The last thirty years have lost a total of about 1.2 square kilometers of coastal zone in the Nestos Delta region.
THE coastal erosion of areas in Nestos Deltathe management eutrophication phenomena in the lagoons of the area and the save water irrigation along the coastal zone of the Nestos River are three of the key issues addressed by the Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH) in the context of a cross-border project aimed at the environmental monitoring of the Black Sea Basin (MFA) supported by the Copernicus-PONTOS system.
THE Black Sea It is now considered one of the most sensitive regional seas due to the limited renewal of its water and the large watersheds of mainland Europe that end in it.
The main environmental problems facing the Black Sea are:
- nutrient hyperlipidemia and eutrophication caused
- changes in marine organisms, biodiversity and the invasion of alien species
- chemical pollution, including oil
- the stainless steel zone from 200m. depth to the bottom that transforms the Black Sea into a hydrogen sulfide production basin.
THE Professor of the Department of Environmental Engineering at DUTH George Sylaios and Director of the Laboratory of Ecological Engineering and Technology, during a press conference presented the objectives of the PONTOS project, with particular reference to the possibilities it provides, with the collection of environmental data for the Mt Basin and the wider region through the European Earth monitoring system , Copernicus.
“The area of ​​the Nestos Delta”noted Mr. Sylaios, “It has a number of environmental problems that we have been aware of in recent years from various studies we have done in the past. But now, with the help of the PONTOS project, we have focused on the three most important ones in an effort to manage them in the best way and at the same time to give the people who live and work here those tools that will help them deal with them. “.
The blockade of the river brought the erosion of the shores
According to Mr. Sylaios the coastal erosion is one of the most important problems facing the area in the Nestos Delta which was created after the dam of the river but also the pressure that these areas received from climate change. This data results in the existence of a severe retreat of the coast over 120 meters in many places, while the last thirty years have lost a total of about 1.2 square kilometers of coastal zone.
“Using satellite imagery”, underlined the professor of DUTH, “The coastline of the Nestos Delta was studied in detail in order to see the places where there are erosion problems and to prioritize them. “Understand the reasons for the coastal erosion and gradually provide a solution to what could be done to fix the problem.”
The phenomena of eutrophication
The second, major issue that the researchers addressed in the context of the PONTOS project, was the satellite monitoring of the lagoons of the wetland park of eastern Macedonia and Thrace in order to study the occurrence of eutrophication.
“Last year we had strong eutrophication and we all remember the problems created on the coasts by the mucus that covered the sea”Mr. Sylaios emphasized and continued, “Through satellite images and mathematical models we try to see how the concentration of phytoplankton evolves, how it starts and how it grows. The aim is to provide a tool that will help fish farmers operating in the lagoons to know the dangers and when this phytoplankton growth can lead to mass fish deaths which is the biggest problem they face. “.
Irrigation by scientific means
The third topic studied in the area as part of the research project is saving water in irrigation. The coastal zone and in general the plain of the river Nestos includes many agricultural crops which until today are irrigated only empirically.
“What we are trying to introduce to agriculture in the region”, pointed out the professor of the Department of Environmental Engineering, “It is scientific irrigation, the technologically advanced, which takes into account measurements from satellites, measurements from field sensors, mathematical models, simulations and calculations. The aim is to limit the amount of water that farmers irrigate, so that they can irrigate exactly when needed, the amount needed, in order to receive the best possible production. The issue of irrigation is important especially now that the energy is very expensive. The amount of water irrigated is converted into energy and energy at the cost of irrigation. We are practically reducing the cost of irrigation and we have managed to reduce it to 30% to 35% in the areas we have examined “.
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