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Hydromed

Programme of Research on Hill Reservoirs in the Semi-Arid Zone of the Mediterranean Periphery
NUMBER: IC18-CT-1996-0091
Start Date: 01/11/1996 End Date: 01/04/2001
SUMMARY: (15/08/2000)

HYDROMED is a program of research on hill reservoirs in the semi-arid zone of the Mediterranean periphery. It is sustained by the European Commission in the framework of the INCO-DC program. It begun in November 1996. Its main objectives are as follows :

  • To study an optimal management of each type of hill reservoirs. The use of the supplement of water resource by users raises both technical and social questions such as, what is the duration of life of a reservoir (siltation) ? or what are the possible social organization of the users ?
  • To define an optimal land use planning upstream and downstream the artificial lake. To protect the reservoir, soil conservation works have to be planed on the slopes of the watershed. The development of lands close to the lake downstream (gravity irrigation) or on slopes (pumping requires adequate management. Fish breeding is a possibility to valorize the new water resource, just as the tourist exploitation of some sites.
  • To assess the impact of one or several lakes on the environment. The hill reservoir is considered as an artificial structure of little size with very few impacts on the environment. This postulate has often occulted researches on real impacts and on ecosystems modifications.

Hydromed contains four work packages, a training program and coordination activities. The four work package are :

  • Existent works synthesis in each country. This work package aims to establish the state of the art. It includes a bibliographical review, the analysis and synthesis of realizations and projects, the identification of constraints and the choice of pilot sites for relevant experimentation.
  • Water - soil - environment. This work package includes the study of process on pilot sites and the researching of indicators on the functioning of watersheds and hill reservoirs.
  • Agricultural economy - social management of the water and the erosion. The following activities are developed : analysis of the new economic practices introduced in traditional productions systems ; role of the different economic actors in designing, realizing and managing hill reservoirs and watershed works.
  • Sustainability of the hill reservoir and its integration in the durable development of marginal regions. This work package will use data and models crossing from the three preceding packages. Interactive models will be developed : physical resources - human resources - impacts on the environment.

The work carried out in this project should provide guidance for small and medium hydraulic works in soil and water conservation in semi-arid hill areas. It should identify natural and human constraints to the development of hill reservoirs and provide tools for assistance to decision makers at regional and national levels. It should also highlight the importance of small catchment areas in water resources mobilization particularly during dry periods.

EXPECTED RESULTS:

Scientific-technical results

The first expected outputs are publications in international journals leading to an improvement of knowledge on the hydrosystem " the small basin , the hill reservoir, management of slopes, the water table ".

According to the first work package the program produced a state of the art in each of the four countries (Lebanon, Morocco, Tunisia, Syria) on watershed management policies and on small and medium hydraulic accomplishment. A complete bibliography written by them is available.

The second work package includes fundamental research aspects on the water cycle and on geohydrochemical associated cycles. The expected scientific results are:

  • Simulation of hydrological balance and of water quality in a hill reservoir, depending of the degree of watershed management .
  • Models of the impact of slope management on the water cycle.
  • Models of water and solution transfers of the lake to the water table
  • Research of indicators of the environment in view of a typology of the Mediterranean small basins based on explanatory variables of rainy events, on geomorphological characteristics, on types of flows and on changes in the utilization and the occupation of basin lands.

The third work package develops agronomic models and economic studies. The expected scientific results are concerning :

  • Water crops model adapted to limited water resources coupled with the lake hydrological budget.
  • Sociological aspects of the erosion/land erosion control.
  • Analysis of the new economic practices introduced in traditional production systems.

Deliverables, pilot or demonstration plants

The second type of results are equipped pilot sites, technical reports, or accessible expert methods.
Ten pilot sites have been chosen and equipped. There are the place for demonstration, education and training. Two training session has been organized last year.
The work carried out in this project is providing guidance for small and medium hydraulic works in soil and water conservation in semi-arid hill areas. It should identify natural and human constraints to the development of hill reservoirs and provide tools for assistance to decision makers at regional and national levels. It should also highlight the importance of small catchment areas in water resources mobilization particularly during dry periods. Starting from the Tunisian example, Hydromed will deepen the reflection on projects of small and medium hydraulic systems and transfer it to the totality of the semi-arid Mediterranean periphery.

