Methodology for identification and delimitation of intervention priority zones aimed at recovering ground- and surface waters’ Good status: Melides watershed case study

EnglishUnder the study PROWATERMAN a methodology to identify regions in a watershed demanding priority intervention in order to recover the good status of water bodies, as demanded by the Water Directive of the EU, was developed. The methodology takes into account the type of water body due to be recovered, the distribution and loads of the pollution sources, human settlings and soil occupation and its related pollution sources and water bodies in hydraulic connection with the water body to be recovered. In order to have a broad scope of application, this methodology was developed for: (1) surface waters, (2) groundwater. Its end result is a zonation of priority areas for intervention, which, in the case study is translated in 2 maps: (1) priority areas to control pollution from reaching the surface waters by surface discharges, (2) priority areas to control pollution from reaching the surface waters by groundwater discharges. This zonation classifies the areas from “Immediate Priority for intervention” to “Very Low Priority for intervention”. portuguesNo estudo PROWATERMAN foi desenvolvida uma metodologia para identificar regioes numa bacia hidrografica que sejam prioritarias para intervencao para a recuperacao do estado bom das massas de agua, em conformidade com a Directiva da Agua. A metodologia considera o tipo de massa de agua a ser recuperada, a distribuicao das cargas polu- entes, a ocupacao do solo e fontes de poluicao associadas, assim como as massas de agua em conexao hidraulica com a massa de agua a recuperar. De modo a ter um amplo campo de aplicacao, esta metodologia foi desenvolvida para massas de agua superficiais e subterrâneas. O seu resultado final e um mapa de zonamento de prioridades de intervencao, o que no caso de estudo e traduzido por dois mapas: (1) areas prioritarias para controlar a poluicao que atinge as aguas superficiais a partir de fontes superficiais, (2) areas prioritarias para controlar a poluicao que atinge as aguas superficiais a partir das descargas de aguas subterrâneas.