AQUACOAST: A Simulation Tool to Explore Coastal Groundwater and Irrigation Farming Interactions

Jaime Martínez-Valderrama,Javier Ibáñez,Francisco J Alcalá

doi:10.1155/2020/9092829

Abstract

In the framework of coastal groundwater-dependent irrigation agriculture, modelling becomes indispensable to know how this renewable resource responds to complex (usually not conceptualized nor monitored) biophysical, social, and economic interactions. Friendly user interfaces are essential to involve nonmodeling experts in exploiting and improving models. Decision support systems (DSS) are software systems that integrate models, databases, or other decision aids and package them in a way that decision makers can use. This paper addresses these two issues: firstly with the implementation of a System Dynamics (SD) model in Vensim software that considers the integration of hydrological, agronomic, and economic drivers and secondly with the design of a Venapp, push-button interfaces that allow users access to a Vensim model without going through the Vensim modelling environment. The prototype designed, the AQUACOAST tool, gives an idea of the possibilities of this type of models to identify and analyze the impact of apparently unrelated factors such as the prices of cultivated products, subsidies or exploitation costs on the advance of saltwater intrusion, and the great threat to coastal groundwater-dependent irrigation agriculture systems.

Highlights

IntroductionIs resource is especially crucial in regions where the surface water network does not cover a fraction of the freshwater demand at least, such as in many coastal drylands [3]
A large proportion of the world’s population depends on groundwater resources [1]
Aquifers play a critical role in sustaining the economy and the environment [4], but water scarcity has led to high groundwater abstraction rates to supply the increasing urban, tourism, industrial, and agriculture demands, adding stress to groundwater bodies [5, 6]. e cases with alarming signs of groundwater quantity depletion and quality degradation do not stop increasing [7]

Summary

Introduction

Is resource is especially crucial in regions where the surface water network does not cover a fraction of the freshwater demand at least, such as in many coastal drylands [3]. In these areas, aquifers play a critical role in sustaining the economy and the environment [4], but water scarcity has led to high groundwater abstraction rates to supply the increasing urban, tourism, industrial, and agriculture demands, adding stress to groundwater bodies [5, 6]. The resulting groundwater salinity in many southern Europe coastal drylands exceed the standards of quality that the European Drinking Water Directive [13] recommends for human consumption and health, crop production, and survival of the ecosystems biodiversity [12]

Methods

Results

Conclusion