Sustainable Water: Uncertainty, Risk and Vulnerability in Europe

SWURVE Case Studies

Case Study 5

Transboundary River Basins

A study will be made of the regulation and management of the Guadiana river. Bilateral agreements between Spain and Portugal are in operation which may need to be re-negotiated to allow for the impacts of climate change.

The collaborating end-user is the national institute responsible for the agreement, which operates a water-resource systems model of the basin.

Additionally, the controversial Alqueva dam is nearing completion in the basin, impounding an area of some 250 km², of which 35 km2 lies in Spain. The dam will be used for hydropower as well as a total area of irrigation around 1100 km². There is considerable use of water for agricultural irrigation in this region, which has been severely affected by drought in the 1990s, requiring government aid. The study will include investigation of the vulnerability and viability of different types of agriculture in present and future climates.

<< Back to Case Studies

• Case Study 1 Surface water reservoir system
• Case Study 2 Combined sewer overflows
• Case Study 3 Lake regulation operations
• Case Study 4 Hydropower operation
• Case Study 5 Transboundary river basins
• Case Study 6 Public water supply
• Case Study 7 Rhine discharges
• Case Study 8 Ecological impacts of climate variability