scholarly journals Addressing Gaps in Environmental Water Policy Issues across Five Mediterranean Freshwater Protected Areas

Water ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 1853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dionissis Latinopoulos ◽  
Pantelis Sidiropoulos ◽  
Ifigenia Kagalou
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Extra Effort ◽  
Environmental Goals ◽  
Water Uses

The increasing pressure on water resources in Europe’s broader area led member states to take measures and adopt a common legislative “umbrella” of directives to protect them. The aim of this research is to investigate practicing deficiencies, information lacks and distances from optimal status as set by the Water Framework Directive and supporting water uses. This contributes to the improvement of the efficiency and harmonization of all environmental goals especially when management of Protected Areas is addressed. Gap analysis, an approach that reveals the distance between current and desired level, was carried out, targeting five Mediterranean hydro-ecosystems, covering three major water policy pillars “Monitoring Practices”, “Management Practices” and “Water Quality and Pressures”. Data for such analyses was collected by literature research supported by a query matrix. The findings revealed a lack in compliance with the Water Framework Directive regarding the “Monitoring Practices” and several deficiencies in sites burdened by eutrophication and human pressures on “Water Quality and Pressures” field. As for “Management Practices”, extra effort should be applied in all hydro-ecosystems to reach the desirable state. We suggest that gap analysis, as a harmonization tool, can unify apparently different areas under the same goals to reveal the extra necessary “investment”.

scholarly journals Resolving conflicting objectives in the management of the Plastiras Lake: can we quantify beauty?

2005 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 507-515 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Christofides ◽  
A. Efstratiadis ◽  
D. Koutsoyiannis ◽  
G.-F. Sargentis ◽  
K. Hadjibiros
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Power Production ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Water Release ◽  
Natural Landscape ◽  
Conflicting Objectives ◽  
Surrounding Landscape ◽  
Water Uses

Abstract. The possible water management of the Plastiras Lake, an artificial reservoir in central Greece, is examined. The lake and surrounding landscape are aesthetically degraded when the water level drops, and the requirement of maintaining a high quality of the scenery constitutes one of the several conflicting water uses, the other ones being irrigation, water supply, and power production. This environmental water use, and, to a lesser extent, the requirement for adequate water quality, results in constraining the annual release. Thus, the allowed fluctuation of reservoir stage is not defined by the physical and technical characteristics of the reservoir, but by a multi-criteria decision, the three criteria being maximising water release, ensuring adequate water quality, and maintaining a high quality of the natural landscape. Each of these criteria is analyzed separately. The results are then put together in a multicriterion tableau, which helps understand the implications of the possible alternative decisions. Several conflict resolution methods are overviewed, namely willingness to pay, hedonic prices, and multi-criteria decision analysis. All these methods attempt to quantify non-quantifiable qualities, and it is concluded that they don't necessarily offer any advantage over merely making a choice based on understanding.

Water-Related Tools for Climate Change Adaptation in the Flemish Region: The Art of Linking Water Quality Standards to Spatial Planning

2010 ◽  
Vol 7 (3) ◽  
pp. 287-301
Author(s):  
Peter De Smedt
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Framework Directive ◽  
Spatial Planning ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Quality Standards ◽  
Water Bodies ◽  
Water Quality Standards ◽  
Environmental Objectives ◽  
The Impact

AbstractThe Water Framework Directive (2000/60/EC) establishes a framework for integrated water management and functions as a major legal frame for the protection of water bodies in Europe. In the Flemish Region the Directive has been implemented by the Decree of 18 July 2003 on Integral Water Policy. As climate change affects the quality and quantity status of water bodies, the question arises whether the Water Framework Directive (WFD) and the Flemish implementation legislation are well-suited to handle climate change impacts. Although climate change concerns are not explicitly incorporated in the text of the WFD and the Flemish Decree, this author believes that the main components for an effective adaptation strategy are included in the above mentioned legislation. More in particular, this is achieved by the environmental objectives which have to be elaborated in environmental quality standards (EQS) on the one hand, and the integrated approach on the other hand. Water quality management on the basis of a high level of protection of the aquatic environment is indispensable for adapting to climate change, as ecosystem-based adaptation is most cost-effective. Therefore spatial planning should integrate water quality concerns, as spatial planning may be critical for spatial quality and more specific for the achievement of the environmental objectives. Consequently this contribution focuses on the impact of water quality standards on permit decision-making and spatial planning. In this context some legal instruments anchored in the Flemish legislation on integral water policy will be highlighted, especially the 'watertoets' (translated as the water checkup), which may be useful to facilitate adaptation to climate change.

scholarly journals Water for African elephants ( Loxodonta africana ): faecal microbial loads affect use of artificial waterholes

2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (8) ◽  
pp. 20180360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mduduzi Ndlovu ◽  
Antón Pérez-Rodríguez ◽  
Emma Devereux ◽  
Miranda Thomas ◽  
Alfredo Colina ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Protected Areas ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Animal Movement ◽  
Loxodonta Africana ◽  
Quality Parameters ◽  
Camera Traps ◽  
African Elephants ◽  
Strong Negative Correlation ◽  
Key Species

