Prioridad proyecto 27: 1 - Preserving Sudoe's natural capital and adapting to climate change

Prior to the development of the virtual stations system, an action plan will be defined for data selection, collection and preparation, ensuring its quality and adequacy. In addition, following the implementation of pilot tests with virtual stations integrated into enhanced irrigation applications, a report on the efficiency of the developed solutions and on policy guidance will be produced. This will form the basis of the project’s strategic approach and will be widely disseminated among public decision-makers across the Sudoe area.
This strategic document will be based on the results obtained and on the pilot trials carried out, with the aim of providing clear and applicable recommendations to improve public policies related to water resource management for agricultural purposes. It will also support decision-making processes by promoting a more efficient, sustainable and context-adapted use of water resources.

As a result of the implementation of innovative pilot-scale solutions, in parallel with the development of the White Paper and under the coordination of the participating entities, a technical implementation action plan will be developed to translate the recommendations contained in this strategic document into operational practice.

This document, of a highly practical nature, will serve as a detailed guide for the deployment of the solutions tested in the fields of prevention, early detection and remediation of cyanobacterial blooms. It will also contribute to facilitating the understanding, application and uptake of policy guidelines, by providing concrete and directly applicable technical support for their integration into planning instruments, in particular the River Basin Management Plans of the fourth cycle of the Water Framework Directive.

Moreover, this output will play a key role in the transfer of results across the entire Sudoe area, contributing significantly and sustainably to improving the management of risks associated with cyanobacterial proliferations and their impacts on water quality.

This document, which will be developed under the leadership of the Agência Portuguesa do Ambiente and taking into account the results obtained across the different territories of the Sudoe area, will include a set of recommendations aimed at their integration into public policies related to the management of water body quality.
In general, it will promote a shift from an approach focused on mitigating impacts after they occur towards one based on anticipation, prevention and early detection of cyanobacterial bloom events. In addition, the document will include a detailed analysis of the triggering factors of these phenomena, proposing solutions that enable early action, thereby reducing environmental impacts, associated costs, and restrictions on water uses and economic activities.