Purpose-Designed Hydrogeological Maps for Wide Interconnected Surface–Groundwater Systems: The Test Example of Parma Alluvial Aquifer and Taro River Basin (Northern Italy)
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
I have made my comments in the annotated MS.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Minor English correction is required.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
The work is well written and explained. It follows the necessary structure of scientific work.
The aim of the Purpose-designed hydrogeological map was to test and provides new graphical solutions to describe the main hydrogeological features and processes that a complex surface-groundwater interconnected system and I think the authors have succeeded in that.
However, what should be harmonized in my opinion are symbols, if the authors still want it to be called a hydrogeological map, because I am not sure to what extent to so many different elements this display can be considered a hydrogeological map.
In this sense, comments and proposals are primarily focused on a supplementary map (Hydrogeological Map of the Interconnected Surface-Groundwater System of Parma Alluvial Aquifer and Taro River Basin) as follows:
- selected colours for hydrogeological map are quite unusual; why wasn't the internationally agreed symbolism used? https://www.whymap.org/whymap/en/home/whymap_node.html
- e.g., alluvial aquifer is marked with yellow-green colour, although the alluvial aquifer is usually presented with different shades of blue - depending on the aquifer's properties
- are the colours on the maps and on profile same?
- I don’t see the indications of groundwater directions; although water flow directions are visible on the profile, on the map they are not visible
- why the springs are marked with a triangle, and not with a blue-coloured circle? Additionally, the markings should be different sizes, in accordance with spring outflow capacity
- if only the locations of springs are indicated, then this should be written in the map legend
- Taro River should be better indicated, e.g., thicker or darker blue colour and the name of the river by that line on the map
- should the boundary of the basins and artificial channels be marked in red? Red colour line is commonly reserved for faults symbols and because of that this map may be confused for those who expect a certain symbols.
From other comments related to work, I emphasize the following ones:
1. Introduction
Line 37 - brackets is not necessary in the word (Hydro) geological, I would rather write …Geological, Hydrogeological and…
Line 60 - add a reference at the end of the sentence that begins with "From the Hydrogeological Point of View ..."
2. Study Area
In the right upper corner of the Supplementary map is a location of Study Area, but it is missing in the text. Due to that, I recommend that the location be indicated in the same way on the Figure 1, too.
Line 81 - Add a reference at the end of a sentence that ends with "... The Adria Plate."
Line 86 - Add a reference at the end of a sentence that ends with "... that Eocene sedimentary cover."
Line 93 - add reference at the end of the sentence.
Line 105 - Add a reference in the sentence after the "…studied by several works“.
Figure 1 - add north mark; I know it is not indicated on the original as well, but it is a mistake on that map, too; In addition, on the indicated profile add B and B’, because these tags were used on the profile under the map.
Figure 2 - Resolution should be better.
3. Hydrogeological Sub-Systems
Line 113-114 - Add references to the text, no matter what you see in the description of the map and profile.
Figure 3 - I do not understand what the number 3 represents in the description is written by discontinuous aquitard, but the symbol is a line.
Line 136 - I don't understand what "they belong to three main conceptual model " means? Check the sentence construction.
Figure 4 - in the description of the figure, but also everywhere in the text, the capital letter K should be used for hydraulic conductivity (sometimes called hydraulic permeability, as well), instead of a lowercase k. Specifically, the big K also contains small k (also called intrinsic permeability), so it would be good to distinguish that because this is also a hydrogeological paper.
Line 151 - add reference at the end of the sentence.
Line 197 - Specific locations (fontalins) would be good and mark on a map, for ease of monitoring of the text.
4. Materials and Methods
It should be indicated that the map is available in Supplementary. Also, the text part with what is shown on the map should be further aligned, e.g., in line 217 are named hydrogeological sub-systems, and on a supplementary map they have been named differently.
Indicate in the text that the map consists of three parts: the main map, two smaller cards and hydrogeological profile.
Smaller maps content should be also further briefly described within the text, and perhaps to give a name or some designation for each map?
The HG profile is short and well described by line 233-235
Line 221 - why Corel Daw when it is possible to done it in a GIS environment?
5. Hydrogeological Mapping Strategy and Solutions
Consider of merge this chapter with the previous one, because I do not see the need to separate this text into a separate chapter. Subsequently, subtitles may be added to the united chapter to emphasize some parts.
Line 252 - a sentence that starts with the "The Hydrogeological Map ..." maybe start in a new paragraph?
6. Discussion and Conclusions
Break certain parts of the text into smaller segments, to make it more readable, e.g.
Line 288 - A sentence that starts with "Even if the Parma Apennines ..." maybe start in a new paragraph?
Line 303 - A sentence that starts with "at the same time ..." maybe start in a new paragraph?
Line 288-309 - Some toponyms mentioned in the text should also indicate on a map.
Line 352-353 - Link does not work; check it.
References
The article is adequately referenced. What seems, like a general impression, at first is that most of the references are related to Italian authors. It is recommendation to supplemented it with references from other authors, at least in those general parts that are not related to specific investigated area.
English language and style
I don’t feel qualified to judge about the English language and style because I am not a native English speaker, but everything seems understandable to me and I feel that no major interventions in the text are needed.
Author Response
Please see the attachment.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 1 Report
The authors did a great job in revising the MS by taking care of all the comments made to them. The MS may be accepted for possible publication in Hydrology.
