Monitoring results from the South Portugal - MARSOL demonstration sites

Abstract

The main objectives of WP4 “DEMO Site 2: Algarve and Alentejo, South Portugal” are to demonstrate how MAR can contribute as an alternative source of water, in the context of an integrated and inter-annual water resources management, as well as in solving groundwater quality problems caused by previous agricultural practices and wastewater discharges. Three DEMO sites (Figure 1) have been chosen for WP4:  PT1: Rio Seco and Campina de Faro aquifer system (Algarve)  PT2: Querença-Silves limestone karstic aquifer system (Algarve)  PT3: Melides aquifer, river and lagoon (Alentejo) In PT1 – Rio Seco and Campina de Faro aquifer system (Algarve) – the main goal is to improve the groundwater quality heavily contaminated with nitrates (vulnerable zone), mainly due to agriculture bad practices. In PT2 – Querença-Silves limestone karstic aquifer system (Algarve) – there are two main sub-areas and two goals: (1) develop a soil-aquifer-treatment (SAT) system to improve the water quality of treated effluents from a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) (PT2_4), which discharges into Ribeiro Meirinho river (PT2_5) that recharges the karstic aquifer, and (2) increase groundwater storage at Cerro do Bardo karstic area using wet years surface water surplus to increase the water availability in dry years and facilitate downstream water supply. In PT3 – Melides aquifer, river and lagoon (Alentejo) – the main goal is to use SAT-MAR to remove rice field pollutants prior to their discharge in Melides lagoon. The work developed for the different DEMO sites was developed in the following tasks:  Task 4.1: Recharge water availability  Task 4.2: Developing the (MAR) infrastructures  Task 4.3: Investigation and monitoring  Task 4.4: Modelling The results are being presented in five main deliverables:  D4.1: Water sources and availability at the South Portugal MARSOL demonstration sites  D4.2: South Portugal MARSOL demonstration sites characterisation  D4.3: Monitoring results from the South Portugal MARSOL demonstration sites  D4.4: Hydrogeological modelling at the South Portugal MARSOL demonstration sites  D4.5: MAR to improve the groundwater status in South Portugal (Algarve and Alentejo) This report presents the results from D4.3: Monitoring results from the South Portugal MARSOL demonstration sites.