Expected Impacts
DATASET results are expected to occur at three levels:
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Short-term outputs: The main DATASET products will include: (i) a novel methodology for Groundwater Vulnerability Assessment (GVA) transferred to stakeholders, demonstrated at the study areas and publicly available; (ii) digital maps of GVA freely viewable online and ready to be considered as a management tool; (iii) a GIS plug-in specifically designed for DATASET applications.
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Mid-term outcomes: Close collaboration with stakeholders will ensure: (i) putting in operation decision support tools for the study areas; (ii) uptake of new knowledge on Hydroclimatic Extreme Events (HEE), climate and land use change, leading to (iii) planning and executing scientifically sound and socially acceptable solutions to protect coastal groundwater in the study areas.
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Long-term impacts: The vision of DATASET is that aquifers can be “seen”, understood, and appreciated by the public. Though the basic concepts to prevent, mitigate, or remediate SP and AGL are known, they require bold aquifer management, which is effectively hindered by current regulations. While maintaining a high degree of scientific basis, the simplicity to which the DATASET screening tool can be used will change the way we study aquifers, to change the way they are perceived and regulated.
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Transnational added value of DATASET: The main benefits of international cooperation are: (i) complementarity of research teams from 3 continents, which have different backgrounds and skills and bring diverse perspectives to the problem of coastal groundwater; (ii) broad range of hydrogeological settings presented by the study areas, which supports development of flexible and universal management tools; (iii) minimization of risks in project execution since partners from different countries can support each other. To maximize these benefits, DATASET will promote transversal actions among partners through PhD and post-doctoral exchange, allowing them to improve their own skills, to transfer their knowledge, and to build their capacity to work in an international and multicultural team.