TY - JOUR
T1 - European aquifer typology: a practical framework for an overview of major groundwater composition at European scale
AU - Wendland, F.
AU - Blum, A.
AU - Coetsiers, M.
AU - Gorova, R.
AU - Griffioen, J.
AU - Grima, J.
AU - Hinsby, K.
AU - Kunkel, R.
AU - Marandi, A.
AU - Melo, T.
AU - Panagopoulos, A.
AU - Pauwels, H.
AU - Ruisi, M.
AU - Traversa, P.
AU - Vermooten, J. S. A.
AU - Walraevens, K.
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - Groundwater quality is determined by a variety of factors. Petrographic
properties of the rocks in the vadose and in the groundwater saturated
zones as well as the regional hydrological and hydrodynamic conditions
are regarded as its major natural influencing factors together with
groundwater’s initial composition. For an assessment of major
groundwater composition on a continental scale, the complexity of
individual aquifers needs to be organized into simplified patterns. For
this purpose, European scientists, among them representatives from
several European national geological surveys, jointly defined a
harmonized European aquifer typology, which includes the major classes
of aquifers showing comparable petrographic properties. This process has
led to the development of the European aquifer typology map presented in
this paper. Similar groundwater compositions are expected for the
various classes in comparable hydrodynamic and hydrologic conditions.
Application of the aquifer typology with regard to the intercomparison
of hydrochemical data sets across Europe for several aquifer types
clearly points out that typical groundwater compositions can be
distinguished for the various aquifer types. In the future this typology
may serve as a basis for referencing hydrogeochemical groundwater
composition on a European scale.
AB - Groundwater quality is determined by a variety of factors. Petrographic
properties of the rocks in the vadose and in the groundwater saturated
zones as well as the regional hydrological and hydrodynamic conditions
are regarded as its major natural influencing factors together with
groundwater’s initial composition. For an assessment of major
groundwater composition on a continental scale, the complexity of
individual aquifers needs to be organized into simplified patterns. For
this purpose, European scientists, among them representatives from
several European national geological surveys, jointly defined a
harmonized European aquifer typology, which includes the major classes
of aquifers showing comparable petrographic properties. This process has
led to the development of the European aquifer typology map presented in
this paper. Similar groundwater compositions are expected for the
various classes in comparable hydrodynamic and hydrologic conditions.
Application of the aquifer typology with regard to the intercomparison
of hydrochemical data sets across Europe for several aquifer types
clearly points out that typical groundwater compositions can be
distinguished for the various aquifer types. In the future this typology
may serve as a basis for referencing hydrogeochemical groundwater
composition on a European scale.
KW - European aquifer typology
KW - Hydrogeochemical properties
KW - Chemical state of groundwater
KW - Groundwater composition
KW - European groundwater directive
M3 - Article
SN - 0943-0105
VL - 55
SP - 77
EP - 85
JO - Environmental Geology
JF - Environmental Geology
IS - 1
ER -