The Hydrogeological Map of Italy at 1:500,000 scale represents a significant advancement in the national hydrogeological knowledge framework.Positioned between the European Hydrogeological Map (IHME1500) and regional maps, it provides a comprehensive and standardized reference for groundwater assessment across Italy.This initiative integrates existing geological and hydrogeological datasets from multiple scales, ensuring consistency and accuracy. The project employs a geospatial overlay technique to harmonize regional hydrogeological information at 1:250,000 scale with national geological data at 1:500,000 scale. This process allows for the classification of hydrogeological complexes based on relative permeability, ensuring a coherent national representation of subsurface hydrodynamics.
The map includes various thematic layers, developed also in collaboration with Istat, such as productivity, piezometric data, cold and thermal springs, representative monitoring stations defining the current regional state of the art on groundwater resources in Italy.
An innovative aspect of the project is the participatory approach, facilitated through a WebGIS platform. This system enabled the Italian hydrogeological scientific community to provide feedback, suggest modifications, and updated geospatial data, ensuring a high-quality and widely acknowledged result. he digital version of the map is intended as a dynamic product, open to continuous updates as new information becomes available.
The new hydrogeological map provides policymakers, researchers, and water resource managers with a unified tool for groundwater assessment, improving legislative and management decisions. Its adherence to ISPRA’s guidelines makes it a reference framework for future thematic hydrogeological maps.It represents a fundamental step in national-scale groundwater knowledge, bridging gaps in previous cartographic efforts and establishing a homogenous baseline for future research and resource management.