Centro de Estudios Hidrográficos
In the Studies and Planning Area the Centro de Estudios Hidrográficos has carried on with the work commissioned by the Secretaría de Estado de Aguas y Costas of the Ministry of Environment within the framework of the development process for the tasks envisaged in Law 10/2001. Along these lines a detailed analysis has been made of all the layout options throughout the River Segura Basin, particular attention being paid to the energy factor. The Centre has also collaborated closely in the studies envisaged in the Law concerning transfer systems that could potentially serve as alternatives to River Ebro Transfer System, as has happened with the joint Spanish and French project for the Lower Rhone-Languedoc (BRL).
The operating strategy for the system's main pumping stations has been updated, together with the Subdirección General de Planificación Hidrológica, with a view optimising the relationship between electrical consumption and the cost of the infrastructure. The Centre also took part in the technical meeting about the River Ebro Transfer System held in Brussels in November 2003, in the presence of experts appointed by the Ministry of Environment, the Regional Government of Aragon and different non-governmental organisations. Finally, the Centre began to give advice on the definition of the tests that have to be conducted as part of the structural behaviour study for the large-diameter underground piping that it is planned to use for transfer purposes
Aerial view of the new Palma I Treatment Plant (Palma de Mallorca)
As far as the Water Framework Directive (WFD) is concerned, work has gone ahead on the preliminary studies that have to be completed in 2004. The Centre has participated in the process of preparing a manual for analysing the pressures exerted upon water masses, in order to establish standard criteria throughout the country. Where hydromorphological pressures are concerned, the activity has concentrated upon those associated with the existence of dams..
In the chapter concerning regulations, the "Technical Guide on Piping for Transporting Water Under Pressure" was published, and work started on drawing up recommendations or instructions for standardising other hydraulic works. As part of this chapter, work was initiated in conjunction with the Canal de Isabel II, on preparing a Water Sewerage Standard to be used by the latter.
Geographic Information System for the Canal de Aragón y Cataluña
The study was completed on the redesigning the Barasona Dam to make it comply with the conditions required by the Dams and Reservoirs Technical Regulations and, at the request of COPROSA, work began on a study of the drainage network for the SAU7 partial plan in Arroyo de la Encomienda (Valladolid).
In the Hydrology Area a great deal of work took place involving the flood defence scheme for the River Júcar floodplain. The following are among the activities undertaken: calculating the flood hydrographs for the dams proposed in the Comprehensive Plan constructed; the use of mathematical models in the River Júcar channelling project; designing improvement activities for draining the Margal Sur and the channelling works for the Duch Ravine. As part of all these works the calculation of the suspended sediment transport has been incorporated to the Gisplana model.
The Centre has also continued to develop hydrological modules for CEDEX model, SIMPA, which engineers to interpolate waste and use monthly patterns for meteorological variables, as well as to incorporate the Hargreaves procedure for calculating potential evapotranspiration.
Work was completed on complying with the "Inland Waters of the European Union" Agreement, the aim of which is to diagnose the state of the water resources and water uses in the EU countries and to make a comparative analysis of water policies and the response strategies that are being implemented. An estimate of the evaporation rates in the Alarcón Reservoir was also carried out, with a view to improving the way the Tajo-Segura Water Transfer System is operated. Furthermore, a variety of activities were undertaken as part of the National Hydrological Plan, including an update of the effects of changes in land use on the availability of water resources.
Theoretical-practical course on the basic principles for designing flood defence plans
With respect to Hydrometry, the Centre carried on collecting data concerning the levels and flow rates in rivers, reservoirs and channels run by the water authorities, and studies continued to be conducted on sedimentation in reservoirs and updating the available storage capacity curves.
On another level, this Area lent its support to organising the XI World Water Conference of the International Water Resources Association (IWRA) held at the Palacio de Congresos, in Madrid.
Internet course on modernising irrigation systems
In the Irrigation Engineering Area work was completed on the "Optimisation study for water resource allocation in the Canal de Aragón y Cataluña irrigation zone". The main activities involved in this work, which covered a surface area of more than 100.000 Ha, were to obtain a physical description of the zone -a GIS was prepared- and to optimise the irrigation water allocation therein, using remote detection as the basic tool for assessing agricultural demands.
Work went ahead on the preliminary tasks required to describe the agricultural demand units (UDAS) in the area under the control of the Southern Basin Authority and work also started on adapting and updating the agricultural demand units in the River Júcar Basin Authority. Collaboration also took place with other Centro de Estudios Hidrográficos Areas with respect to the activities involved in establishing pressures and effects as part of the work concerning the DMA.
