CCC Results 2.0 B8

Authors:	Ayala, R; Becerra, A; Iribarne, LF; Bienvenido, JF; Bosch, A; Diaz, JR
Title:	ESTIARA *SIG: A decision support system for rural planning. Application to water resources management in the province of Almeria
Source:	COMPUTERS IN AGRICULTURE, 1998, 502-510 1998
Keywords:	geographic information systems; decision support systems; water management

Abstract:
The province of Almeria, located in the southeast of Spain, has experienced an uncontrolled growing of the surface dedicated to greenhouses cultivations within the last decade. Note, also, that this province holds the only european desert, showing its highest aridity level. It is, then, necessary to make an adequate arrangement of all the factors involved in the rural development of our province, being water resources management one of the most important. To carry out this planning, we have developed a decision support tool, based on GIS technology, which includes the most relevant information related to the socioeconomic and agrarian environment. This tool allows to generate reports, layouts and charts by objective areas, in a full dynamic way, using a flexible and adaptable user interface. One the most important features of this tool is an estimation model for water resources management. This model inputs are the wells, darns and fountains, including their most relevant properties (chlorides, sodiums, conductivity, hardness, ph, nitrates, bicarbonates, etc.), allowing to evaluate the water quality and its effects on the supply to the different growing zones. The consumption estimation model is based on a greenhouses and land use classification through the use of satellite images, including estimation parameters to determine the average consumption according to the main features of the studied area (growing types, population, soil typologies, etc.). The system allows to generate detailed reports of demand, consumption and supply for greenhouse zones, as well as for urban areas. With this tool, different proposals for the development of certain cultivations can be elaborated, according to their water needs, taking into account its quantity and quality. Now, the integration of forecast, distribution and loss models to the system is being evaluated.

Reprints:	AYALA R,UNIV ALMERIA,DEPT COMP SCI;CTRA SACRAMENTO S-N; ALMERIA 04120, SPAIN. rmayala@ualm.es
Research Institutions:	Univ Almeria, Dept Comp Sci, Almeria 04120, Spain.
Discipline:	CURRENT BOOK CONTENTS
CC Editions / Collections:	Agriculture, Biology & Environmental Sciences (ABES)
Language:	English
Document type:	Article
IDS No.:	BM56P
Publisher:	AMER SOC AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERS, 2950 NILES RD, ST JOSEPH, MI 49085-9659 USA