Project Tasks: Italian project component

The Abruzzo region is located on the Adriatic coast of central Italy. The territory is semicircular in shape with an area of 10,700 km2; the coastline delimits the eastern boundary. Most of the catchment is mountainous and there are a number of strong flowing rivers discharging to the coast (e.g. Vomano, Aterno-Pescara, Sangro). The rivers are extensively utilised for the generation of hydroelectric power.

One of the major conflicts in this region is between the competing demands for water by hydroelectric facilities, tourism and irrigation. The natural flow of water is heavily modified by well a developed hydroelectric network, which is damaging the local ecosystem. Water stored and diverted for hydroelectricity is eventually released for irrigation, so any reduction in flow in favour of recreational activities or the natural environment could seriously affect the agricultural sector. Trying to balance the competing demands is a major challenge.

The Vomano Water System:

• The Italian study is concentrating on the Vomano and Sangro catchments, which is dominated by a series of linked reservoirs. Water is required by for agricultural and tourist sectors but the flow between reservoirs is controlled to provide water for hydroelectric power. A simplified description of the Vomano water system in Abruzzo is presented in the figure below.

• The system is complex, including the reservoir stage-discharge functions (hydropower water intake and superficial spill way) and is time variant (e.g the irrigation districts' water demand is different in different seasons, the water abstraction of the Ruzzo aqueduct is higher in the summer season than in winter, and the hydropower plants operate only on week days).
  

• In Italy, an initial meeting with ENEL (the national power company of Italy) and the irrigation Consortium Bonifica Nord lead to the identification of the issues that are present in the Vomano catchment.

• A long time series of data has been collected and analysed; the results have been presented and discussed with the stakeholders via e-mail and direct contacts. On this basis a provisional Markovian model of the catchment has been identified, in which Bns are used to describe environmental effects and social issues in the irrigation sub-system. A visit from Birmingham University and CEH-Wallingford in July helped to further develop the techniques for stakeholder consultation.

• During the reporting period the following stakeholders were identified:

• Water Authorities:

Consorzio Bonifica Nord (Vomano)
Consorzio Bonifica Centro (Pescara)
Consorzio Bonifica Sud (Sangro)
Consorzio Bonifica interno (Campotosto, Aterno)
Consorzio di Bonifica Ovest (Liri-Garigliano)

• Aqueducts:

Ruzzo (Vomano to Teramo)
ACA (Vomano to Pescara)
Ferriera:

• Hydropower utilities:

ENEL
ACEA (2 plants on Sangro-Aventino river)
SEA (1 small plant on Vomano)
new small plants will be installed by irrigation districts

• Industrial district organisations
• Environmental N.G.O.
• WWF
• Italia Nostra
• Lega Ambiente