Support has been given in this Area to the Centre Management in developing its activities as CEDEX's representative on the National Climate Council Standing Committee, a body on which the Director of CEDEX acts on behalf of the Ministry of Fomento. The most outstanding activity during this period was participation in preparing the document "Spanish Strategies on Climatic Change, to comply with the Kyoto Protocol" (draft).
Dam heightening study for the Tranquera Dam on the River Piedra (Zaragoza)
In the Water Quality Area, the Centre carried on supporting the Dirección General de Obras Hidráulicas y Calidad de las Aguas (DGOHCA) in matters concerning desalination in the capacity of technical works management, commissioning and monitoring desalination plants and preparing projects; these activities have totally or partially been carried out at the following plants: Las Palmas-Telde, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Cartagena, Alicante, Bahía de Palma and Formentera. The bids were examined for the invitation to tender for the construction of desalination plants in Santa Eulalia (Ibiza), Mahón (Menorca), Andraitx and Calviá (Mallorca). Technical assistance was given to works management of Aguas de la Cuenca del Sur (ACUSUR) for the plants in Carboneras (Almería) and El Atabal (Málaga). The Centre also collaborated with the Regional Government of Andalucía in constructing the Almeria Plant.
Where wastewater treatment is concerned, activities were undertaken involving the control and supervision of the operation of new wastewater treatment plants, some of the most outstanding examples of such work being the facilities in Ciudad Real, Jerez de la Frontera and Ibiza. Work continued on testing new treated wastewater reclaiming technologies using ultrafiltration polymeric film, at the Haría Wastewater Treatment Plant (Lanzarote). The Centre also continued to manage the works at the new Palma I wastewater treatment plant and the Pumping and Drainage and Reuse Piping Project between Lluchmayor, the town, and the new Lluchmayor wastewater treatment plant (Baleares).
Test model for the discharge channel at the Sahechores Hydroelectric Power Plant (León)
Furthermore, work was done on compiling and updating the information needed to create the "Limnological database for reservoirs and rivers" and an update was carried out on the sensitive zones (Directive 91/271/EC) concerning urban wastewater treatment in accordance with eutrophication criteria. Work progressed on the study concerning the "Estimation of phytoplankton biomasses in reservoirs and their relationship with photosynthetic pigments", in collaboration with the University of Salamanca, in order to evaluate new techniques for the ongoing monitoring of the state of the water resources, and activities got under way with a view to complying with the terms of the agreement on establishing toxicity caused by the presence of cyanobacteria. In 2003, work also continued on the sampling campaign in compliance with the agreement "Monitoring and Controlling the Natural Environment in the River Guadiana Estuary", and progress was made on evaluating the quality of groundwater that is earmarked for drinking water supply.
In the Hydraulics Laboratory, work was completed on research using physical models for the Montearagón Dam (Huesca) and the Rialp Dam (Lérida), and along similar lines, research continued with the models for the Tranquera Dam (Zaragoza) and Alcorlo Dam (Guadalajara). The river study tests on the channelling work for the Carraixet Ravine and its confluence with the Palmaret Bajo were completed, and the channelling for the River Andarax in Almería and the River Seco in Castellón are at the study phase. The spillway for the Sahechores Hydroelectric Plant in León and the structural activities for the River Júcar floodplain defence system are also at the study phase, and the same applies to the new sluice gates for the Port of Sevilla, in collaboration with the Centro de Estudios de Puertos y Costas of CEDEX.
As far as mathematical modelling and numerical tools are concerned, apart from providing support for studying specific physical models with the aid of mathematical models, work was completed on designing and installing the Sistema Automático de Información Hidrológica (SAIH) [Automatic Hydrological Information System] networks, in the River Tajo Basin, and support was given to different River Basin Authorities in the task of processing the real time data coming from the SAIH.
As far as Activities Abroad are concerned, work was carried out on preparing the "water balance" for Honduras, performed jointly with that country's Department of Natural Resources and the Environment (SERNA). Technical assistance activity aimed at setting up a River Authority for Lake Ilopango in the Republic of El Salvador was completed in 2003, and this was carried out jointly with the Spanish Agency for International Co-operation.
I International Forum on Ephemeral River Basin Management in the State of Vargas (Venezuela). Actions taken in the Galipán Gulch
A technical evaluation was made of the project for protecting the San Julián ephemeral watercourse in the State of Vargas (Venezuela), which was affected by the catastrophic floods in December 1999, and the invitation to tender documents for the works were also examined; this assessment was carried out for the Ministry of Economy as part of a collaboration Agreement entered into with the Instituto de Crédito Oficial.