ACHIEVED RESULTS: (01/07/2000)

At this time, the main products of the program are

  1. Scientific publications : Two Phd dissertations are achieved and 3 other are in progress; 12 papers are published in scientific reviews ; 53 communications at a national or international meeting ; 4 technical notes ; 23 students dissertations (Masters, and Engineering schools) ; varied reports (6 progress reports of the program).
  2. Software : 3 important software were designed and several Macro commands are available.
  3. Coordination meetings : 3 meetings have been organised.
  4. Training : several training session have been organised by the program by the scientists themselves or by calling specialists. Four session on hydrological data collecting and processing were organized (2 in Tunisia, 1 in Morocco and 1 in Syria) ; 1 on GIS and 1 laser topography.
  5. One workshop on rain harvesting and management of small reservoirs in arid and semi arid areas took place in Lund (29 June - 2 July, 1998) with SIDA support. An another workshop on Hydrology of Mediterranean Regions is scheduled in Montpellier in October 11 - 13, 2000, sponsored by IRD and the FRIEND AMHY project (WMO)
  6. Several scientific stays in France and In Sweden for the partners of the MPC founded by IRD or by SIDA.

 
AVAILABLE DOCUMENTS:
CES - IRD Annuaire Hydrologiques Parus : 1994-95, 1995-96, 1996-97, 1997-1998, 1998-1999.
ALBERGEL J., CLAUDE J., JOB J.O. (1999) : Rapport de mission en Syrie et au Liban, du 29/1 au 2/2/99. IRD, Tunis.
GUIGUEN N. & LOUATI M.B.Y (1997) : Rapport de mission au Maroc. 3-10 Novembre 1997. ORSTOM IAV.
HYDROMED (1997) : Compte rendu de la première réunion de coordination.
HYDROMED (1997) : Premier et second rapports d’avancements.
HYDROMED (1997, 98) : Hydronews 1, Hydronews 2, Hydronews 3, Hydronews 4
HYDROMED (1998) : Troisième et Quatrième rapport d’avancement.
HYDROMED (1999) : Cinquième rapport d'avancement.
KARA DAMOUR S. & MISKI A. F. (1997) : Small dams and hill reservoirs in Syria. ACSAD.
MANSOURI T. (1998) : Etat d’avancement des travaux de recherche. Période du 1/1/97 au 30/10/97 ORSTOM, Université de Tunis II.
PEPIN Y. & LOUATI M.B.Y (1997) : Equipement des sites pilotes syriens. Rapport de mission en Syrie. Du 27 novembre au 4 décembre 1997. ORSTOM - ACSAD.
PEPIN Y. & LOUATI M.B.Y (1998) : Rapport de mission en Syrie. Du 8 au 17 décembre 1998. ORSTOM - ACSAD.
PERNIN C. (1998) : Règles de gestion de l’eau d’irrigation des lacs collinaires tunisiens. Rapport IRD/INAPG. 65 p.
ROOSE E. (1997) : Protection des terres et gestion du ruissellement à l’amont d’un lac collinaire en zone méditerranéenne semi-aride. Etude Bibliographique pour le projet Hydromed. ORSTOM Montpellier.
SELMI S. & NASRI S (1997) : Synthèse préliminaire sur les lacs collinaires de Tunisie. INGREF-ORSTOM Tunis
SELMI S. (1998) : Rapport sur le lac Syndiana. ORSTOM - ACSAD.
URL: http://www.bondy.ird.fr/gp623
TOPICS 1615 Hill reservoirs, 1300 Water Treatment
KEYWORDS Hill_reservoirs
 
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