The ENVIBASE-Project

Documentation / Online Handbook

Soil

Description of the Problem

The main problem is that the Municipality of Athens is a densely built city with a large part of the soil covered by concrete and asphalt. Some of the problems related to soil most commonly mentioned are: contamination by old industrial sites, erosion of the ground, vulnerability of the groundwater to pollution (e.g. solid waste disposal sites), etc. All the above have not been taken seriously as aspects of urban planning by the decision makers and as a result are not studied in detail.

Another problem is that the available data are mainly used for regional development and for agricultural, forestry or other purposes and not specifically for environmental purposes (although some environmental parameters are included). Several agencies are involved so the available data are distributed among different services, which may be public or private offices and are therefore not all available to the public. It should also be mentioned that there are not many data available for the greater area of Athens, as that it has no forestry or agricultural interest.

Data Sources

The Geological Survey by state authorities in Greece was initiated in the 1930s by the Geological Service of the Ministry of National Economy. From that time and up to 1952, different services had taken over, in succession, the responsibility and competency of the geological investigation of our country. Their activity, however, was not systematic in character. In 1952 the Institution of Geology and Subsurface Research (IGSR) was founded in order to undertake the systematic survey of the Greek territory in the basic branches of geological science. Its successors comprised the National Institute of Geology and Mining Research (NIGMR) in 1972, followed by the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration (IGME), supervised by the Ministry of Development, which was founded in 1975 and constitutes the State’s technical adviser in geoscientific matters.

The Ministry of Agriculture is the central agency responsible for collection, evaluation, and presentation of data concerning soil parameters mainly used for regional development as well as for agricultural and forestry purposes.

The Directorate of Forestal Cadastral Register, Mapping and Documentation of Forests and Forestal Areas of the Ministry of Agriculture can provide the public with certain soil maps which are not digital but analogical.

The National Institute of Agricultural Research, which is private but supervised by the Ministry of Agriculture with its three Institutes, the Institute of Edaphology in Athens, the Institute of Forest Research, and also the Institute of Mapping and Orientation of Soil Types in Larisa, have most of the data concerning soil.

Other bodies that have relevant data are the Hellenic Military Geographic Service, and the Organisation for Planning and Environmental Protection of Athens.

Methods

Not all the maps are in a digital (GIS) form but efforts have only begun fairly recently.

In the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration (IGME), the geophysical surveys of target areas rely on magnetic (including aerial reconnaissance), gravimetric, radiometric, seismic, electromagnetic, and geoelectric methods for the determination and delineation of favourable sites for the occurrence of mineral raw materials and the study of basic geological structures. Monitoring, processing, and evaluation of geomagnetic data take place in the Pendeli Magnetic Observatory, which belongs to IGME.

In chapter two, the GIS system used by the National Institute of Agricultural Research and its institutes is described in detail.

Results

Systematic basic surveys, which mainly include the compilation of the country’s geological map at scales 1:50.000, including the Attica region maps, are produced by the Institute of Geology and Mineral Exploration (IGME).

The Directorate of Forestal Cadastral Register, Mapping and Documentation of Forests and Forestal Areas can provide the public with edaphological maps in a scale 1:50.000 (two types of maps) and also a computerised description of them:

1. Geo-map that includes information on physiography, rock type, ground depth, erosion of the ground, incline, ecological data (zones of forest vegetation and their condition according to human influence).
2. Geo-potential map for forestry with five types of geo-potential described in the relevant legend.

The above-mentioned maps and information are sold to the public and are not digital but analogical and mainly used for regional development purposes.

The Institute of Edaphology of the National Institute of Agricultural Research also has maps 1:50 000 referring to soil parameters such as pH, organic substance, depth, percentage of rocks, fertility, humidity, erosion, etc. These maps are mainly used for agricultural purposes and none exist for the Attica region.

The Institute of Forest Research has produced maps 1:50 000 that are partially digitised. These maps include information for forest areas for all Greece and also for the forests of Attica. Also, the Hellenic Military Geographic Service has produced surface maps for general use that include sea depth curves, trigonometric points, springs, wells, forests, and roads that can be used for soil purposes also to a scale of 1:50 000 for all the Attica region.

The Organisation for Planning and Environmental Protection of Athens has produced sixteen maps of the area of Athens of satellite orthophoto-maps (digital) in 1:50 000 scale in colour and 1:25 000 in black and white. These are available to the public.

As already mentioned above, the Water Resources Management System has produced maps containing soil information, such as geoelectric-statistical cross-sections data, hydrolithological map of rocks and soils, area of equal inclinations, municipal boundaries and urban areas, land cover use.

Uses

The use of the above mentioned is for planning and public information.

Addresses for responsible Agencies

¹ Hellenic Military Geographic Service

² Institute of Geological and Mining Research