Can an environment-friendly management policy improve the overall performance of an artificial lake? Analysis of a multipurpose dam in Greece

Efstratiadis, A; Hadjibiros, K

dc.contributor.author	Efstratiadis, A	en
dc.contributor.author	Hadjibiros, K	en
dc.date.accessioned	2014-03-01T02:01:47Z
dc.date.available	2014-03-01T02:01:47Z
dc.date.issued	2011	en
dc.identifier.issn	14629011	en
dc.identifier.uri	https://dspace.lib.ntua.gr/xmlui/handle/123456789/29255
dc.subject	Conflicting water uses	en
dc.subject	Constant release	en
dc.subject	Drinking water	en
dc.subject	Landscape quality	en
dc.subject	Reliability	en
dc.subject	Reservoir level fluctuation	en
dc.subject	Safe yield	en
dc.subject.other	drinking water	en
dc.subject.other	article	en
dc.subject.other	environmental exposure	en
dc.subject.other	Greece	en
dc.subject.other	hydropower	en
dc.subject.other	irrigation (agriculture)	en
dc.subject.other	lake	en
dc.subject.other	landscape	en
dc.subject.other	priority journal	en
dc.subject.other	reliability	en
dc.subject.other	water analysis	en
dc.subject.other	water supply	en
dc.title	Can an environment-friendly management policy improve the overall performance of an artificial lake? Analysis of a multipurpose dam in Greece	en
heal.type	journalArticle	en
heal.identifier.primary	10.1016/j.envsci.2011.06.001	en
heal.identifier.secondary	http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envsci.2011.06.001	en
heal.publicationDate	2011	en
heal.abstract	Taking as example a multipurpose dam in Greece, we wish to show that by following a rational operation policy, where the improvement of the broader environmental system becomes a high-priority target, it is possible to achieve a much more efficient allocation of its ""traditional"" water uses. In this context, we review the 50-year history of the Plastiras reservoir in central Greece, to highlight the multiple negative impacts from a non-systematic, abstraction-oriented, operation policy. This kind of management is contrasted to a hypothetical one, obtained through a multidisciplinary methodological framework that has been developed ten years ago, which aimed to compromise a number of conflicting water uses. This required establishing a minimum allowable level for agricultural abstractions and stabilising the annual releases for irrigation and drinking water supply. The criteria under study are, directly or indirectly, related to the water storage in the lake. Therefore, the key idea is to investigate the performance of each criterion with regard to the variability of the level, by examining alternative level vs. abstraction control rules. Thus, the quantity of water that would be yearly available is a function of the minimum level allowed and the desirable reliability. In fact, objective analysis indicates that the maintenance of the reservoir level as high as possible is necessary for the conservation of the quality of the lake's landscape, for the development of tourist activity and also for providing drinking water of good quality. The advantages of the proposed framework are then exhibited through a back-analysis that focuses to the recent period. The implementation of this management policy not only would improve the water and landscape quality as well as the tourist perspectives, but also allow for a much more efficient planning of the agricultural and, under some premises, hydroelectric energy needs. Thus, the adoption of a constant annual release, irrespective of the recent sequence of inflows, may be beneficial for the long-term interests of all social groups and, therefore, conflicts among drinking water supply, tourism, landscape quality, irrigation and hydroelectric production would become less intense. Yet, the practice showed that a consensus between scientists, authorities and stakeholders for establishing the suggested policy is a considerably difficult task. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.	en
heal.journalName	Environmental Science and Policy	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/j.envsci.2011.06.001	en
dc.identifier.volume	14	en
dc.identifier.issue	8	en
dc.identifier.spage	1151	en
dc.identifier.epage	1162	en