Palaeowaters in Coastal Europe: Evolution of Groundwater since the Late Pleistocene (2001)(en)(310

343 Pages·2001·26.347 MB·English

by  W. M. Edmunds, W. M. Edmunds, C. J. Milne

Palaeowaters in Coastal Europe: evolution of
groundwater since the late Pleistocene
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GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY SPECIAL PUBLICATION NO. 189
Palaeowaters in Coastal Europe: evolution of
groundwater since the late Pleistocene
EDITED BY
W. M. EDMUNDS
British Geological Survey, Wallingford, UK
&
C. J. MILNE
British Geological Survey, Wallingford, UK
2001
Published by
The Geological Society
London
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Contents
Preface vii
Introduction viii
EDMUNDS, W. M. Palaeowaters in European coastal aquifers - the goals and main conclusions
of the PALAEAUX project 1
VAIKMAE, R., VALLNER, L., LOOSLI, H. H., BLASER, P. C. & JUILLARD-TARDENT, M.
Palaeogroundwater of glacial origin in the Cambrian-Vendian aquifer of northern Estonia 17
HINSBY, K., HARRAR, W. G., NYEGAARD, P., KONRADI, P. B., RASMUSSEN, E. S., BIDSTRUP,
T., GREGERSEN, U. & BOARETTO, E. The Ribe Formation in western Denmark - Holocene and
Pleistocene groundwaters in a coastal Miocene sand aquifer 29
WALRAEVENS, K., VAN CAMP, M., LERMYTTE, J., VAN DER KEMP, W. J. M. & LOOSLI, H. H.
Pleistocene and Holocene groundwaters in the freshening Ledo-Paniselian aquifer in Flanders,
Belgium 49
EDMUNDS, W. M., BUCKLEY, D. K., DARLING, W. G., MILNE, C. J., SMEDLEY, P. L. &
WILLIAMS, A. Palaeowaters in the aquifers of the coastal regions of southern and eastern England 71
DEVER, L., TRAVI, Y., BARBECOT, F, MARLIN, C. & GIBERT, E. Evidence for palaeowaters in the
coastal aquifers of France 93
MANZANO, M., CUSTODIO, E., LOOSLI, H., CABRERA, M. C., RIERA, X. & CUSTODIO, J.
Palaeowater in coastal aquifers of Spain 107
CONDESSO DE MELO, M. T., CARREIRA PAQUETE, P. M. M. & MARQUES DA SILVA, M. A. Evolution
of the Aveiro Cretaceous aquifer (NW Portugal) during the Late Pleistocene and present day:
evidence from chemical and isotopic data 139
PURTSCHERT, R., BEYERLE, U., AESCHBACH-HERTIG, W., KIPFER, R. & LOOSLI, H. H. Palaeowaters
from the Glatt Valley, Switzerland 155
VAIKMAE, R., EDMUNDS, W. M. & MANZANO, M. Weichselian palaeoclimate and palaeoenvironment
in Europe: background for palaeogroundwater formation 163
LOOSLI, H. H., AESCHBACH-HERTIG, W., BARBECOT, F, BLASER, P., DARLING, W. G., DEVER, L.,
EDMUNDS, W. M., KIPFER, R., PURTSCHERT, R. & WALRAEVENS, K. Isotopic methods and their
hydrogeochemical context in the investigation of palaeowaters 193
HARRAR, W. G., WILLIAMS, A. T., BARKER, J. A. & VAN CAMP, M. Modelling scenarios for the
emplacement of palaeowaters in aquifer systems 213
VAN DER KEMP, W. J. M., APPELO, C. A. J., CONDESSO DE MELO, M. T., GAUS, L, MILNE, C. J. &
WALRAEVENS, K. Hydrochemical modelling as a tool for understanding palaeowaters 231
BUCKLEY, D. K., HINSBY, K. & MANZANO, M. Application of geophysical borehole logging
techniques to examine coastal aquifer palaeohydrogeology 251
HINSBY, K., EDMUNDS, W. M., LOOSLI, H. H., MANZANO, M., CONDESSO DE MELO, M. T. &
BARBECOT, F. The modern water interface: recognition, protection and development - advance of
modern waters in European aquifer systems 271
EDMUNDS, W. M., HINSBY, K., MARLIN, C., CONDESSO DE MELO, M. T., MANZANO, M., VAIKMAE, R.
