Assessing the long-term sustainability of the groundwater resources in the Bacchiglione basin (Veneto, Italy) with the Mann–Kendall test: suggestions for higher reliability

The social, economic, and ecological importance of the aquifer system within Bacchiglione basin (Veneto, IT) is noteworthy, there considerable disagreement among previous studies over its sustainable use. Investigating long-term quantitative sustainability groundwater system, this study presents a statistical methodology that can be applied to similar cases. Using combination robust widely used techniques, we apply seasonal Mann–Kendall test Sen’s slope estimator recorded level timeseries. analysis carried out on large heterogeneous proprietary dataset gathering hourly timeseries at 79 control points, acquired during period 2005–2019. identifies significant decreasing trends for most available records, unlike status same resource which covered domain investigated here slightly different period: 2000–2014. present questions reason such diverging results by focusing method’s accuracy. After carrying Fourier longest timeseries, assessment work suggests applying longer than 20 years (because otherwise would affected interannual periodicities water cycle). A further two 60-year-long monthly between 1960 2020 supports actual use resource, past deployment resources notwithstanding. Results thus prove more reliable, meaningful inferences longterm are possible.