In the Republic of Argentina, the Centre took part in the activities that involved preparing, updating and providing technical assistance for the Director Water Resources Plans for the river basins in the Province of Mendoza, through an agreement signed between the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) and CEDEX.
Guadalmed 2 Project: bivalvular molluscs of the Unio genus in the lower reaches of the River Guadiaro.
In Europe, the Centre has played an active part in the work that is being undertaken within the framework of the "Main joint-strategy activities for implementing the Water Framework Directive in Europe" and to be specific, in co-ordinating work group 2B "Comprehensive Management of River Basins", spearheaded by Spain and France. Work has continued with the activities that are being carried out at the European Environment Agency (EEA) Water Topic Centre, and mention must be made of the contribution made to the following projects: perfecting and developing the EUROWATERNET Quantity; developing the applications concerning the quantitative aspects of the water resources for the Reference Waterbase.
Developing the indicators concerning the water resources, and the use of water in Europe, for the EEA reports; and activities involved in Integrated Environmental Assessment. Furthermore, work was completed on compiling information for the Water Data Manual for EUROSTAT, the (European Union Statistics Office). This manual will serve as the reference text for preparing the joint EUROSTAT-OCDE questionnaire on water data.
With respect to Research And Technological Development, further progress was made on the following projects: "Incorporating non-conventional methodologies for an integrated development environment and application of real time models to flood prediction and reservoir management in the SAIH"; "WOISYDES" (Water Observation and Information System for Decision Support); "Ecological Study of Mediterranean Rivers. Ecological regionalizing, reference stations and quality evaluation prediction methods. Basins in Southern Spain (Guadalhorce and Guadiaro)", and "LIMNOPOLAR. Non-Marine Antarctic Aquatic Ecosystems as Climatic Change Indicators Study" Project on the Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island (Antarctic). Progress was also made with the activities scheduled as part of the agreement with the DGOHCA "Developing an Operating System for Directly Obtaining Thematic Maps of Photosynthetic Pigments using the MERIS Probe from the ENVISAT-1 Satellite. Application to Spanish Reservoirs", as well as the studies conducted on stepped spillways and on vibrations affecting gates.
Inauguration of the XI World Water Congress by the Minister of Environment, Dña. Mª Elvira Rodríguez Herrer, in the presence of the Secretary of State for Water and Coasts, Pascual Fernández Martínez.
Finally, work started on the activities forming part of the "E-Virtual projects: virtual training environment for improving responses and emergencies"; "Behaviour of earth dams affected by floods greater than the design floods with overtopping"; "Exploiting aggregates in a river section" and, finally, "Incorporating paleoflood and historical flood data in order to calculate design floods for dams".
Monographic article
Non-marine aquatic ecosystems in the Antartic as climatic change indicators
LIMNOPOLAR Project campsite on the Byers Peninsula (Livingston Island, Antarctic).
An increase in the carbon dioxide content recorded in the atmosphere in the 20th century, as a result of the burning of fossil fuels, is causing an increase in the greenhouse effect according to numerous studies conducted recently, and this will undoubtedly lead to a global warming of the climate. There is no general consensus about the potential scale of this warming in the future and there is also disagreement about the effects that this would have on the different regions of the Earth. However, one thing that does appear to be certain is that during the past century the average temperature of the planet has increased by about half degree Celsius.
One of the main unknown factors and concerns in this respect is how this hypothetical climatic change could affect the Antarctic continent, and to what extent a possible melting of the ice could lead to an increase in the sea level affecting the oceans of the Planet. The historical data recorded by several meteorological stations located on the Antarctic Peninsula show an average temperature increase in the atmosphere of more than two degree centigrade during the summer months since midway through the 20th Century.
The epicontinental aquatic ecosystems located in remote zones, far from direct potential effects or impact of humans, serve as effective climatic change indicators. The changes to which their physicochemical processes are subjected, plus the modifications to the structure and composition of their biological communities are a consequence exclusively of environmental variations. CEDEX, together with the Autonomous University of Madrid, the University of Valencia and the National Meteorology Institute, are developing a project financed by the National Research Programme in the Antarctic (Ministry of Science and Technology), the aim of which is to study the non-marine aquatic ecosystems in the Antarctic as indicators of climatic change.
Maintenance and downloading of data from the meteorological station. Data have been recorded on an ongoing basis since December 2001.
