Field studies on hydrodynamic behaviour of brine discharges

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Since 2000, the Spanish Centre for Experimentation on Public Works (CEDEX) has been working in order to cover the lack of legal regulations of brine discharges resulting from desalination processes, and the lack of methodological tools which optimize the design of brine discharges into the sea and contribute to the study of their behaviour and the evaluation of potential impacts on ecosystems. In this context, the Environmental Hydraulics Institute of the University of Cantabria and the Spanish Centre for Studies on Ports and Coasts of CEDEX are carrying out a R&D project entitled “Development and implementation of a methodology to reduce the environmental impact of brine discharges from desalination plants” (MEDVSA project) to provide a methodology that takes into account the significant technical and environmental issues for the proper management of the brine. As part of the MEDVSA project, the study and field characterization of eight desalination plants brine discharges placed at the Spanish coast was performed. The article deal with the field works carried out on the discharge area for Alicante I-II, Valdelentisco, Las Palmas III-IV and Santa Cruz I desalination plants.