& TRAVI, Y. Evolution of groundwater systems at the European coastline 289
vi CONTENTS
CUSTODIO, E., EDMUNDS, W. M. & TRAVI, Y. Management of coastal palaeowaters 313
Index 329
It is recommended that reference to all or part of this book should be made in one of the
following ways:
EDMUNDS, W. M. & MILNE, C. J. (eds). 2001. Palaeowaters in Coastal Europe: evolution of
groundwater since the late Pleistocene. Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 189.
CONDESSO DE MELO, M. T., CARREIRA PAQUETE, P. M. M. & MARQUES DA SILVA, M. A. 2001.
Evolution of the Aveiro Cretaceous aquifer (NW Portugal) during the Late Pleistocene and
present day: evidence from chemical and isotopic data. In: EDMUNDS, W. M. & MILNE, C. J.
(eds) Palaeowaters in Coastal Europe: Evolution of Groundwater Since the Late Pleistocene.
Geological Society, London, Special Publications, 189, 139-154.
Preface
This thematic set of papers summarizes work groundwater management. Freshwater reserves
carried out by a partnership of scientists from the replenished during times of lowered sea levels are
United Kingdom, Estonia, Denmark, The found to greater depths in some European areas
Netherlands, Belgium, France, Spain, Portugal and than previously realized. These reserves are of
Switzerland. It was carried out within the Fourth strategic value, since they are an irreplaceable
Framework Programme of the European asset. They are pristine waters, often of high
Community for research and technological quality, found generally at coastlines where
development activities, under the specific populations and the water demands are high and
programme Environment and Climate Programme often seasonal. These groundwaters need now to be
(1994-1998). recognized and accounted for in management
The PALAEAUX project integrates state-of-the- practice, avoiding over-exploitation and
art science in the fields of hydrogeology, inadvertent contamination.
geochemistry, isotope hydrology and Quaternary The research initiated in the PALAEAUX project
studies to reconstruct the likely groundwater is being continued and expanded under the ongoing
movement over the past 100 000 years and its BASELINE project, funded within the Fifth
response to climatic events of global significance Framework Programme under the Key Action
during the last glacial cycle. The results obtained 'Sustainable management and quality of water' of
allow a better understanding of the water resources the Environment and Sustainable Development
now found at and near the coastlines of northern programme (1998-2002). The BASELINE project
and western Europe. The combined results also seeks now to answer questions about the current
provide an impetus to studies of coastal margins in state of European groundwater quality and
general, which are often the least well understood therefore to provide significant contributions for
section of the hydrological cycle. These studies the implementation of the Water Framework
therefore open the way for improved collaboration Directive
between freshwater scientists, interested in the It is my pleasure to introduce this Special
fluxes of groundwater to the oceans, and those in Publication. The European Commission is pleased
the marine sciences, who are interested in to have supported the project and thus to have
discharges of freshwaters. New insight is also facilitated effective international collaboration, to a
presented on the possibility of freshwaters trapped high scientific standard, on a subject of applied
in near-coastal and offshore Europe which may be significance. This publication via the Geological
available for exploitation; this mirrors the results of Society of London will enable the results to reach a
earlier studies which showed that freshwater is still large sector of the wider scientific community.
to be found beneath the submerged coastal plains of
the eastern seaboard of north America. P. Balabanis
Above all, the results of the PALAEAUX Research Directorate-General
studies have an applied significance in terms of The European Commission
Introduction
This volume brings together the history of age now largely occupy this formation. However,
groundwater evolution during the late Pleistocene residual freshwaters of late Pliestocene age are
in the coastal areas of Europe from the Baltic identified near the coastline and modelling studies
region to the Iberian peninsula. The Pleistocene show that their emplacement was aided by the
covers a period of dramatic changes in the lower late Pleistocene sea levels. The Eocene
European landscape brought about by the most aquifer (Ledo-Paniselian) in northern Flanders,
recent glaciation. Severe climatic changes took Belgium, has been investigated by Walraevens et
place across the continent and in coastal regions, /., using a combination of hydrogeochemical,
lowering of the relative sea level resulted in a isotopic, experimental and hydrodynamic methods.
