TIME AND SPACE FORECASTING OF NITRATE
AND SALINITY CONTENTS IN THE AQUIFERS OF
CAMPO DE DALlAS (SOUTH EAST SPAIN)
R. JIMENEZ-ESPINOSA c, J.-J. ROYERb,l,
L. MOLINA-SANCHEZ a and F. NA VARRETE a
aDpt. Hidrogeologia y Quimica Analitica. University of Almeria. La Canadii
04120, Almeria, Spain.
b CNRS - Centre de Recherches Pitrographiques et Geochimiques. B.P. 20,
54501 Vandoeuvre-Les-Nancy Cedex, France
cDpt. Geologia, University of Jaen. Escuela Politecnica Superior, 23071 Jaen,
Spain
ABSTRACT
The Campo de Dalias is situated in the eastern part of Andalusia youthern
Spain), and west of the Bay of Almeria, occupying nearly 330 km . This is
economically the most important agricultural area in the province of Almeria,
where intense greenhouse activities are widespread.
Water for agriculture is supplied principally from many wells drilled in the aquifers
of the region. These aquifers are composed of a geometrical complex succession of
Triassic limestone and dolomites, Miocene conglomerates and calcareous
sandstone, Pliocene calcarenites and gravel, and Quaternary sands and silts.
Three hydrogeological units can be distinguished at the Campo de Dalias:
Aguadulce, Balanegra and Balerma-Las Marinas. The mean annual renewal for
all the aquifers is around 50 Hm 3 , while approximately 100 Hm 3 are pumped out.
Two main important problems occur in this area: processes of marine intrusion,
due to high pumping activity, and nitrate pollution caused by intensive
agriculture.
Constant checking has been carried out in these aquifers through time, in order to
study the evolution of pollution. The aims of this work are to locate the most
polluted areas and to characterize the spatial and temporal evolution of salinity
and nitrates from 1988 to 1990, during spring and autumn. 110 wells spread
along the Campo de Dalias were considered, distributed as follows: 44 wells
belonging to the Aguadulce aquifer, 22 to the Balanegra one, and 44 to the
Balerma-Las Marinas one.
1 To whom correspondence may be addressed
C. Bardinet et al. (eds.), Geosciences and Water Resources: Environmental Data Modeling
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1997
AND SALINITY CONTENTS IN THE AQUIFERS OF
CAMPO DE DALlAS (SOUTH EAST SPAIN)
R. JIMENEZ-ESPINOSA c, J.-J. ROYERb,l,
L. MOLINA-SANCHEZ a and F. NA VARRETE a
aDpt. Hidrogeologia y Quimica Analitica. University of Almeria. La Canadii
04120, Almeria, Spain.
b CNRS - Centre de Recherches Pitrographiques et Geochimiques. B.P. 20,
54501 Vandoeuvre-Les-Nancy Cedex, France
cDpt. Geologia, University of Jaen. Escuela Politecnica Superior, 23071 Jaen,
Spain
ABSTRACT
The Campo de Dalias is situated in the eastern part of Andalusia youthern
Spain), and west of the Bay of Almeria, occupying nearly 330 km . This is
economically the most important agricultural area in the province of Almeria,
where intense greenhouse activities are widespread.
Water for agriculture is supplied principally from many wells drilled in the aquifers
of the region. These aquifers are composed of a geometrical complex succession of
Triassic limestone and dolomites, Miocene conglomerates and calcareous
sandstone, Pliocene calcarenites and gravel, and Quaternary sands and silts.
Three hydrogeological units can be distinguished at the Campo de Dalias:
Aguadulce, Balanegra and Balerma-Las Marinas. The mean annual renewal for
all the aquifers is around 50 Hm 3 , while approximately 100 Hm 3 are pumped out.
Two main important problems occur in this area: processes of marine intrusion,
due to high pumping activity, and nitrate pollution caused by intensive
agriculture.
Constant checking has been carried out in these aquifers through time, in order to
study the evolution of pollution. The aims of this work are to locate the most
polluted areas and to characterize the spatial and temporal evolution of salinity
and nitrates from 1988 to 1990, during spring and autumn. 110 wells spread
along the Campo de Dalias were considered, distributed as follows: 44 wells
belonging to the Aguadulce aquifer, 22 to the Balanegra one, and 44 to the
Balerma-Las Marinas one.
1 To whom correspondence may be addressed
C. Bardinet et al. (eds.), Geosciences and Water Resources: Environmental Data Modeling
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 1997