Recharge of aquifers as dams alternative?

 

FUNCTION OF RESERVOIRS IN THE ARTIFICIAL RECHARGING OF
UNDERGROUND AQUIFERS: THE ALGAR AND BELCAIRE RESERVOIRS
AS CASES WITH SPECIFIC RECHARGING FUNCTION

Paper presented in ICOLD Congress, Beijiing 2000 by Dr Enrique Cifres

Read the paper

Are heavy storms expected in forthcoming weeks?

The European Union's Earth observation programme Copernicus follows up SST (Surface Sea Temperature) trend showing how it rises continuously during last decades.

 

(Figure after https://marine.copernicus.eu)

 

Figure after ECMWF (https://www.ecmwf.int)

Today, anomalies in front of Iberian Mediterranean basin reach 2.5 or 3 ºC above normal, and even higher values are expected for coming days.

A study presented by us in Johannesburg, 2016, titled "NEW METHODOLOGY FOR A ROBUST ESTIMATION OF LARGE RETURN PERIOD FLOODS FOR DAM SPILLWAYS DESIGN", based on previous research presented in Vienna 2007, contained some considerations for estimating Climate Change effects of heavy storms and floods in the Mediterranean Region, based in the changes of some parameters as temperature in high level of the atmosphere or the surface sea temperature during the fall among other.

  

Atfter E.Cifres (Vienna, EGU 2007)

Under a hypothesis of 3ºC rise in SST the study predicted, maintaining the rest of factors, a 30% higher in rainfall amount and 40% of runoff, leading to a very much risky expected floods

Of course that some other circumstances should be present for heavy storm events and also SST could be mitigated. Anyway, under current status, a risky season is more probable than other colder summers.

Long term probabilities are more robust estimated than circumstantial situations as present one but a clue is done for being aware.

The role of desalination in IRBM

WEX-Global session on "Water Reuse, Desalination and New Water Resources", sponsored by Dupont.

The panel was formed with Harith Alomar (DuPont) Miguel Angel Sanz  (Suez) Jorge J. Malfeito (Acciona), TAHRI Khalid (ONEE) and Enrique Cifres (eWATER). 

We had the chance for sharing our experience integrating #Desalination in Complex Water Resources Systems (#IWRM) as Mallorca Island, Marina Baja or Segura River Basin in Spain.
WEX Global was held in Valencia, dealing with Smart Circular Economy last 27-29 June.

 

Mutxamel desalination plant provides drinking water supply to Alicante metropolitan area, liberating resources from Taibilla system for the benefit of upstream cities, but also gives warranty for Benidorm and Marina Baja county, having WR enough but with unbearable risk of fail of service.

Torrevieja desalination plant is about to extend its service to inland communities entering into the complex Segura River Basin System in wich Segura river water resources, transferts from Tagus river, underground aquifers are complemented with a highest rate of reuse in Europe and several desalination facilities. Among them, Torrevieja SWDP plays a major role in providing water and warranty both for irrigation and tourism's demands. 

See presentation
 

Updating dams under operation : a real challenge

 

It was a pleasure to share with Hydropower & Dams community in Strasbourg, our experience in upgrading dams under operation.
Ageing of dams was put on the table as an "emerging risk" by UN University release last year. ICOLD is working on that matter since 1935 and nobody would think to demolish a city because buildings are becoming old. They are continously renewed, improved, upgraded.. etc.. as well as dams, that are really needed to continue providing welfare to the society. Our conclusion is that a huge effort to maintain, adapt, update to face new challenges is necessary. New data, new knowledges, new climate change expectations, etc.. demand a continue effort and money enough to enjoy provided benefits from these assets as are dams. 

 International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD) Commission Internationale des Grands Barrages (CIGB),  SPANCOLD - Comité Nacional Español de Grandes Presas, #dams #hydropower