significant increase in the land area, during which Although the aquifer now largely contains fresh
time a new hydrogeological system was established waters, the paper concentrates on the chemical
offshore from the present coastline. During the evolution of the groundwater during successive
Holocene, this hydrological system was then phases of freshening from a marine origin during
affected by the rapid rise of sea level as the ice the late Pleistocene, marked by the effects of
melted. These changes in hydrogeological regime permafrost cover and sea-level change. The Chalk
during the Quaternary and their impacts on aquifer is the main focus of studies in the UK
groundwater movement and chemistry in European (Edmunds et al.)since it has outcrops near to both
coastal aquifers form the subject of this book. The the Channel and North Sea coasts. Hydrogeo-
papers fall into two categories - regional and physical logs are used as the main tool to assist
thematic. groundwater sampling and to constrain inter-
Fresh groundwaters are identified at several pretation. Isotopic and chemical evidence confirms
locations at or near the present coastline at depths freshwater of Pleistocene origin up to 300 m below
greater than those that can be accounted for by sea level in the Chalk at locations along the
present day hydraulic gradients. Their presence Channel coast and to even greater depths in the
offshore is inferred from porewaters from North Albian and Triassic Sandstone aquifers.
Sea sediments as well as from geophysical logs of Three aquifers are the focus of studies in France
offshore boreholes. The geological context in - the Dogger aquifers of the Channel and Atlantic
which these palaeowaters may have been emplaced coastal areas and the Astian sand aquifer bordering
is reviewed (Edmunds). This overview looks at the the Mediterranean (Dever et al.). Pleistocene and
isotopic, chemical and hydrogeophysical tech- Holocene groundwater is identified using isotopic
niques used in the investigations across Europe, techniques in the Dogger, with Holocene
and highlights the main conclusions to the groundwater only in the Astian. There is evidence
applications in terms of climatic archive infor- of recent marine intrusion in both the Dogger
mation, geographical variations and implications systems. In Spain, four aquifer systems, two from
for groundwater management. Of the coastal the mainland and two from islands, are reported
aquifers discussed in the book, only the Cambrian- (Manzano et al.) The late Pleistocene/Holocene
Vendian aquifer of Estonia was actually covered by history of freshwaters in the well-studied Llobregat
the Devensian ice sheet. This aquifer crops out delta aquifer is first reviewed, followed by new
along the present coastline of the Gulf of Finland investigations of the Donana Plio-Quaternary
and was directly accessible to recharge during the aquifer in southern Spain. Although Holocene
glacial episodes. The paper by Vaikmae et al. freshwater is identified in the latter, much of the
provides evidence from the isotopic and noble gas aquifer contains old saline groundwater which has
composition that glacial meltwaters, now partly not been flushed. Fresh to brackish groundwater of
flushed, invaded this major aquifer system, early Holocene age is found in a convective flow
possibly aided by deeply incised tunnel valleys; the system in the NE of Mallorca island, whilst in the
evidence supports recharge at high atmospheric volcanic sediments of the Amurga Massif, Gran
pressures directly beneath the ice sheet. Canaria, brackish groundwaters can be recognized
Denmark was also ice covered but the section with late Pleistocene ages, originating from low
studied here is thought to lie just south of the recharge rates.
