1954 les cases barates de Vila-roja : memòria d'una desaparició anunciada i les claus del seu valor històric

Estudi de les primeres 150 “cases barates”, o de tipus social que es van edificar al barri de Vila-roja entre el 1954 i el 1957, anomenades Grup “San Daniel”, i que varen representar l'inici d'aquest barri de Girona. L'estudi incideix en la gestació, en la transformació i en la desaparició progressiva de la fesomia inicial d'aquest barri de Girona projectat i dissenyat per l’arquitecte gironí Ignasi Bosch Reitg (1910-1985), que també fou l’arquitecte del Grup Sant Narcís, de Germans Sàbat i de Sant Cugat a Salt

Modelling the inorganic nitrogen behaviour in a small Mediterranean forested catchment, Fuirosos (Catalonia)

The aim of this work was to couple a nitrogen (N) sub-model to already existent hydrological lumped (LU4-N) and semi-distributed (LU4-R-N and SD4-R-N) conceptual models, to improve our understanding of the factors and processes controlling nitrogen cycling and losses in Mediterranean catchments. The N model adopted provides a simplified conceptualization of the soil nitrogen cycle considering mineralization, nitrification, immobilization, denitrification, plant uptake, and ammonium adsorption/desorption. It also includes nitrification and denitrification in the shallow perched aquifer. We included a soil moisture threshold for all the considered soil biological processes. The results suggested that all the nitrogen processes were highly influenced by the rain episodes and that soil microbial processes occurred in pulses stimulated by soil moisture increasing after rain. Our simulation highlighted the riparian zone as a possible source of nitrate, especially after the summer drought period, but it can also act as an important sink of nitrate due to denitrification, in particular during the wettest period of the year. The riparian zone was a key element to simulate the catchment nitrate behaviour. The lumped LU4-N model (which does not include the riparian zone) could not be validated, while both the semi-distributed LU4-R-N and SD4-R-N model (which include the riparian zone) gave satisfactory results for the calibration process and acceptable results for the temporal validation process.

Coupled atmosphere-biophysics-hydrology models for environmental modeling

The formulation and implementation of LEAF-2, the Land Ecosystem–Atmosphere Feedback model, which comprises the representation of land–surface processes in the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), is described. LEAF-2 is a prognostic model for the temperature and water content of soil, snow cover, vegetation, and canopy air, and includes turbulent and radiative exchanges between these components and with the atmosphere. Subdivision of a RAMS surface grid cell into multiple areas of distinct land-use types is allowed, with each subgrid area, or patch, containing its own LEAF-2 model, and each patch interacts with the overlying atmospheric column with a weight proportional to its fractional area in the grid cell. A description is also given of TOPMODEL, a land hydrology model that represents surface and subsurface downslope lateral transport of groundwater. Details of the incorporation of a modified form of TOPMODEL into LEAF-2 are presented. Sensitivity tests of the coupled system are presented that demonstrate the potential importance of the patch representation and of lateral water transport in idealized model simulations. Independent studies that have applied LEAF-2 and verified its performance against observational data are cited. Linkage of RAMS and TOPMODEL through LEAF-2 creates a modeling system that can be used to explore the coupled atmosphere–biophysical–hydrologic response to altered climate forcing at local watershed and regional basin scales.

Groundwater favorability map using GIS multicriteria data analysis on crystalline terrain, Sao Paulo State, Brazil

This paper presents the groundwater favorability mapping on a fractured terrain in the eastern portion of Sao Paulo State, Brazil. Remote sensing, airborne geophysical data, photogeologic interpretation, geologic and geomorphologic maps and geographic information system (GIS) techniques have been used. The results of cross-tabulation between these maps and well yield data allowed groundwater prospective parameters in a fractured-bedrock aquifer. These prospective parameters are the base for the favorability analysis whose principle is based on the knowledge-driven method. The mutticriteria analysis (weighted linear combination) was carried out to give a groundwater favorabitity map, because the prospective parameters have different weights of importance and different classes of each parameter. The groundwater favorability map was tested by cross-tabulation with new well yield data and spring occurrence. The wells with the highest values of productivity, as well as all the springs occurrence are situated in the excellent and good favorabitity mapped areas. It shows good coherence between the prospective parameters and the well yield and the importance of GIS techniques for definition of target areas for detail study and wells location. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Groundwater resources in Brazil: a review of possible impacts caused by climate change

