The Influence of Climate and Land-Cover Scenarios on Dam Management Strategies in a High Water Pressure Catchment in Northeast Spain
J. Zabalza-Martínez 1,*, S. M. Vicente-Serrano 1, J. I. López-Moreno 1
, G. Borràs Calvo 2, R. Savé 3, D. Pascual 4, E. Pla 4, E. Morán-Tejeda 5, F. Domínguez-Castro 1 and C. L. Tague 6
, G. Borràs Calvo 2, R. Savé 3, D. Pascual 4, E. Pla 4, E. Morán-Tejeda 5, F. Domínguez-Castro 1 and C. L. Tague 6
1
Instituto Pirenaico de Ecología (IPE-CSIC), CSIC, Avenida Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain
2
Oficina Catalana del Canvi Climàtic (OCCC), Generalitat de Catalunya, 08029 Barcelona, Spain
3
IRTA, Environmental Horticulture, Torre Marimon, Caldes de Montbui, 08140 Barcelona, Spain
4
Centre de Reserca Ecològica i Aplicacions Forestals (CREAF), Bellaterra, 08193 Barcelona, Spain
5
Department of Geography, University of Balearic Islands, 07122 Palma de Mallorca, Spain
6
Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93117, USA
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Water 2018, 10(11), 1668; https://doi.org/10.3390/w10111668
Received: 27 September 2018 / Revised: 6 November 2018 / Accepted: 9 November 2018 / Published: 16 November 2018
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Selected Papers from the 1st International Electronic Conference on the Hydrological Cycle (ChyCle-2017))
Abstract
This paper evaluates the response of streamflow in a Mediterranean medium-scaled basin under land-use and climate change scenarios and its plausible implication on the management of Boadella–Darnius reservoir (NE Spain). Land cover and climate change scenarios supposed over the next several decades were used to simulate reservoir inflow using the Regional Hydro-Ecologic Simulation System (RHESsys) and to analyze the future impacts on water management (2021–2050). Results reveal a clear decrease in dam inflow (−34%) since the dam was operational from 1971 to 2013. The simulations obtained with RHESsys show a similar decrease (−31%) from 2021 to 2050. Considering the ecological minimum flow outlined by water authorities and the projected decrease in reservoir’s inflows, different water management strategies are needed to mitigate the effects of the expected climate change. View Full-TextKeywords:
climate change; land cover change; runoff; dam management; RHESsys; Mediterranean rivers
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MDPI and ACS Style
Zabalza-Martínez, J.; Vicente-Serrano, S.M.; López-Moreno, J.I.; Borràs Calvo, G.; Savé, R.; Pascual, D.; Pla, E.; Morán-Tejeda, E.; Domínguez-Castro, F.; Tague, C.L. The Influence of Climate and Land-Cover Scenarios on Dam Management Strategies in a High Water Pressure Catchment in Northeast Spain. Water 2018, 10, 1668.
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