Water level measurement locations for coastal aquifer management

The coefficient of variation of the optimal cost (CVOC) method is applied to the Acqua dei Corsari coastal aquifer in Sicily's north coast to find the best point for a new water-level measurement location. The purpose of collecting data from the new measurement location is to reduce uncertainty associated with a stochastic management model for salt-water intrusion control. Assuming that uncertainty mainly stems from spatial variability of permeability, the structural parameters of the stochastic spatial permeability field are estimated using data from a nearby aquifer with similar geological properties. It is first shown through sensitivity analysis that the lack of previous information inhibits reliable estimation of the economic benefit of a new measurement location. A brief review of the CVOC method is presented, followed by identification of the best site for a permeability and a water-level measurement location. Finally, description of data collection at the proposed optimal site and calculation of the a posteriori optimal pumping strategy are provided.