In semi-arid protected areas, artificial waterholes ensure that water is locally available to animals for extended periods. However, artificial waterholes may limit animal movement, which contributes towards habitat deterioration. Challenges of artificial water provisioning worsen in the presence of ecosystem engineers like African elephants Loxodonta africana , capable of transforming environments. Camera traps were used to monitor elephant visitation at 21 artificial waterholes in the Kruger National Park, South Africa. We also assessed if water quality parameters influenced elephant preference for certain waterholes. There were no significant correlations between elephant abundance and water physicochemical properties. However, there was a strong negative correlation between elephant abundance and levels of Escherichia coli in water. Our findings suggest that elephants avoid drinking water with high levels of faecal microbial loads. Whereas most studies addressing animal management in protected areas consider waterholes as homogeneous units, we posit that water quality could also determine local landscape use and movement patterns of key species like elephants, a finding with relevant implications in reserve management practices.

scholarly journals Protected areas in boreal Canada: a baseline and considerations for the continued development of a representative and effective reserve network

2014 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 135-160 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret E. Andrew ◽  
Michael A. Wulder ◽  
Jeffrey A. Cardille
Keyword(s):  
Protected Areas ◽  
Boreal Forests ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Sustainable Forest Management ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Natural Disturbance ◽  
Boreal Zone ◽  
Mammal Species ◽  
Disturbance Regimes ◽  
Management Interventions

Boreal forests maintain regionally important biodiversity and globally important ecosystem services, such as carbon storage and freshwater resources. Many boreal systems have limited anthropogenic disturbances and are preserved, in effect, to date largely by their harsh climates and remoteness. As of 2011, almost 10% of Canada is subject to some manner of formal protection, with 4.5% of this protected area found within the boreal zone. The management of existing parks and protected areas (PPAs) is shared amongst many federal, provincial, and territorial jurisdictions. Although there are currently low levels of anthropogenic development in some portions of the boreal zone (especially the north), if expansion of protected areas is of interest, there are challenges to traditional PPA networks that may be more prominent in the boreal zone than elsewhere: (1) the boreal zone is home to charismatic mammal species with area requirements much larger than typical PPAs; (2) the boreal zone is characterized by natural disturbance regimes that impact large areas; and (3) projected changes to climate for the boreal zone are among the greatest in the world, creating temporal considerations for conservation planning exercises. There is currently no PPA assessment specific to boreal Canada. To address this lack of an assessment, we developed a conservation gap analysis of the current PPA system with respect to a variety of environmental surrogates (ecozones, land cover, vegetation productivity, and landscape structure). The amount of formally protected land varied within each surrogate, with few commonly reported features meeting national or international conservation targets. Furthermore, few reserves met the areal requirements that have been previously recommended to protect large mammals or accommodate the disturbance regimes present. We also discuss considerations and implications of area-based versus value-based protection objectives. While recognizing that there are still scientific challenges around understanding and evaluating the effectiveness of PPAs, based upon our review and assessment, the following considerations should inform conservation options for the boreal zone: (1) representation of the distribution of natural features within the PPA network; (2) effective maintenance of habitat requirements and spatial resilience to both cyclical and directional changes in spatial patterns through large, connected reserves; and (3) implementation of sustainable forest management practices (where applicable) throughout the broader landscape, as traditional on-reserve protection is unlikely to be sufficient to meet conservation goals. The Canadian boreal is unique in possessing large tracts of inaccessible forested lands that are not subject to management interventions, thereby offering functions similar to protected lands. The question of how to more formally integrate these lands into the existing PPA network requires further consideration. Further, the important temporal role of landscape dynamics in designing an effective PPA needs to be further studied as well as development of a better understanding of design needs in the context of a changing climate.

scholarly journals Potted Poinsettia Production: Irrigation and Water Quality

EDIS ◽  
1969 ◽  
Vol 2004 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Craig D. Stanley ◽  
Brent K. Harbaugh
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Fertility Control ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Cooperative Extension Service ◽  
University Of Florida ◽  
Advantages And Disadvantages ◽  
Intensively Managed ◽  
The Impact

There is no more essential component for the poinsettia production system than water, yet it is often less intensively managed than other production inputs. Perhaps the tendency to overlook the importance of water occurs because its use is linked so closely to other components of production which are intensively managed. Water management is a critical consideration for many aspects of production such as fertility control, media selection, and disease and insect control. In addition, because water conservation and protection have become important issues to society as a whole, poinsettia producers must consider management practices which minimize the impact that production has on the environment and water resources. This paper will discuss the uses of water in poinsettia production, the advantages and disadvantages of the use of different irrigationsystems (management, maintenance, water conservation, and economics) available for poinsettia production, irrigation water requirements and scheduling, and plant and environmental water quality concerns. This is document SL-212, a publication of the Soil and Water Science Department, Florida Cooperative Extension Service, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL. Published January 2004.

scholarly journals "Grass" By Any Other Name - Xeriscaping And Sustainability

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 9-22
Author(s):  
C. Kenneth Meyer ◽  
Richard B. Strong ◽  
Jeffrey A. Geerts ◽  
Doug Bennett
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Management Practices ◽  
Final Analysis ◽  
The United States ◽  
Structured Interview ◽  
Professional Literature ◽  
Southern Nevada ◽  
History Of

