Author(s): Nicolas Garcia Salazar; Nuno Barreiras; Luis Costa; Jose Paulo Monteiro
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Abstract: Despite Portugal's relative water resource abundance, the southern Algarve region, with its semi-arid climate, has variable rainfall patterns that challenge stable and sustainable water supply management. The region has been witnessing recurrent droughts over the past two decades, which, coupled with increasing water demands, have increased groundwater stress and threatened its sustainability. Additionally, declines in groundwater levels, saline intrusion, and increased nitrate concentrations have all been linked to over-exploitation of the area's karstic aquifers. Against this backdrop, and in the pursuit of sustainable groundwater management, the study endeavours to test diverse groundwater sustainability indicators on three critical Algarve groundwater bodies: Almadena- Odeaxere (PTM2), Mexilhoeira Grande-Portimao (PTM3), and Querenca-Silves (PTM5). Almost no studies of water management using a comprehensive set of groundwater sustainability indicators have been conducted in Portugal before. Therefore, this study offers a new method to assess sustainability by employing different indicators that provide valuable support to policymakers and managers.
Year: 2024