Groundwater has a strategic role in times of climate change mainly because aquifers can provide water for long periods, even during very long and severe drought. The reduction and/or changes on the precipitation pattern can diminish the recharge mainly in unconfined aquifer, causing available groundwater restriction. The expected impact of long-term climate changes on the Brazilian aquifers for 2050 will lead to a severe reduction in 70% of recharge in the Northeast region aquifers (comparing to 2010 values), varying from 30% to 70% in the North region. Data referring to the South and Southeast regions are more favorable, with an increase in the relative recharge values from 30% to 100%. Another expected impact is the increase in demand and the decrease in the surface water availability that will make the population turn to aquifers as its main source of water for public or private uses in many regions of the country. Thus, an integrated use of surface and groundwater must therefore be considered in the water use planning. The solution of water scarcity is based on three factors: society growth awareness, better knowledge on the characteristics of hydraulic and chemical aquifers and effective management actions.

Groundwater recharge estimation in a data sparse arid catchment of westbank. Stima della ricarica delle falde acquifere in bacini aridi e carenti di osservazioni idrometriche: il Darga in Cisgiordania.

Il seguente elaborato è frutto del lavoro di ricerca, della durata di cinque mesi, svolto presso il Department of Catchment Hydrology del centro di ricerca UFZ (Helmholtz-Zentrum für Umweltforschung) con sede in Halle an der Saale, Germania. L’obiettivo della Tesi è la stima della ricarica della falda acquifera in un bacino idrografico sprovvisto di serie di osservazioni idrometriche di lunghezza significativa e caratterizzato da clima arido. Il lavoro di Tesi è stato svolto utilizzando un modello afflussi-deflussi concettualmente basato e spazialmente distribuito. La modellistica idrologica in regioni aride è un tema a cui la comunità scientifica sta dedicando numerosi sforzi di ricerca, presentando infatti ancora numerosi problemi aperti dal punto di vista tecnico-scientifico, ed è di primaria importanza per il sostentamento delle popolazioni che vi abitano. Le condizioni climatiche in queste regioni fanno sì che la falda acquifera superficiale sia la principale fonte di approvvigionamento; una stima affidabile della sua ricarica, nel tempo e nello spazio, permette un corretta gestione delle risorse idriche, senza la quale il fabbisogno idrico di queste popolazioni non potrebbe essere soddisfatto. L’area oggetto di studio è il bacino idrografico Darga, una striscia di terra di circa 74 km2, situata in Cisgiordania, la cui sezione di chiusura si trova a circa 4 kilometri dalla costa del Mar Morto, mentre lo spartiacque a monte, ubicato a Nord-ovest, dista circa 3 kilometri dalla città di Gerusalemme.

Geochemistry and Stable Isotopes of Surface Water and Groundwater in the Continental Pit in Butte, Montana, USA

