Increasing water retention through afforestation, landscaping and reducing the stream gradient in Xiropotamos River Basin, Greece

General

National Id

Greece_01

Site name

Xiropotamos River Basin

Light or indepth?

Light

NUTS Code

Δυτική Μακεδονία (Dytiki Makedonia)

RBD code

GR09

Transboundary

Data provider

Maggie Kossida, IACO

Source(s)

Approval for environmental terms for implementation of forest hydroeconomy works in mountainous areas in part of the river basin of Xiropotamos

NWRM(s) implemented in the case study

Maintenance of forest cover in headwater areas

Stream bed re-naturalization

Site information

Climate zone

warm temperate dry

Mean rainfall

609,799987792969

Mean rainfall unit

mm/year

Average temperature

11,6000003814697

Mean runoff

1,92999994754791

Mean runoff unit

600 - 750 mm

Type

Case Study Info

Performance

Performance impact estimation method

Unknown

Performance impact estimation information

Non applicable

Design & implementations

Application scale

River Basin

Lifespan

Performance timescale

1 - 4 years

Area (ha)

2800

Area subject to Land use change or Management/Practice change (ha)

2800

Design capacity description

The retention measures are based on eliminating soil erosion and decreasing the stream gradient, though small scale dams. The maximum volume of runoff water that can be retained is not determined in the study.

Constraints

The constrains include the implementation of such measures in protected areas and the limitations that are for this reason necessary

Favourable preconditions

The necessary preconditions are the climate conditions and the hydrology of the area.

Design contractual arrangement

Arrangement type	Responsibility	Role	Comments	Name

Design consultation activity

Activity stage	Key issues	Name	Comments

Design land use change

Land use change type

Design authority

Authority type	Role	Responsibility	Name	Comments
Regional / sub-national water authority	Determination of design details of the measure		The Decentralised Administration of Epirus and Western Macedonia, Directorates General of Land Planning and Environmental Policy, Directorate of Environment, Land Planning of Western Macedonia, Department of Environment and Land Planning

Lessons, risks, implications...

Key lessons

The retention measures are based on the principles of eliminating soil erosion though afforestion and other planting measures. Also the decrease of the stream gradient, though small scale dams has decreased stream flow velocity and sendiment retention. Thus, the risk of flash floods is minimised in the downstream area and the biodiversity of the area is increased. Water retention management can be implemented through improvement of the soil and changes in the stream flow.

Success factor(s)

Success factor type	Success factor role	Comments
Attitude of decision makers	main factor	The decision makers approved the relevant environmental impact assessment

Financing

Financing type	Comments
National funds

Barrier

Barrier type	Barrier role	Comments
Lacking coordination between authorities	main barrier	The regional with the local authorities for the permissions etc

Driver

Driver type	Driver role	Comments
Other	main driver	The improved mountainous hydrology of the area.

Financing share

Financing share type	Share	Comments

Policy, general governance and design targets

Policy description

The specific interventions aim at slowing down the stream velocity with retaintion dams and reduction of stream gradient. Additionally the application aimed at reducing soil erosion through afforestation and planting in order to improve the soil properties and mitigate flood risk.

Part of wider plan

Policy target

Target purpose
Runoff control
Peak-flow reduction
Erosion Control
Improved Biodiversity

Policy pressure

Pressure directive	Relevant pressure

Policy area

Policy area type	Policy area focus	Name	Comments

Policy impact

Impact directive	Relevant impact

Policy wider plan

Wider plan type	Wider plan focus	Name	Comments

Policy requirement directive

Requirement directive	Specification

Socio-economic

Direct benefits information

The direct benefits include the reduction of the flood risk, the mitigation of soil erosion, the improvement of the micro-environment as well as the aesthetic restoration of the area.

Ancillary benefits information

Ancillary benefits include the increase of infiltration / percolation and recharge of aquifers; this water can be used for different purposes (e.g agriculture) as well as for ecosystem services. Also the aesthetic improvement of the area has positive societal impacts

Costs investment information

The measures have not been implemented yet in the area

Costs operation maintenance

The measures have not been implemented yet in the area

Costs total information

The measures have not been implemented yet in the area

Ecosystem improved biodiversity

Information on Ecosystem improved biodiversity

The measures are expected to have positive impact on the biodiversity of the area

Information on Ecosystem provisioning services

Not relevant for this application

Ecosystem impact climate regulation

No information available

Information on Ecosystem impact climate regulation

The micro-climate and micro-environment is expected to be positively affected by the implemented measures; however the degree of impact is not assessed

Biophysical impacts

Information on retained water

The volume of retained water was increased due to the small scale dams as well as the improvement in the area vegitation after the afforestation/plantation

Information on increased water storage

The measures slowed down the stream flow and increased the retaining of water for longer period enabling the infiltration/percolation and recharge of aquifers.

Information on runoff reduction

The measures improved the runoff control as the velocity of water volume was reduced leading to decreasing the intensity and frequency of floods.

Information on Water quality overall improvements

Not relevant for this application

Soil quality overall soil improvements

Positive impact-SQ improvement

Information on Soil quality overall soil improvements

The measures have a direct impact on the overall soil quality as afforestation / plantation of the area succeeds in improving the soil properties leading to increased soil storage capacity. Soil erosion have reduced the soil capacity to store and retain water thus an improvement in the soil properties (e.g. soil moisture) can have a positive impact on the soil infiltration capacity.