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Saltwater intrusion
Assessment made on 01 Oct 2003
- Dec 17, 2010 - Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018) - Assessment published Dec 2010
- Jan 28, 2009 - Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018) - Assessment published Jan 2009
- Nov 29, 2005 - Use of freshwater resources (CSI 018) - Assessment published Nov 2005
- Jun 30, 2004 - Water use by sectors
- Jun 30, 2004 - Water exploitation index
- Jan 09, 2004 - Mean water allocation for irrigation in Europe
- Dec 18, 2003 - Water use in urban areas
- Dec 08, 2003 - Water use efficiency (in cities): leakage
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Classification
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Identification
- WQ 03b
Geographical coverage:
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- Contents
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Policy issue: Are the impacts of water abstractions being reduced?
Key messages
Saltwater intrusion as a result of increasing groundwater over-exploitation is a major concern in many coastal aquifers throughout Europe
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Key assessment
Groundwater over-exploitation occurs when groundwater abstraction exceeds recharge and leads to a lowering of the groundwater table. The rapid expansion in groundwater abstraction over the past 30 to 40 years has supported new agricultural and socioeconomic development in regions where alternative surface water resources are insufficient, uncertain or too costly (EC, 2000). Over-abstraction leads to groundwater depletion, loss of habitats and deteriorating water quality. It is a significant problem in many European countries. One of its impacts is the intrusion of saltwater into aquifers.
In nine of 11 countries where coastal overexploitation was reported to exist, saltwater intrusion is the consequence.
Large areas of the Mediterranean coastline in Italy, Spain and Turkey have been reported to be affected by saltwater intrusion. The main cause is groundwater over-abstraction for public water supply.
Irrigation is the main cause of groundwater over-exploitation in agricultural areas. Some examples are the Greek Argolid plain of the eastern Peloponnesos, where it is common to find boreholes 400 m deep contaminated by saltwater intrusion.
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Saltwater intrusion
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