Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Hydrochemical Parameters in the Gravelly Aquifer of the Lower Course of Vjosa River, Albania
Vjosa is the main river of South Albania. Currently, the confined Quaternary gravelly aquifer in its lower course supplies drinking water for roughly 300,000 local residents. In the past years, extracted groundwater quantity has increased, whereas the groundwater quality has been affected by seawate...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2023-12-01
|
| Series: | Hydrology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/10/12/234 |
| _version_ | 1797380865885470720 |
|---|---|
| author | Elsa Dindi Ardian Shehu |
| author_facet | Elsa Dindi Ardian Shehu |
| author_sort | Elsa Dindi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Vjosa is the main river of South Albania. Currently, the confined Quaternary gravelly aquifer in its lower course supplies drinking water for roughly 300,000 local residents. In the past years, extracted groundwater quantity has increased, whereas the groundwater quality has been affected by seawater intrusion. This paper aims to assess the groundwater quality and to discuss the dominant hydrochemical processes in the aquifer. To fulfil this goal, the study discusses the groundwater quality’s spatial and temporal variations on the basis of the hydrochemical parameters and ratios for 2010–2021 period, during which data are collected from three monitoring wells, located 6, 14 and 17 km, from the sea. While for 1961–2009 period, hydro-chemical water types and TDS maps are prepared using roughly 100 chemical analyses. The hydro-chemical parameters are discussed related to the factors controlling the groundwater’s chemical constituents and the groundwater extraction. Heavy metals and nitrates’ contents indicate that the aquifer is not affected by anthropogenic pollution. The main conclusion is that the groundwater quality is affected by seawater intrusion due to overexploitation. The study reveals its gaps, mentions its possible usefulness, and underlines the discrepancy between the policy makers and the hydrogeologists approaches concerning groundwater extraction. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:43:11Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d5031a41ba504364927027508abb8283 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2306-5338 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T20:43:11Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Hydrology |
| spelling | doaj.art-d5031a41ba504364927027508abb82832023-12-22T14:12:59ZengMDPI AGHydrology2306-53382023-12-01101223410.3390/hydrology10120234Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Hydrochemical Parameters in the Gravelly Aquifer of the Lower Course of Vjosa River, AlbaniaElsa Dindi0Ardian Shehu1Department of Applied Geology and Geoinformatics, Faculty of Geology and Mining, Polytechnic University of Tirana, 1019 Tirana, AlbaniaDepartment of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Geology and Mining, Polytechnic University of Tirana, 1019 Tirana, AlbaniaVjosa is the main river of South Albania. Currently, the confined Quaternary gravelly aquifer in its lower course supplies drinking water for roughly 300,000 local residents. In the past years, extracted groundwater quantity has increased, whereas the groundwater quality has been affected by seawater intrusion. This paper aims to assess the groundwater quality and to discuss the dominant hydrochemical processes in the aquifer. To fulfil this goal, the study discusses the groundwater quality’s spatial and temporal variations on the basis of the hydrochemical parameters and ratios for 2010–2021 period, during which data are collected from three monitoring wells, located 6, 14 and 17 km, from the sea. While for 1961–2009 period, hydro-chemical water types and TDS maps are prepared using roughly 100 chemical analyses. The hydro-chemical parameters are discussed related to the factors controlling the groundwater’s chemical constituents and the groundwater extraction. Heavy metals and nitrates’ contents indicate that the aquifer is not affected by anthropogenic pollution. The main conclusion is that the groundwater quality is affected by seawater intrusion due to overexploitation. The study reveals its gaps, mentions its possible usefulness, and underlines the discrepancy between the policy makers and the hydrogeologists approaches concerning groundwater extraction.https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/10/12/234Vjosa River Quaternary gravelly aquifergroundwater extractionhydrochemical parametersspatial and temporal variationsseawater intrusion |
| spellingShingle | Elsa Dindi Ardian Shehu Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Hydrochemical Parameters in the Gravelly Aquifer of the Lower Course of Vjosa River, Albania Hydrology Vjosa River Quaternary gravelly aquifer groundwater extraction hydrochemical parameters spatial and temporal variations seawater intrusion |
| title | Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Hydrochemical Parameters in the Gravelly Aquifer of the Lower Course of Vjosa River, Albania |
| title_full | Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Hydrochemical Parameters in the Gravelly Aquifer of the Lower Course of Vjosa River, Albania |
| title_fullStr | Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Hydrochemical Parameters in the Gravelly Aquifer of the Lower Course of Vjosa River, Albania |
| title_full_unstemmed | Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Hydrochemical Parameters in the Gravelly Aquifer of the Lower Course of Vjosa River, Albania |
| title_short | Spatial and Temporal Variations of the Hydrochemical Parameters in the Gravelly Aquifer of the Lower Course of Vjosa River, Albania |
| title_sort | spatial and temporal variations of the hydrochemical parameters in the gravelly aquifer of the lower course of vjosa river albania |
| topic | Vjosa River Quaternary gravelly aquifer groundwater extraction hydrochemical parameters spatial and temporal variations seawater intrusion |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2306-5338/10/12/234 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT elsadindi spatialandtemporalvariationsofthehydrochemicalparametersinthegravellyaquiferofthelowercourseofvjosariveralbania AT ardianshehu spatialandtemporalvariationsofthehydrochemicalparametersinthegravellyaquiferofthelowercourseofvjosariveralbania |