Climate change poses a new management of Segre basin for irrigation and human consumption
The Institute of Food Research and Technology (IRTA), a public company of the Catalan Generalitat, has participated in a study that analyzed the effects of reservoirs in the basin of the river Segre. Among its main findings it highlighted how necessary to propose new strategies of consumption and water management, since the current climate change scenario becomes increasingly difficult or impossible to meet the demands of water for irrigation and mouth using the current model, and practically unfeasible to develope projects to transfer water from the Ebro basin to other regions of southeastern Spain.
This research assesses the impact it is having climate change and changing land uses in the basin, along with the modification of the hydrological regime which provoke the reservoirs in the area under study. It is taken as a reference the period between 1951 and 2013.
Observed climate change challenges the current model of water management in this region. In fact, according to this research, reducing the flow of the basin of the river Segre is due not only to itself, but is also caused by other factors, such as increased irrigation demands in the basin.
Thus, it concludes how the current pattern of water use is not sustainable in the near future due to climate change scenarios that predict a decrease in rainfall and an increase in atmospheric evaporative demand. These changes will result in more frequent and severe climatic and hydrological droughts. Is also expected to increase forests and, therefore, the availability of water is reduced in the future.
Also, the analyzed results show altered flow regimes because of reservoirs because water regulation in summer causes more water down, mainly for agriculture and human consumption.
This research notes how the head of the basin, in the Pyrenees, has a significant reduction in flow rate (16.7% variation in the station Pobla de Segur, and 32.8% in Puigcerdá is found in the period studied). This is due to two causes: the almost total reduction of glaciers in the Pyrenees, and the large increase in forest area, causing an increase in rainfall interception, increased perspiration and therefore a reducing runoff.
Segre basin shows a sharp decline in precipitation, especially in summer. The 1950s had an average of 3,000 hm3 per year, while in the last decade has been about 1,800 hm3 per year (reduction of 44’7% in 63 years). This explains the significant reduction of annual precipitation across the basin, which was 10,200 hm3 per year in the fifties and has been 8,700 hm3 per year in the last decade (16’2% reduction). The entire basin has been affected by a sharp reduction in the flow, especially in the lower parts of the rivers.
This work has been led by researchers at the Pyrenean Institute of Ecology (IPE-CSIC), IRTA, the Catalan Office of Climate Change, the Center for Ecological Research and Forestry Applications (CREAF) and the Experimental Station of Aula Dei, Council Research (EEAD-CSIC). What you can see: Effect of reservoirs on streamflow and river regimes in a heavily regulated one river basin of Northeast Spain.
About IRTA
The IRTA is a research institute dedicated to R + D + i agroalimentaria in the fields of plant production, animal production, food industries, environment and global change, and food economics. The transfer of scientific progress contributes to the modernization, competitiveness and sustainable development of agriculture, food and aquaculture sectors, provision of healthy and quality food for consumers and improve the welfare of the population. The IRTA is attached to the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Food (DARP) of the Generalitat de Catalunya.
Source: IRTA
