Line of action:

Status:

Execution date:

Climate change would cause, according to the entity, a reduction in circulating flows, which would aggravate the already delicate situation of river biodiversity. Rivers are ecosystems of enormous natural and socio-economic importance, so improving their flows would strengthen their resilience to climate change. That is why an improved ecological flow regime will make it possible to have resources not allocated to economic activities that can be used for human supply in an emergency due to drought.

The Q-Clima II project is an initiative that gives continuity to the work carried out within the framework of Q-Clima I, in which the effects of climate change on hydrological planning in relation to ecological flows were analysed, and on which progress has been made to assess the impact of the provisions of the special drought plans on ecological flows.

The main objective of the project has focused on determining the impact of climate change forecasts on available water resources and, more specifically, on the establishment of ecological flow regimes in the event of drought episodes.

• Analysis of the effects of recently approved drought plans (PES) on environmental flow regimes in a context of climate change.
• Analysis of the environmental flow regime in a selection of strategic masses and proposal for improvement.
• Study of the components that complete the definition of the ecological flow regime and that can be defined under regulatory structures in a context of climate change: generating flows (controlled floods) and rates of change.
• Evaluation of environmental flows in protected areas: relationship between planning and the regime of environmental flows, in particular PPNN and PPNN. Effects of flow regulation on the conservation of the natural values of these spaces.
• Holding a participatory workshop with experts and/or people interested in the issue for the proposal of improvements, presentation of the project and its results.
• Dissemination actions to publicise the milestones and progress of the project and the importance of ecological flows, in all its components, to improve or maintain the ecological status of water-related ecosystems in a context of climate change.

During the execution of the project, the effects of drought plans on ecological flows in a total of 7 river basin districts have been analysed, assessing the usefulness and degree of compliance with several components of the ecological flow regime, with special attention to controlled floods or generating flows as a tool for river restoration and to the problem of rates of change or sudden changes in flow downstream of reservoirs Hydroelectric.

Also during the initiative, we have collaborated closely with agents involved and experts in hydraulic management (Administrations, professionals in the scientific-technical field, NGOs, etc.) in a proposal for the correct monitoring of the ecological flow regime, in order to make water uses compatible with the good condition of aquatic ecosystems, delving into the problem of regulated rivers in protected areas.