Multi-layered water resources, management, and uses under the impacts of global changes in a southern coastal metropolis: When will it be already too late? Crossed analysis in Recife, NE Brazil.

Coastal water resources are a worldwide key socio-environmental issue considering the increasing concentration of population in these areas. Here, we propose an integrative transdisciplinary approach of water resource, water management and water access in Recife (NE Brazil). The present-day water situation is conceptualized as an imbricated multi-layered system: a multi-layered water resource, managed by a multi-layered governance system and used by a multi-layered social population. This allows identifying processes of quantitative, qualitative, and sanitary conflicts between governance and population strategies regarding water supply, as well as the institutional and individual denials of these conflicts. Based on this model, we anticipate future water-related problematic fates. Concerning the water resource system, the rapid groundwater level decrease due to unsustainable water predatory strategies, and the very low recharge rate have drastically modified the aquifer system functioning, inducing hydraulic connection between shallow groundwater (contaminated and locally salty) and deep ones (mostly fresh, with local inherited salinity), threatening the deep strategic water resource. Concerning the water governance system, the investments to increase the capacity storage of surface water, the water regulation agencies and the public/private partnership should shortly improve the water supply and wastewater issue. Nevertheless, the water situation will remain highly fragile due to the expected water demand increase, the precipitation decrease and the sea-level increase. Concerning the water access system, the population variably perceives these current and further effects and the possible mitigation policies, and develops alternative individual strategies. Authorities, policymakers and water managers will have to implement a well-balanced water governance, taking into account the specificities of the PPP, public and private groundwater users, and with a strong political willingness for a sustainable water management to ensure water supply for all the population. In other words, an anticipatory and integrated vision is necessary to reduce the discrepancies in this complex system.

Field Continuous Measurement of Dissolved Gases with a CF-MIMS: Applications to the Physics and Biogeochemistry of Groundwater Flow.

In the perspective of a temporal and spatial exploration of aquatic environments (surface and groundwater), we developed a technique for field continuous measurements of dissolved gases with a precision better than 1% for N2, O2, CO2, He, Ar, 2% for Kr, 8% for Xe, and 3% for CH4, N2O and Ne. With a large resolution (from 1 × 10-9 to 1 × 10-2 ccSTP/g) and a capability of high frequency analysis (1 measure every 2 s), the CF-MIMS (Continuous Flow Membrane Inlet Mass Spectrometer) is an innovative tool allowing the investigation of a large panel of hydrological and biogeochemical processes in aquatic systems. Based on the available MIMS technology, this study introduces the development of the CF-MIMS (conception for field experiments, membrane choices, ionization) and an original calibration procedure allowing the quantification of mass spectral overlaps and temperature effects on membrane permeability. This study also presents two field applications of the CF-MIMS involving the well-logging of dissolved gases and the implementation of groundwater tracer tests with dissolved 4He. The results demonstrate the analytical capabilities of the CF-MIMS in the field. Therefore, the CF-MIMS is a valuable tool for the field characterization of biogeochemical reactivity, aquifer transport properties, groundwater recharge, groundwater residence time and aquifer-river exchanges from few hours to several weeks experiments.

Impact of climate changes during the last 5 million years on groundwater in basement aquifers.

Climate change is thought to have major effects on groundwater resources. There is however a limited knowledge of the impacts of past climate changes such as warm or glacial periods on groundwater although marine or glacial fluids may have circulated in basements during these periods. Geochemical investigations of groundwater at shallow depth (80-400 m) in the Armorican basement (western France) revealed three major phases of evolution: (1) Mio-Pliocene transgressions led to marine water introduction in the whole rock porosity through density and then diffusion processes, (2) intensive and rapid recharge after the glacial maximum down to several hundred meters depths, (3) a present-day regime of groundwater circulation limited to shallow depth. This work identifies important constraints regarding the mechanisms responsible for both marine and glacial fluid migrations and their preservation within a basement. It defines the first clear time scales of these processes and thus provides a unique case for understanding the effects of climate changes on hydrogeology in basements. It reveals that glacial water is supplied in significant amounts to deep aquifers even in permafrosted zones. It also emphasizes the vulnerability of modern groundwater hydrosystems to climate change as groundwater active aquifers is restricted to shallow depths.

Origins and processes of groundwater salinization in the urban coastal aquifers of Recife (Pernambuco, Brazil): A multi-isotope approach.

In the coastal multilayer aquifer system of a highly urbanized southern city (Recife, Brazil), where groundwaters are affected by salinization, a multi-isotope approach (Sr, B, O, H) was used to investigate the sources and processes of salinization. The high diversity of the geological bodies, built since the Atlantic opening during the Cretaceous, highly constrains the heterogeneity of the groundwater chemistry, e.g. Sr isotope ratios, and needs to be integrated to explain the salinization processes and groundwater pathways. A paleoseawater intrusion, most probably the 120 kyB.P. Pleistocene marine transgression, and cationic exchange are clearly evidenced in the most salinized parts of the Cabo and Beberibe aquifers. All (87)Sr/(86)Sr values are above the past and present-day seawater signatures, meaning that the Sr isotopic signature is altered due to additional Sr inputs from dilution with different freshwaters, and water-rock interactions. Only the Cabo aquifer presents a well-delimitated area of Na-HCO3 water typical of a freshening process. The two deep aquifers also display a broad range of B concentrations and B isotope ratios with values among the highest known to date (63-68.5‰). This suggests multiple sources and processes affecting B behavior, among which mixing with saline water, B sorption on clays and mixing with wastewater. The highly fractionated B isotopic values were explained by infiltration of relatively salty water with B interacting with clays, pointing out the major role played by (palaeo)-channels for the deep Beberibe aquifer recharge. Based on an increase of salinity at the end of the dry season, a present-day seawater intrusion is identified in the surficial Boa Viagem aquifer. Our conceptual model presents a comprehensive understanding of the major groundwater salinization pathways and processes, and should be of benefit for other southern Atlantic coastal aquifers to better address groundwater management issues.