The hydrogeologic framework of the area around Rome is characterized by a Pliocene– Lower Pleistocene marine claystone bedrock, which is the major regional aquiclude underlying the shallow hydrogeologic units; the claystone bedrock is hundreds of meters thick and has a very low permeability (Ventriglia, 1971, 1990, 2002; Albani et al., 1972; Boni et al., 1988; Corazza and Lombardi, 1995a; Funiciello and Giordano, 2005; Capelli et al., 2005). The nearly impermeable bedrock is overlain by Lower to Middle Pleistocene marine to continental sediments (claystones, sandstones, and thick sequences of conglomerates), which are in turn overlain by and partly interfingered with Middle to Upper Pleistocene volcanic deposits from the Sabatini volcanic complex to the north and the Colli Albani volcanic complex to the south (Funiciello and Giordano, 2005; Capelli et al., 2005). Holocene alluvial sediments cap the stratigraphic sequence along the present-day river systems (Corazza et al., 1999; Funiciello and Giordano, 2005). Holocene eolian sand dunes cover a narrow area along the present-day Tyrrhenian coastline. All rock sequences overlying the claystone bedrock are aquifers, the geometry and circulation of which are controlled by both the evolution with time of the paleotopographic setting and the vertical and lateral variations of lithologies, each with different permeabilities (Capelli et al., 2005). Other locally important hydrogeologic units, only present in the urbanized areas, are the backfill deposits accumulated during 3000 yr of human civilization in the Roman area. On a regional scale, the Pliocene–Lower Pleistocene marine claystone aquiclude overlies a deep aquifer in highly deformed Mesozoic-Cenozoic carbonates (Boni et al., 1988), which is recharged from the Apennine region. Tectonic and volcano-tectonic discontinuities control groundwater flow on a local scale, as well as gas and fluid leakage from the deeper Mesozoic- Cenozoic carbonate reservoir, as evidenced by the presence of several low- to medium-enthalpy hydrothermal springs (e.g., Tivoli) (Funiciello et al., 2003; Carapezza et al., 2003; Tuccimei et al., 2006).
Corazza, A., Giordano, G., DE RITA, D. (2006). Hydrogeology of the city of Rome. In HEIKEN G (a cura di), Tuffs—Their properties, uses, hydrology, and resources (pp. 113-118) [10.1130/2006.2408(4.2)].
Hydrogeology of the city of Rome
GIORDANO, Guido;
2006-01-01
Abstract
The hydrogeologic framework of the area around Rome is characterized by a Pliocene– Lower Pleistocene marine claystone bedrock, which is the major regional aquiclude underlying the shallow hydrogeologic units; the claystone bedrock is hundreds of meters thick and has a very low permeability (Ventriglia, 1971, 1990, 2002; Albani et al., 1972; Boni et al., 1988; Corazza and Lombardi, 1995a; Funiciello and Giordano, 2005; Capelli et al., 2005). The nearly impermeable bedrock is overlain by Lower to Middle Pleistocene marine to continental sediments (claystones, sandstones, and thick sequences of conglomerates), which are in turn overlain by and partly interfingered with Middle to Upper Pleistocene volcanic deposits from the Sabatini volcanic complex to the north and the Colli Albani volcanic complex to the south (Funiciello and Giordano, 2005; Capelli et al., 2005). Holocene alluvial sediments cap the stratigraphic sequence along the present-day river systems (Corazza et al., 1999; Funiciello and Giordano, 2005). Holocene eolian sand dunes cover a narrow area along the present-day Tyrrhenian coastline. All rock sequences overlying the claystone bedrock are aquifers, the geometry and circulation of which are controlled by both the evolution with time of the paleotopographic setting and the vertical and lateral variations of lithologies, each with different permeabilities (Capelli et al., 2005). Other locally important hydrogeologic units, only present in the urbanized areas, are the backfill deposits accumulated during 3000 yr of human civilization in the Roman area. On a regional scale, the Pliocene–Lower Pleistocene marine claystone aquiclude overlies a deep aquifer in highly deformed Mesozoic-Cenozoic carbonates (Boni et al., 1988), which is recharged from the Apennine region. Tectonic and volcano-tectonic discontinuities control groundwater flow on a local scale, as well as gas and fluid leakage from the deeper Mesozoic- Cenozoic carbonate reservoir, as evidenced by the presence of several low- to medium-enthalpy hydrothermal springs (e.g., Tivoli) (Funiciello et al., 2003; Carapezza et al., 2003; Tuccimei et al., 2006).I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
