WATER - Strengthening the scientific foundation of water quality programs

The project area (Kalo Horio catchment) drains into the two Larnaca salt lakes, a Natura 2000 site. The lakes are the second largest in size and importance in Cyprus after the Akrotiri salt lake in Limassol. Despite its ecological importance, the site is under severe pressure from human activities, such as industrial pollution from the Aradipou industrial zone, non-point pollution from agricultural and farming activities, the Larnaca airport and the Larnaca Sewage Treatment Plant. The overall goal of the project is to strengthen the scientific foundation of water management programmes, including criteria development for pollutants with high potential impact on environmental quality and biodiversity. As such, the project will establish and demonstrate an innovative set of methods and tools for the design and implementation of programmes for the preservation of the high environmental quality and good ecological status of water bodies. The major technical objective of the project is to establish and implement detailed, distributed dynamic simulation models in terms of a dynamic water budget (based on the natural climate-driven hydrological cycle, anthropogenic demand, and allocations), resulting in water availability and quality criteria. Its expected results are:

• Catchment-scale water-resources modelling and decision-support tools for Cyprus Environment Service;
• A Water Management Tools System Guide;
• Water quality and environmental assessment indicators for the Kalo Horio Basin;
• A geospatial pollutant sources database using satellite imagery or orthophotography;
• A set of Total Maximum Daily Loads (TMDLs) for the Kalo Horio/Larnaca salt lake basin; and
• Training of environment Service personnel, and personnel from other government departments competent in water management.