Evaluation of Exploitable Groundwater Reserves in Karst Terrain: A Case Study from Crete, Greece

Karst systems constitute valuable freshwater resources in Crete island, a region of Greece that is threatened by water scarcity. The present work refers to evaluation of the available groundwater potential in a karst terrain and contributes to providing adequate quantities of fresh water to the cent...

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Main Author: Emmanouil Steiakakis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2018-01-01
Series:Geosciences
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/8/1/19
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author Emmanouil Steiakakis
author_facet Emmanouil Steiakakis
author_sort Emmanouil Steiakakis
collection DOAJ
description Karst systems constitute valuable freshwater resources in Crete island, a region of Greece that is threatened by water scarcity. The present work refers to evaluation of the available groundwater potential in a karst terrain and contributes to providing adequate quantities of fresh water to the central southern Crete (Rethimno prefecture). The available groundwater potential was estimated by combining conventional hydrogeological approaches and an analysis of hydrographs of Kourtaliotis spring that drains the system. The research procedure contributed to the three-dimensional understanding of the karst system and provided reasonable estimates regarding the groundwater reserves in the area. The geological (permanent) storage in the karstified system was estimated to 415 × 106 m3 while the dynamic reserves were calculated equal to 43 × 106 m3. Based on the research results, it is considered possible to pump annually an amount of 21–29 × 106 m3 over the quantities of water which naturally outflow from Kourtaliotis spring, in order to satisfy the water demands in the region. The study provides a valuable guidance on predicting the groundwater reserves in aquifers with similar hydrogeological regime.
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spelling doaj.art-b10179ab86f644249ce6c2959f7e5e442022-12-21T19:52:03ZengMDPI AGGeosciences2076-32632018-01-01811910.3390/geosciences8010019geosciences8010019Evaluation of Exploitable Groundwater Reserves in Karst Terrain: A Case Study from Crete, GreeceEmmanouil Steiakakis0Laboratory of Applied Geology, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, GreeceKarst systems constitute valuable freshwater resources in Crete island, a region of Greece that is threatened by water scarcity. The present work refers to evaluation of the available groundwater potential in a karst terrain and contributes to providing adequate quantities of fresh water to the central southern Crete (Rethimno prefecture). The available groundwater potential was estimated by combining conventional hydrogeological approaches and an analysis of hydrographs of Kourtaliotis spring that drains the system. The research procedure contributed to the three-dimensional understanding of the karst system and provided reasonable estimates regarding the groundwater reserves in the area. The geological (permanent) storage in the karstified system was estimated to 415 × 106 m3 while the dynamic reserves were calculated equal to 43 × 106 m3. Based on the research results, it is considered possible to pump annually an amount of 21–29 × 106 m3 over the quantities of water which naturally outflow from Kourtaliotis spring, in order to satisfy the water demands in the region. The study provides a valuable guidance on predicting the groundwater reserves in aquifers with similar hydrogeological regime.http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/8/1/19groundwaterkarstic aquiferdynamic reservespermanent storageMaillet equation
spellingShingle Emmanouil Steiakakis
Evaluation of Exploitable Groundwater Reserves in Karst Terrain: A Case Study from Crete, Greece
Geosciences
groundwater
karstic aquifer
dynamic reserves
permanent storage
Maillet equation
title Evaluation of Exploitable Groundwater Reserves in Karst Terrain: A Case Study from Crete, Greece
title_full Evaluation of Exploitable Groundwater Reserves in Karst Terrain: A Case Study from Crete, Greece
title_fullStr Evaluation of Exploitable Groundwater Reserves in Karst Terrain: A Case Study from Crete, Greece
title_full_unstemmed Evaluation of Exploitable Groundwater Reserves in Karst Terrain: A Case Study from Crete, Greece
title_short Evaluation of Exploitable Groundwater Reserves in Karst Terrain: A Case Study from Crete, Greece
title_sort evaluation of exploitable groundwater reserves in karst terrain a case study from crete greece
topic groundwater
karstic aquifer
dynamic reserves
permanent storage
Maillet equation
url http://www.mdpi.com/2076-3263/8/1/19
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