GROUNDWATER MODELLING IN ATLANTIC COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS (SOUTH PORTUGAL)

摘要

Ammophila arenaria the most common). This area has a great touristic potential, which is not always in conciliation with its fragile ecology. However, it's a relatively well-preserved tract and is nowadays under strict land management rules. In the study area, 3 touristic areas are approved, with a total number of 39,300 touristic beds, distributed by hotels and vacation houses. As a result, some delicate situations have occurred in natural ecosystems, namely aquifer exploitation, without regarding its recharge capacity, which lead to the infiltration of saline water in the aquifers of the littoral areas. With this work it was possible to understand the role of the saltwater intrusion due to the raise of buildings and fresh groundwater demands, and the previsible impacts on coastal ecosystems. Some procedures were undertaken in order to know the hydrogeochemistry and hydrodynamical characteristics of the aquifers in the area, namely defining the thickness of the fresh groundwater and the position of the interface with the saline water on the coastal area