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- Evaluation of four climate changes scenarios on groundwater resources of the Escusa (Castelo de Vide) aquifer, central PortugalPublication . Monteiro, José Paulo; Chambel, AntónioIn countries with advanced environmental management systems, numerical models often are used in the planning and management of sustainable groundwater resources. Toward that end, we evaluated the influence of climate change on karstic groundwater resources of the Escusa (Castelo de Vide) aquifer using a finite-element discrete continuum flow model, allowing the use of 1-D, 2-D and 3-D finite elements in the same computational mesh, calibrated to regional field measurements. Because this coupled model simulates fluid movement in, and exchange between, multiple domains, it was possible to monitor flow processes such as recharge (diffuse and concentrated infiltration), flux inside the aquifer (quick in caves and conduits and slow in the rock mass), and concentrated discharge (karstic springs) and diffuse discharge to wetlands and other porous hydrogeological units. Four different climate scenarios were analyzed with respect to their influence on future aquifer discharge rates. These scenarios (by the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research) reflected global and regional climate predictions for 50 and 100 year periods. The variation in groundwater discharge rates from the Escusa aquifer was evaluated in relation with discharge to the Sever River and granitic rocks in contact with the aquifer in its northern part. All the climate-based simulations show a decline in the discharge rates of the groundwater aquifer. Another important finding is that the discharge rates per month change and sometimes it is possible to have an increase in the discharge during the first half of the year and a reduction in the second half of the year.
- OPTEXPLOR – new application for water resources management for private water supply utilitiesPublication . Nunes, L.; Monteiro, José Paulo; Stigter, T. Y.; Ribau Teixeira, Margarida; Nascimento, João; Ribeiro, L.; Lucas, HelenaThis article presents the steps made for the development of a new water management system (WMS) for a private water utility in the south of Portugal, and its main results. The WMS is composed of a set of models representing the water resources, surface and groundwater, water quality models, economic models, and water allocation optimization models. The system was developed at the request of the regional water utility (Águas do Algarve, S.A.), which is responsible for distributing water to the entire Algarve region (most touristic area in Portugal, with about ten million tourists per year, and a local population of about four hundred thousand). Results clearly show that independently of the amount of water available, inter-annual exploration is always the best solution, if possible. When water scarcity is high, as in consecutive dry years, the water utility will need to call municipalities to use their systems to complement supply. The level of supply deficit is higher, in any case, for annual exploration management, and so are exploration costs. These results clearly show that water resources management needs careful inter-annual planning, even for a private water supply utility with very limited control over water exploration by other competing users.