Environmental Impact of a Motorway Tunnel Project on an Important Karst Aquifer in Southern Latium Region: The Case of Mazzoccolo Spring (Formia, Italy)

Abstract

Due to the heavy traffic problems in Formia downtown, a motorway project was designed to reduce traffic congestion in the fastly growing city. The proposed motorway passes over one regionally an important karst aquifer feeding Mazzoccolo spring, in the southeast part of Latium Region. This paper deals with the analysis of the most important environmental impacts on this vulnerable karst aquifer and, as a consequence, on groundwater coming out form the Mazzoccolo Spring, which feeds one of the most important drinking water supply network in South Latium Region. A multisystem approach has been applied for vulnerability analysis using SINTACS method. The climatic, topographic, geomorphological and hydrogeological data and field investigations of previous works has been employed. On the other hand, this approach was also evaluated by geochemical and isotope tracers techniques of groundwater samples for the identification of environmental impacts. According to the proposed project, the Motorway tunnel has a significant environmental impact, on the vulnerability of the karst aquifer and hence, on the water supply networks. Thus, based on these analyses the highway investment strategy adapted to Variant of the SS 7 (Appian Way) project should ensure the protection of groundwater resources designing a new variant route avoiding the construction of Mola Mountain tunnel.