Loss of groudwater resources following major quarrying activiy in urban areas: the Galeria-Magliana quarry basin (Rome, Italy)

I this paper we present the results of a study aimed to define the environmental impacts of quarry activities in the suburban belt of Rome. The hydrological and hydrogeological modificatios induced by the quarry activities rceive particular attention and can be summarized as: (a) disruptive groundwater lowering as a result of quarrying activity below groundwater level; (b) dewatering of parts of the area as a consequence of quarry site back-filling with low permeability materials, morphological alteration and soil degradation, with consequent loss of environmental structure in large parts of the area; and (c) river system alteration or its complete distruption as a result of dispersed and unplanned site development. The study has been developed through a multidisciplinary approach using sedimentological, geomorphological and hydrogeological methods.