This project, known as LIMNOPOLAR, (Non-Marine Antarctic Aquatic Ecosystems as Climatic Change Indicators Study) commenced in 2001, and three fieldwork campaigns have been carried out during the summer months in the Southern Hemisphere on the Byers Peninsula (Livingston Island, Antarctic Peninsula), located approximately 40 km. from the Juan Carlos I Spanish Antarctic Base; this zone, described by the SCAR (Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research) as being of special scientific interest (Site of Special Scientific Interest No. 6) because of its environmental values, is considered to be the most important area of inland aquatic ecosystems on the Antarctic Peninsula, and one of the most significant ones on the whole Antarctic continent, there being more than 100 lakes and ponds, as well as a complex network of rivers and streams. The project also forms part of the International RiSCC Programme (Regional Sensitivity to Climate Change in Antarctic Ecosystems) backed by the SCAR, the objectives of which are directly linked to the aims of this study, in which the latter's work group plays an active part.
Sample taking with a gravitational corer for the paleolimnological analysis of the sediment in an ice-covered lake.
The project is based upon the hypothesis that throughout a latitudinal gradient the biodiversity and functionality of the Antarctic inland aquatic ecosystems would be subject to modification, and the biological diversity would decrease in the most extreme zones and would increase in the milder zones. The data obtained from the project, together with the information provided by other studies in other latitudinal gradient locations, will be used to model the response of Antarctic aquatic ecosystems to global climatic change, thereby establishing how the environmental variations, in this case latitude dependent, modify these ecosystems.
The climatic model is being constructed by working on the reconstruction of climatic evolution in the past and of the response of the aquatic ecosystems. With a view to this, paleolimnological analyses of the sediment in several lakes on the Byers Peninsula are being carried out. The remains of the subfossil communities of certain algae (diatomites), aquatic invertebrates (chironomides) or an analysis of certain chemical compounds at the different sediment record levels, enable one to reconstruct history over the last hundreds or thousands of years thanks to a detailed dating of those levels by analysing different isotopes.
The following are among the main tasks performed during the most recent field campaigns, 2002-2003 and 2003-2004:
- Operating and maintenance of the semi-permanent micrometeorological station, with gauges recording -continuously throughout the year- the air and ground temperatures, global and photosynthetically active radiation, the wind speed and direction and the relative humidity. During the summer months a record is also kept of the snowfall and rainfall, samples being taken for physicochemical analysis.
- A morphometric, hydrological and hydrochemical description of the lakes and streams studied. Several submerged gauges have been installed during the winter months to control some of the limnological parameters on an ongoing basis. Chains of thermistors were placed at different depths in some lakes, to enable to record the thermal evolution of these water masses and to establish the dates upon which the ice covers form and melt, this being closely linked to the climate and meteorology of each yearly cycle. These ice covers reached thicknesses of more than 1 metre in most of the lakes at the end of last winter, and electric drilling equipment had to be used so that samples could be taken during the latest campaign.
Surface sediment core sample obtained from the Limnopolar lake.
- Study of the biodiversity of the water masses: analysis of the bacteria and cyanobacteria diversity using both traditional and molecular methods; diversity and ecology of the diatomite and invertebrate communities in the different aquatic habitats; and establishing the autoecological optimums for the most organism that are most relevant as indicators.
- Functionality of aquatic ecosystems by studying the carbon and nitrogen cycles, carrying out in situ analyses of primary production, respiration and nitrogen fixation, under different environmental light and temperature conditions.
- Obtaining a series of sediment samples, up to 90 cm thick, from the deepest zone in one of the largest lakes on the peninsula, using a gravitational corer adapted with a percussion drilling system. The sediment corers were laminated in the igloo-laboratory at the campsite and preserved before being transported to Spain, where specialists subjected them to different types of paleolimnological analyses.
Isopleth diagram of the Limnopolar lake, showing the thermal inversion stratification under the ice cover and its melting process during the summer months
The extensive experience obtained by the Centro de Estudios Hidrográficos of CEDEX in the field of limnology, enabled those working on the project to apply many of the techniques developed for studying inland aquatic systems, as well as enabling them to use the most suitable and state-of-the-art field and laboratory instrumentation for this purpose.
Although the samples and data obtained are still being analysed, the initial observations and results recorded on the campaigns have revealed relevant findings: aquatic organisms and communities have been found that are highly sensitive to environment temperature changes, and their current development and distribution could be informing us about the recent climate changes on the Antarctic continent and, thus, on our planet, towards a global warming phenomenon. Once the laboratory work is completed and forecasting models are created, it is expected that a more detailed picture of the future climate scenario will be available and more will be known about its effects of the Earth's ecosystems.