Groundwater quality of porous aquifers in Greece: a synoptic review

Greece is dependent on groundwater resources for its water supply. The main aquifers are within carbonate rocks (karstic aquifers) and coarse grained Neogene and Quaternary deposits (porous aquifers). The use of groundwater resources has become particularly intensive in coastal areas during the last...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental earth sciences 2008-04, Vol.54 (3), p.505-513
Main Authors: Daskalaki, P, Voudouris, K
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquifers
Earth and Environmental Science
Earth Sciences
Earth, ocean, space
Engineering and environment geology. Geothermics
Exact sciences and technology
Geochemistry
Geology
Groundwater
Groundwater quality
Hydrogeology
Hydrology. Hydrogeology
Mineralogy
Nitrate pollution
Original Article
Pollution, environment geology
Porous aquifers
saltwater intrusion
Silicates
Studies
Water geochemistry
Water quality
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Summary:Greece is dependent on groundwater resources for its water supply. The main aquifers are within carbonate rocks (karstic aquifers) and coarse grained Neogene and Quaternary deposits (porous aquifers). The use of groundwater resources has become particularly intensive in coastal areas during the last decades with the intense urbanization, tourist development and irrigated land expansion. Sources of groundwater pollution are the seawater intrusion due to over-exploitation of coastal aquifers, the fertilizers from agricultural activities and the disposal of untreated wastewater in torrents or in old pumping wells. In the last decades the total abstractions from coastal aquifers exceed the natural recharge; so the aquifer systems are not used safely. Over-exploitation causes a negative water balance, triggering seawater intrusion. Seawater intrusion phenomena are recorded in coastal aquifer systems. Nitrate pollution is the second major source of groundwater degradation in many areas in Greece. The high levels of nitrate are probably the result of over-fertilization and the lack of sewage systems in some urban areas.
ISSN:0943-0105
1866-6280
1432-0495
1866-6299
DOI:10.1007/s00254-007-0843-2