maximum ice advance (Hinsby et al.). The Ribe The Cretaceous Aveiro aquifer in Portugal
aquifer is the largest regional aquifer in Denmark contains an excellent sequence of freshwater
and the integrated chemical, isotopic and evolution towards the present coastline and also
geophysical studies show that waters of Holocene probably extending offshore (paper by Condesso
INTRODUCTION ix
de Melo et a/.) The radiocarbon data provide a salinity and initial aquifer conditions. In addition,
reliable age sequence against which the this paper considers how the different pCO values
2
geochemical evolution can be interpreted. The operating during the changing climatic conditions
isotopic and noble gas records contained in this of the late Pleistocene may have affected the
aquifer are important indicators of the extent of groundwater chemistry and, to what extent this
global cooling at the time of the Last Glacial signal is preserved in the aquifer. Hydrogeo-
Maximum and provide unique evidence of the physical logging techniques have proved to be a
constant regime of air mass circulation during the vital technique for the characterisation of coastal
late Pleistocene. aquifers and in helping to identify specific depth
The paper by Purtschert et al. provides a case horizons in stratified formations where palaeo-
study of a continental aquifer (the Glatt Valley, waters may be found. Buckley et al. review the
Switzerland) covered by ice which contrasts with approaches adopted in the PALAEAUX studies and
all the others from coastal regions. This study give specific case histories of some of the locations
illustrates the application of isotopic and noble which best illustrate the occurrence of palaeowaters
gases as indicators of groundwater age, recharge in Europe. In several places, fresh palaeowater is
timing and temperatures during the strong climatic identified at considerable depths beneath saline
fluctuations of the late Pleistocene. water bodies and care is needed as the sampling of
The thematic papers in this volume begin with a these systems can be difficult due to vertical flows
review of the palaeoclimatic and palaeoenviron- in boreholes. Limitations are also placed on the
mental evidence across Europe for the Devensian interpretations of pumped samples which typically
relevant to interpreting the emplacement and represent mixtures.
circulation of ground waters (Vaikmae et al.). Pristine palaeowaters have in many parts of
Evidence from speleothems, for example, provides Europe been affected by the influence of sustained
supporting evidence for groundwater recharge pumping or by inadvertent pollution from near-
during glacial periods. The paper provides the surface activities. In the paper by Hinsby et al. the
background for considering groundwater as an chemical and isotopic indicators of anthropogenic
additional archive for climatic information against effects are reviewed. The extent of migration of
the wealth of other proxy data. Isotopic techniques modern groundwater and palaeowaters is examined
are the most important single set of tools for in the set of aquifers investigated elsewhere in this
interpreting the climatic and environmental volume. The position of the modern groundwater
information contained in the water molecule itself interface in each aquifer occurs at different depths
and as its contained solutes. The available tools, in relation to the different hydrogeological settings
including the noble gases and chemistry, are and the extent of exploitation of the aquifers. An
reviewed in the paper by Loosli et al. It is overview of the status and origins of the fresh and
concluded that while noble gases provide absolute saline waters in the sedimentary aquifers near the
temperature evidence important for climate modern European coastline is given in the paper by
reconstruction, stable isotopes of water are only Edmunds et al. The results are presented with the
relative indicators which may vary from region to aid of six regional maps summarizing, as far as
region. A synthesis of the combined evidence in possible, the palaeogeographical conditions at the
groundwater at the European scale is given to end of the Pleistocene, prior to the Holocene sea-
illustrate these points. level rise. The strongly contrasting conditions of
The response of coastal aquifers to global sea climate and of sea-level changes in the Baltic,
level rise, the presence of permafrost and glaciation North Sea, Channel, Atlantic and Mediterranean
has been analysed using analytical and numerical coastal areas help to explain why palaeoground-
models (paper by Harrar et al.). The conditions waters are preserved in some places but not in
that influence the emplacement and the preser- others. In the concluding paper, Custodio et al.
vation of palaeowaters are strongly dependent on review the management issues relating to palaeo-
the stratigraphic situation and the physical water protection and development. Palaeowaters
properties of each aquifer and its coastal setting. are generally of high quality and were originally
The timescales involved in the movement of demonstrably free of human impacts. However,
groundwater as it adjusted to the changing they may already have been seriously affected by
conditions of the late Pleistocene are analysed both large withdrawals and are vulnerable to contami-
in general and for specific aquifer systems in nation, so it is important to identify and protect the
Europe. Van der Kemp et al. have considered how remaining reserves. The case is made for the
hydrogeochemical models, especially PHREEQC, improved protection and regulation of palaeowaters
may be used to interpret groundwater evolution in which often occur in prime coastal locations
three aquifers containing palaeowaters in the UK, under pressure from tourism and related
Belgium and Portugal, each providing a contrast in developments.