Groundwater Balance and Safe Yield of the coastal aquifer system in NEastern Korinthia, Greece

The northern coastal part of Korinthia prefecture can be characterized as an agrotourism center that has grown and urbanized rapidly. The area is formed of recent unconsolidated material consisting of sands, pebbles, breccias and fine clay to silty sand deposits. These deposits host the main aquifer system of the area, which depends on groundwater as a water resource. Groundwater is the main source for irrigation in the area. A total water volume of 29.2 x 10(6)-34.3 x 10(6) m(3) yr(-1) was estimated to recharge the aquifer system from direct infiltration of rainfall, streambed infiltration, irrigation return, artificial recharge via flood irrigation and lateral subsurface inflows. The present annual abstraction ranges between 39.2 x 10(6) and 44.6 x 10(6) m(3) yr(-1). Groundwater abstraction in dry years exceeds renewable freshwater resources by more than 38%. Approximately 79% of the total abstraction is consumed for agriculture supply. Water balance in the coastal aquifer system is in disequilibrium; a deficit, which ranges from 4.9 x 10(6) to 15.4 x 10(6) m(3) yr(-1) exists. The safe yield of the coastal aquifer system has been estimated at 37.1 x 10(6) m(3) yr(-1) for normal hydrological year and 32 x 10(6) m(3) yr(-1) for severely dry hydrological year. The total abstraction is greater than the recharge and the safe yield of the aquifer. The aquifer system has shown signs of depletion, seawater intrusion and quality contamination. The integrated water resources management, securing water in the future, should include measures that augment groundwater budget in the coastal aquifer of the study area. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.