The Continental porphyry Cu‐Mo mine, located 2 km east of the famous Berkeley Pit lake of Butte, Montana, contains two small lakes that vary in size depending on mining activity. In contrast to the acidic Berkeley Pit lake, the Continental Pit waters have near-neutral pH and relatively low metal concentrations. The main reason is geological: whereas the Berkeley Pit mined highly‐altered granite rich in pyrite with no neutralizing potential, the Continental Pit is mining weakly‐altered granite with lower pyrite concentrations and up to 1‐2% hydrothermal calcite. The purpose of this study was to gather and interpret information that bears on the chemistry of surface water and groundwater in the active Continental Pit. Pre‐existing chemistry data from sampling of the Continental Pit were compiled from the Montana Bureau of Mines and Geology and Montana Department of Environmental Quality records. In addition, in March of 2013, new water samples were collected from the mine’s main dewatering well, the Sarsfield well, and a nearby acidic seep (Pavilion Seep) and analyzed for trace metals and several stable isotopes, including dD and d18O of water, d13C of dissolved inorganic carbon, and d34S of dissolved sulfate. In December 2013, several soil samples were collected from the shore of the frozen pit lake and surrounding area. The soil samples were analyzed using X‐ray diffraction to determine mineral content. Based on Visual Minteq modeling, water in the Continental Pit lake is near equilibrium with a number of carbonate, sulfate, and molybdate minerals, including calcite, dolomite, rhodochrosite (MnCO3), brochantite (CuSO4·3Cu(OH)2), malachite (Cu2CO3(OH)2), hydrozincite (Zn5(CO3)2(OH)6), gypsum, and powellite (CaMoO4). The fact that these minerals are close to equilibrium suggests that they are present on the weathered mine walls and/or in the sediment of the surface water ponds. X‐Ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis of the pond “beach” sample failed to show any discrete metal‐bearing phases. One of the soil samples collected higher in the mine, near an area of active weathering of chalcocite‐rich ore, contained over 50% chalcanthite (CuSO4·5H2O). This water‐soluble copper salt is easily dissolved in water, and is probably a major source of copper to the pond and underlying groundwater system. However, concentrations of copper in the latter are probably controlled by other, less‐soluble minerals, such as brochantite or malachite. Although the acidity of the Pavilion Seep is high (~ 11 meq/L), the flow is much less than the Sarsfield Well at the current time. Thus, the pH, major and minor element chemistry in the Continental Pit lakes are buffered by calcite and other carbonate minerals. For the Continental Pit waters to become acidic, the influx of acidic seepage (e.g., Pavilion Seep) would need to increase substantially over its present volume.

Constraining age distributions of groundwater from public supply wells in diverse hydrogeological settings in Scania, Sweden

Twenty-five public supply wells throughout the hydrogeologically diverse region of Scania, southern Sweden are subjected to environmental tracer analysis (³H–³He,⁴He, CFCs, SF₆ and for one well only also ⁸⁵Kr and ³⁹Ar) to study well and aquifer vulnerability and evaluate possibilities of groundwater age distribution assessment. We find CFC and SF₆ concentrations well above solubility equilibrium with modern atmosphere, indicating local contamination, as well as indications of CFC degradation. The tracer-specific complications considerably constrain possibilities for sound quantitative regional ground- water age distribution assessment and demonstrate the importance of initial qualitative assessment of tracer-specific reliability, as well a need for additional, complementary tracers (e.g. ⁸⁵Kr,³⁹Ar and potentially also ¹⁴C). Lumped parameter modelling yields credible age distribution assessments for representative wells in four type aquifers. Pollution vulnerability of the aquifer types was based on the selected LPM models and qualitative age characterisation. Most vulnerable are unconfined dual porosity and fractured bedrock aquifers, due to a large component of very young groundwater. Unconfined sedimentary aquifers are vulnerable due to young groundwater and a small pre-modern component. Less vulnerable are semi-confined sedimentary or dual-porosity aquifers, due to older age of the modern component and a larger pre-modern component. Confined aquifers appear least vulnerable, due an entirely pre-modern groundwater age distribution (recharged before 1963). Tracer complications aside, environmental tracer analyses and lumped parameter modelling aid in vulnerability assessment and protection of regional groundwater resources.

Geospatial analysis of groundwater depth for manual well drilling suitability in the Zinder Region, Niger

Manual and low-tech well drilling techniques have potential to assist in reaching the United Nations' millennium development goal for water in sub-Saharan Africa. This study used publicly available geospatial data in a regression tree analysis to predict groundwater depth in the Zinder region of Niger to identify suitable areas for manual well drilling. Regression trees were developed and tested on a database for 3681 wells in the Zinder region. A tree with 17 terminal leaves provided a range of ground water depth estimates that were appropriate for manual drilling, though much of the tree's complexity was associated with depths that were beyond manual methods. A natural log transformation of groundwater depth was tested to see if rescaling dataset variance would result in finer distinctions for regions of shallow groundwater. The RMSE for a log-transformed tree with only 10 terminal leaves was almost half that of the untransformed 17 leaf tree for groundwater depths less than 10 m. This analysis indicated important groundwater relationships for commonly available maps of geology, soils, elevation, and enhanced vegetation index from the MODIS satellite imaging system.

