| Title | Using water footprint concepts for water security assessment of a basin under anthropogenic pressures |
| Abstract | The evaluation of water shortages and pollution levels is crucial for watershed management and sustainable development. This paper proposes a water footprint (WF) sustainability assessment approach to analyse water security in a river basin under human pressures. The methodology involves a comprehensive assessment of the current water security at different spatial and temporal levels, and identifies suitable response formulations to achieve sustainability. Field surveys and measurements (streamflow, water quality) were carried out, and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool model was used for assessing water balance components and water quality. The study was carried out in the Canale d'Aiedda river basin (Taranto, Italy), which is part of the 'area of environmental crisis' of Taranto, which requires remediation of surface water, groundwater, soil and subsoil. Considering all the anthropogenic activities in the basin, including agriculture and the treated effluent disposed of via wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), the average WF was 213.9 Mm3 y-1, of which 37.2%, 9.2% and 53.6% comprised respectively for WFgreen, WFblue and WFgrey. The WF sustainability assessment revealed that pollution was the main factor affecting surface water security. In particular, point sources contributed with 90% to the total WFgrey, and lower pollutant thresholds should be fixed for effluent from WWTPs in order to increase water quality of the receiving water body. In addition, for assuring water security the extension of the natural areas should be increased to support biodiversity in the river basin and soil management strategies should be improved to allow more water to be retained in the soil and to reduce nutrients in surface runoff. This study demonstrates that the WF sustainability assessment is a feasible approach for integrated water resources management, as well as offering a much broader perspective on how water security can be achieved in a Mediterranean basin affected by multiple anthropogenic stressors. |
| Source | Science of the total environment 748 (141356), pp. 1–18 |
| Keywords | Integrated water resources managementMediterranean basinPoint and diffuse pollutionSWATWater footprint sustainability assessmentWater security |
| Journal | Science of the total environment |
| Editor | Elsevier, Lausanne ;, Paesi Bassi |
| Year | 2020 |
| Type | Articolo in rivista |
| DOI | 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141356 |
| Authors | D'Ambrosio E., Ricci G.F., Gentile F., De Girolamo A.M. |
| Text | 427895 2020 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141356 Integrated water resources management Mediterranean basin Point and diffuse pollution SWAT Water footprint sustainability assessment Water security Using water footprint concepts for water security assessment of a basin under anthropogenic pressures D Ambrosio E., Ricci G.F., Gentile F., De Girolamo A.M. Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Bari, Italy Water Research Institute, National Research Council, Bari, Italy The evaluation of water shortages and pollution levels is crucial for watershed management and sustainable development. This paper proposes a water footprint WF sustainability assessment approach to analyse water security in a river basin under human pressures. The methodology involves a comprehensive assessment of the current water security at different spatial and temporal levels, and identifies suitable response formulations to achieve sustainability. Field surveys and measurements streamflow, water quality were carried out, and the Soil and Water Assessment Tool model was used for assessing water balance components and water quality. The study was carried out in the Canale d Aiedda river basin Taranto, Italy , which is part of the area of environmental crisis of Taranto, which requires remediation of surface water, groundwater, soil and subsoil. Considering all the anthropogenic activities in the basin, including agriculture and the treated effluent disposed of via wastewater treatment plants WWTPs , the average WF was 213.9 Mm3 y 1, of which 37.2%, 9.2% and 53.6% comprised respectively for WFgreen, WFblue and WFgrey. The WF sustainability assessment revealed that pollution was the main factor affecting surface water security. In particular, point sources contributed with 90% to the total WFgrey, and lower pollutant thresholds should be fixed for effluent from WWTPs in order to increase water quality of the receiving water body. In addition, for assuring water security the extension of the natural areas should be increased to support biodiversity in the river basin and soil management strategies should be improved to allow more water to be retained in the soil and to reduce nutrients in surface runoff. This study demonstrates that the WF sustainability assessment is a feasible approach for integrated water resources management, as well as offering a much broader perspective on how water security can be achieved in a Mediterranean basin affected by multiple anthropogenic stressors. 748 Published version 27/07/2020 Articolo in rivista Elsevier 0048 9697 Science of the total environment Science of the total environment Sci. total environ. annamaria.degirolamo DE GIROLAMO ANNA MARIA TA.P04.005.006 Gestione a scala di bacino delle risorse idriche e sostenibilita dell uso irriguo in agricoltura |