With water conservation and use policy considered to be among the greatest challenges facing contemporary society, this case takes on the enduring issues associated with water and how it impacts urban planning, land use, water conservation, economic development, and sustainability. Conflicted on the uses of natural and artificial turf, Jerard Leon, director of Blue Havens Planning Commission recommends that Joseph Teaberry, landscape architect, contact a premier program on xeriscape in the United States the Southern Nevada Water Authority (SNWA). Teaberry prepares for an in-depth, structured interview with Doug Bennett, conservation manager of SNWA. He reviews the relevant academic and professional literature on the hydrologic cycle, and the economics and geological concerns that affect water use policy, including the meaning of Water quality, Watershed, and the sundry metrics used to assess water quality under the Clean Water Act, 1972. As the structured interview reveals, Teaberry learns about the history of water policy in the Colorado Basin, the multiple uses and costs associated with water consumption in the SNWA, and the conservation practices and water policy pricing policies and how they impact water utilization. In the final analysis, Teaberry discusses the various strategic management practices employed by SNWA and their attendant efficacies, successes/failures pertaining to water policy education, pricing, inducement, enforcement, and the future water policy concerns. The case has several take-away points associated with xeriscape policy, followed by six poignant questions that stimulate broad discussion on the general areas of water resource policy.

Agricultural water policy in China: challenges, issues, and options

Water Policy ◽  
2007 ◽  
Vol 9 (S1) ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Giordano
Keyword(s):  
Water Use ◽  
Water Policy ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Agricultural Sector ◽  
Rural Poverty ◽  
Rural Livelihoods ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
Agricultural Water ◽  
Agricultural Water Use ◽  
Water Uses

Agriculture is still by far the largest consumer of water in China. However, industrial, urban and now environmental water uses are rapidly growing. While in the past these new water needs could have been met through additional development or allocations, today scarcity – in terms of quantity, quality or both – means that new utilization often comes at the expense of other uses, in particular agricultural. The increasing pressure on agricultural water use comes at a time when rural poverty reduction and national food security are major national goals. The key questions are thus whether and how policy reform can contribute to changes in water use which maintain agricultural production and enhance rural livelihoods while at the same time freeing water for new, higher value uses outside the agricultural sector. This paper provides both an overview of the major issues behind these questions as well as a synthesis of the papers included in this special issue and their insights into the answers to those questions.

scholarly journals Resolving conflicting objectives in the management of the Plastiras Lake: can we quantify beauty?

2005 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 801-819
Author(s):  
A. Christofides ◽  
A. Efstratiades ◽  
G.-F. Sargentis ◽  
D. Koutsoyiannis ◽  
K. Hadjibiros
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Power Production ◽  
Environmental Water ◽  
High Quality ◽  
Water Release ◽  
Natural Landscape ◽  
Conflicting Objectives ◽  
Surrounding Landscape ◽  
Water Uses

Abstract. The possible water management of the Plastiras Lake, an artificial reservoir in central Greece, is examined. The lake and surrounding landscape is aesthetically degraded when the water level drops, and the requirement of maintaining a high quality of the scenery constitutes one of the several conflicting water uses, the other ones being irrigation, water supply, and power production. This environmental water use, and, to a lesser extent, the requirement for adequate water quality, results in constraining the annual release. Thus, the allowed fluctuation of reservoir stage is not defined by the physical and technical characteristics of the reservoir, but by a multi-criteria decision, the three criteria being maximizing water release, ensuring adequate water quality, and maintaining a high quality of the natural landscape. Each of these criteria is analyzed separately. The results are then put together in a multicriterion tableau, which helps understand the implications of the possible alternative decisions. Several conflict resolution methods are overviewed, namely willingness to pay, hedonic prices, and multi-criteria decision analysis. All these methods attempt to quantify non-quantifiable qualities, and it is concluded that they don't necessarily offer any advantage over merely making a choice based on understanding.

scholarly journals Gap Analysis Targeting WFD Monitoring and Pressure Mapping: Lessons Learned from “EcoSUSTAIN”, Interreg-MED Project

Proceedings ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 2 (11) ◽  
pp. 621
Author(s):  
Dionissis Latinopoulos ◽  
Pantelis Sidiropoulos ◽  
Ifigenia Kagalou
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Gap Analysis ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Literature Research ◽  
Pressure Mapping ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Water Uses

According to WFD, European countries shall establish monitoring programmes for water quality overview. In EcoSUSTAIN, an Interreg–MED project, Gap analysis, an approach that reveals the difference between current and desired level, was carried out, targeting five Mediterranean hydro-ecosystems covering “Monitoring Practices” and “Water Quality and Pressures”. Our goal is to investigate practicing deficiencies, as long as information lack and distance from desirable status, supporting water uses and WFD goals. Data was collected by literature research supported by questionnaires. The findings on both fields, revealed problematic areas dealing with the compliance with the WFD and several deficiencies in tackling pressures.

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