In Zaragoza, as in the rest of the Spanish and European cities, almost all the information concerning subsoil is scattered. The goal of ZINNAE’s “Urban Hydrogeology” Project is to integrate all underground information in an advanced spatial information platform in order to enhance its value and allow its operation with the purpose of improving the urban aquifer management efficiency.
Zaragoza’s aquifer is made up of the detritus alluvium of the Ebro and Gállego Rivers. The thickness is not homogeneous, oscillating between 10 and 80 metres and it has an estimated average flow of 250 hm3/year distributed in the whole water mass between the mouths of both the Jalón and Gesla Rivers. One of the characteristics of this aquifer is its availability and easy access. In Zaragoza, it has historically been used in agriculture, industry and even supplies. One of the fastest growing activities is the extraction of underground water to feed the cooling systems. In this new type of demand there are already certain problems associated with the lack of appropriate management and a foreseeable loss of energy efficiency. In addition to water extraction and injection, land pollution and transformation have an important impact on the aquifer.
With the aim of achieving a better control of underground water, Zeta Amaltea, a company dealing with water and environmental planning and founding partner of ZINNAE, leads the implementation of a comprehensive urban hydrogeology management system in Zaragoza (hereinafter referred to as SGIHUZ). Under the technical management of Zeta Amaltea, ZINNAE facilitates the design and implementation of this tool to achieve the involvement of institutional, business and academic agents; with the purpose of designing an innovative product that might be transferrable to other cities and environments.
SGIHUZ will develop a three-dimensional model of the interaction between the city and the subsoil which will allow an intelligent and efficient management of the aquifer, supporting the decision making process, as well as plans, projects and measures. ZINNAE’s goal is to implement SGIHUZ from 2012 onwards. SGIHUZ will be integrated by the following components:
More information and contact:
Zinnae – Technical secretariat
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+34 876440505
Agustín Blas – Zeta Amaltea
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+34 976223044
