Application of short time series analysis for the hydrodynamic characterization of a coastal karst aquifer: the Salento aquifer (Southern Italy)

Abstract Daily precipitation and groundwater level data, registered at 7 rain gauge stations 11 monitoring wells in the Salento coastal karst aquifer (Southern Italy) were subject to short time series analyses evaluate hydrodynamic response of aquifer. Results show that system has general great storage capacity, which suggests a poor degree karstification, dominance permeability structure not well-developed hierarchical networks. Baseflow generally dominates on quick flow, only occasionally occurs. The dominant hydraulic behaviour is unimodal baseflow with bimodal flow one from time. Some local specific features, emerge depending rainfall frequency depth, geological structural characteristics, point out some components structure, as epikarst major faults, activate characteristics input. study novel because concerned sets hydrological years 2007 2011; also, analysis was conducted for significant size, characterized by regional an unsteady lower boundary, without inland freshwater springs, exploitation wells.