Water Resources Management
Client: Ministry of Rural Development and Food
Year: 2005
ISSUE
The purpose of the project was the approval of the Environmental Permit for the implementation of the artificial recharge of the karst systems of Yperia – Orphana, in order to ensure the smooth operation of all irrigation wells that have been developed within the karst system of the area, as well as several adjacent wells that have been developed in the sedimentary basin and supplied by the karst system.
View of the study area adjacent to the recharge tunnel
SOLUTION
In the target region, the increase of cultivated land required increased quantities of pumped water, causing depletion of the aquifer level, although the entire region is relatively aquiferous.
The design of the proposed projects of artificial recharge includes the following:
- abstraction of the necessary flows for the recharge from the riverbed of Enipea
- removal of suspended material in sedimentation basins
- conveyance of free the from suspended material flows through a water transmission canal to an underground tunnel and recharge of the karst aquifer through small wells in the floor of the tunnel
- construction of auxiliary small projects for restoring transportation, managing sediment, monitoring of parameters relating to the operation of the projects (e.g. flow measurement) etc
The project of artificial recharge contributes to the restoration of the impaired water balance and serves farming interests by stimulating the local economy and covering substantially the existing irrigation needs.
The project identified the existing project condition and investigated the existing natural and human environment. Further, information on the feasibility of the project was given, followed by a detailed technical description of the project.
Finally, the extent and magnitude of the environmental impact during construction and operation of the project was described along with ways to mitigate the environmental impacts.
Overall, the construction of the project induced no major morphological changes in the region since the project included essentially a terrace on the river and a water transmission canal. It should be noted that the water balance of river Enipea, has not been disrupted because in summer there is no water abstraction, while during the winter flow abstractions occur only when the river flow excees 1m³/sec.
BENEFIT
The environmental impact assessment study was submitted to the environmental public authority for the approval of the Environmental Permit. The project contributed to the aquifer recharge of the karst system of Yperia–Orphana resulting in smooth operation of irrigation wells in the area.