Balancing groundwater conservation and rural livelihoods under water and climate uncertainties: An integrated hydro-economic modeling framework

In arid countries worldwide, social conflicts between irrigation-based human development and the conservation of aquatic ecosystems are widespread and attract many public debates. This research focuses on the analysis of water and agricultural policies aimed at conserving groundwater resources and maintaining rurallivelihoods in a basin in Spain's central arid region. Intensive groundwater mining for irrigation has caused overexploitation of the basin's large aquifer, the degradation of reputed wetlands and has given rise to notable social conflicts over the years. With the aim of tackling the multifaceted socio-ecological interactions of complex water systems, the methodology used in this study consists in a novel integration into a common platform of an economic optimization model and a hydrology model WEAP (Water Evaluation And Planning system). This robust tool is used to analyze the spatial and temporal effects of different water and agricultural policies under different climate scenarios. It permits the prediction of different climate and policy outcomes across farm types (water stress impacts and adaptation), at basin's level (aquifer recovery), and along the policies’ implementation horizon (short and long run). Results show that the region's current quota-based water policies may contribute to reduce water consumption in the farms but will not be able to recover the aquifer and will inflict income losses to the rural communities. This situation would worsen in case of drought. Economies of scale and technology are evidenced as larger farms with cropping diversification and those equipped with modern irrigation will better adapt to water stress conditions. However, the long-term sustainability of the aquifer and the maintenance of rurallivelihoods will be attained only if additional policy measures are put in place such as the control of illegal abstractions and the establishing of a water bank. Within the policy domain, the research contributes to the new sustainable development strategy of the EU by concluding that, in water-scarce regions, effective integration of water and agricultural policies is essential for achieving the water protection objectives of the EU policies. Therefore, the design and enforcement of well-balanced region-specific polices is a major task faced by policy makers for achieving successful water management that will ensure nature protection and human development at tolerable social costs. From a methodological perspective, this research initiative contributes to better address hydrological questions as well as economic and social issues in complex water and human systems. Its integrated vision provides a valuable illustration to inform water policy and management decisions within contexts of water-related conflicts worldwide.

Helium in solubility equilibrium with quartz and porefluids in rocks - a new approach in hydrology

Quartz crystals in sandstones at depths of 1200 m–1400 m below the surface appear to reach a solubility equilibrium with the 4He-concentration in the surrounding pore- or groundwater after some time. A rather high 4Heconcentration of 4.5x10E-3 cc STP 4He/cm3 of water measured in a groundwater sample would for instance maintain a He pressure of 0.47 atm in a related volume. This value is equal within analytical error to the pressure deduced from the measured helium content of the quartz and its internal helium-accessible volume. To determine this volume, quartz crystals of 0.1 to 1 mm were separated from sandstones and exposed to a helium gas pressure of 32 atm at a temperature of 290°C for up to 2 months. By crushing, melting or isothermal heating the helium was then extracted from the helium saturated samples. Avolume on the order of 0.1% of the crystal volume is only accessible to helium atoms but not to argon atoms or water molecules. By monitoring the diffusive loss of He from the crystals at 350°C an effective diffusion constant on the order of 10E-9 cm2/s is estimated. Extrapolation to the temperature of 70°C in the sediments at a depth of 1400 m gives a typical time of about 100 000 years to reach equilibrium between helium in porewaters and the internal He-accessible volume of quartz crystals. In a geologic situation with stagnant pore- or groundwaters in sediments it therefore appears to be possible with this new method to deduce a 4He depth profile for porewaters in impermeable rocks based on their mineral record.

Geology, hydrology, and quality of water in the Madera area, San Joaquin Valley, California /

Three folded maps in pocket.

Geology and ground-water hydrology of the Heart River irrigation project and the Dickinson area,

Mode of access: Internet.