Role of hydrogeological mapping in groundwater practice: back to basics

Abstract

Maps are of key importance in groundwater professional practice and hydrogeology research, mainly in field data synthesis and communication related to a number of fields: regional hydrogeology, exploration hydrogeology, groundwater engineering, hydrogeophysics, hydrogeomorphology, urban groundwater, military geology/engineering, thermal water resources, planning, management and decision making on the water resources. This paper highlights the importance and necessity of accurate ground field surveys at several scales, water resources inventory and an integrated groundwater mapping as useful tools to support hydrogeological conceptualisation. Selected sites are highlighted to demonstrate the importance of groundwater mapping for assessment of water resources. Conceptualisation of groundwater systems must be grounded on Earth-based models and mathematical modelling to outline predicting scenarios. Thus, going back to basics is important to create a reliable conceptualisation on groundwater systems established on cartographic reasoning.