασπορά, παροχή γλυκού νερού προς τη θάλασσα, αντλήσεις στην παράκτια ζώνη, υλικό κατασκευής του φραγμού). Η διερεύνηση έγινε με τη βοήθεια του αριθμητικού μοντέλου SUTRA 2.2 (Voss and Provost, 2010), για δύο τύπους υπόγειων φραγμών: τους διαφραγματικούς τοίχους και τα υπόγεια φράγματα. Δίδονται διαγράμματα και αναλυτικές σχέσεις με χρήση αδιάστατων μεταβλητών και για εύρος τιμών των μεταβλητών αυτών που μπορούν να χρησιμοποιηθούν για τη διαστασιολόγηση φραγμών σε εφαρμογές πεδίου. Βάσει των αποτελεσμάτων που προκύπτουν από τη διερεύνηση της προαναφερθείσας συναρτησιακής σχέσης και χρησιμοποιώντας και το μοντέλο του Γλαύκου, εξετάστηκε η αποτελεσματικότητα της κατασκευής ενός φραγμού περιορισμένου μήκους στον υδροφορέα. Διαπιστώθηκε ότι πέραν του περιορισμού της διείσδυσης αλμυρού νερού σε περιόδους ξηρασίας που επιτυγχάνεται, ο φραγμός επιταχύνει την υποχώρηση της αλμυρής σφήνας όταν επανέλθουν οι συνήθεις υδρολογικές συνθήκες. / In the present study coastal aquifer management issues are investigated. These issues concern measures which ensure the sustainability of the coastal groundwater and particularly: (a) protective measures against the degradation of groundwater caused by saltwater intrusion and human activities and (b) measures allowing the availability of sufficient volumes of fresh groundwater during periods of high demand. The investigation is based on the application of two numerical codes, which are suitable for simulating the groundwater flow under the influence of density differences. The investigation procedure is as follows. The application of the equations of groundwater flow with density differences and transport, the limitations and the advantages are presented for two widely used numerical models, the SEAWAT-2000 code (Langevin et al., 2003) and the SUTRA v.2.2 code (Voss & Provost, 2010). Based on the analysis above and on the experience acquired through the parallel use of the two codes, basic criteria are derived that allow for the selection of the code that best suits the needs of a certain problem. The investigation focuses on the Glafkos coastal aquifer, which is located at north Peloponnese (Greece), south of the city of Patras and is an important source of freshwater for the region. For this aquifer the SEAWAT-2000 code is implemented and calibrated. The model calibration is based on groundwater level time series that were registered by a relatively dense monitoring network, whose operation time, however, is limited. The network of the monitoring wells was constructed during 2007-2008 in cooperation of the Hydraulic Engineering Laboratory (Department of Civil Engineering, University of Patras) and the Municipal Enterprise of Water Supply and Sewage of Patras (DEYAP), in the frame of the project INTERREG IIIA GREECE-ITALY. The calibration procedure is based on: (a) The application of a G.I.S. system to organize, combine, analyse and evaluate the available information. (b) The application of hydraulic and statistical methods combined with the modification and application of pumping tests simulation methods, for the estimation of the hydraulic parameters of the coastal aquifer. (c) The combined analysis of hydrological data and groundwater level time series for the estimation of the aquifers water budget components. (d) The establishment of appropriate criteria for the evaluation of simulation results. (e) The empirical calibration of the model is performed for two periods, i.e. the period 2008-2010 and the period 2010-2012. This procedure is due to the availability of the groundwater level time series which were registered parallel to the model calibration. (f) The application of the Monte-Carlo method in order to investigate the probability that different combinations of model parameters give similar or better simulation results. The model calibration led to a better understanding of the aquifers recharge mechanisms which is crucial for the development of a groundwater management policy and the implementation of a management plan. The calibrated groundwater model of the Glafkos coastal aquifer is used for the investigation and evaluation of coastal aquifer management applications: (a) The capture zones of the municipal production wells are delineated by applying the MODPATH v3 code (Pollock, 1994). It is found out that the production wells that are located close to the Glafkos River, as it is the fact for the majority of the municipal production wells, pump water that originates almost exclusively from the river. Consequently, polluted water from the river or polluting human activities close to the riverbank can affect the quality of the pumped water. (b) The saltwater intrusion risk is estimated, in case of a prolonged drought period. Two cases are investigated; the first considers the current pumping rates of groundwater while the second considers a 50% increased pumping. It is found out that a four-year drought period combined with an increase of the groundwater exploitation will lead to significant saltwater intrusion problems. (c) The applicability and effectiveness of in-channel artificial recharge with the use of rubber dams, as a countermeasure against the saltwater intrusion, which may be induced by a four-year drought period, is investigated. It is found that the method is applicable and effectively reduces the intrusion of saltwater. Further it increases the groundwater storage in the aquifer. Finally, the construction of a cutoff wall which covers only a small part of the aquifers width, is evaluated as a countermeasure to saltwater intrusion problems which may arise in Glafkos coastal aquifer. Due to the fact that existing studies on the technique of the subsurface barriers focus only on the influence of the geometrical characteristics of barriers covering the whole width of the aquifer, a systematic investigation is curried out on the functional relationship between the effectiveness of the barriers and all the parameters influencing it, i.e. the geometrical characteristics of the barriers, the aquifer parameters (the hydraulic conductivity, anisotropy, hydromechanical dispersion, groundwater flow towards the sea) and the pumping rate. The investigation is curried out by the use of the finite element code SUTRA v.2.2 and concerns two types of barriers; the subsurface dams and the cutoff walls. The results include graphs and functional relationships for the assessment of the effect of subsurface dams and cutoff walls and the design of such structures. The results are presented in terms of dimensionless variables, with ranges suitable for field applications. Based on these results, a cutoff wall of small width is designed for the Glafkos coastal aquifer. Its effectiveness is evaluated by applying the calibrated SEAWAT-model of the coastal aquifer. It is shown that the cutoff wall not only reduces the saltwater intrusion during drought periods, but also it reduces the retreat time of the saltwater front under normal hydrological conditions.