Applied tools to support Júcar management decisions during 2005-2007 drought

Abstract

[EN] Droughts in arid and semiarid Mediterranean basins have an increasing socioeconomic and environmental repercussion. The problem is especially complex in basins where droughts are very frequent and intense and where water resources are submitted to massive use. For that reason in the Mediterranean basins it is necessary to manage the water resources in constant alert in order to mitigate the consequences of a drought. In the last three years the worst historical drought has occurred in the Júcar River system. This paper shows the application of the tools and methodologies to support the management decision during the current drought. The application includes the follow-up and analysis of different types of drought, rainfall status, hydrological status and the simulation of water system management to evaluate the measures to take, and their effectiveness in the system. The application of these tools support the management decision through the forecast simulation of the system. All the results obtained, during these three years, have been shown to the Júcar Drought Commission created by Statutory Law 1265/2005, 21st October, by which exceptional administrative measures for the management of the hydraulic resources are adopted to correct the drought effects in the Júcar, Segura and Ebro river basins, and have supported the different management decision of the Commission throughout these years.