Conceptual model of hydrogeological information for a GIS-based Decision Support System in management of artificial recharge in semi-arid regions

The semi-arid regions of the Mediterranean basin face water problems due to particular climatic conditions, precipitation shortages and different human activities stimulating pressures on the main water source: groundwater. The spatio-temporal inadequacy of water supply and demand in terms of quantity and quality causes overexploitation in dry periods, which can induce various problems such as seawater intrusion, biogeochemical changes, base flow reductions etc. The objective of the GABARDINE project (“Groundwater Artificial recharge Based on Alternative sources of wateR: aDvanced INtegrated technologies and managEment”) is to identify alternative sources of water and to investigate the environmental and economic feasibility of artificial recharge of aquifers. To meet the objective, a GIS-based Decision Support System is being developed. Problems being spatially and temporally distributed, it is necessary to store all needed data in a well structured geospatial database. This database is being conceived according to a blue-print UML conceptual model of hydrogeological information, based on internationally accepted norms and specifications from ISO and OGC, adapted due to the particularities of the ArcGIS desktop implementation platform.