Uncoupled Precipitation and Water Availability: The Case Study of Municipality of Sfakia, Crete, Greece
Sfakia is a mountainous municipality located in the southwestern area of the island of Crete, including the southern part of the Lefka Ori Mountain, with an elevation ranging from sea level to over 2400 m. The mountainous massif mainly consists of carbonate rocks and intense karstic phenomena can be...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-02-01
|
| Series: | Water |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/3/462 |
| _version_ | 1797484010844192768 |
|---|---|
| author | Vasileios A. Tzanakakis Aikaterini Pavlaki Emmanouil Lekkas Emmanouil A. Varouchakis Nikolaos V. Paranychianakis Giorgos Fasarakis Andreas N. Angelakis |
| author_facet | Vasileios A. Tzanakakis Aikaterini Pavlaki Emmanouil Lekkas Emmanouil A. Varouchakis Nikolaos V. Paranychianakis Giorgos Fasarakis Andreas N. Angelakis |
| author_sort | Vasileios A. Tzanakakis |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Sfakia is a mountainous municipality located in the southwestern area of the island of Crete, including the southern part of the Lefka Ori Mountain, with an elevation ranging from sea level to over 2400 m. The mountainous massif mainly consists of carbonate rocks and intense karstic phenomena can be observed. The part of the area exceeding over the elevation of 600 m is characterized by high amounts of precipitation (1500 mm). Despite this high precipitation, the water availability in the area is low. This work aims to identify the factors that affect the water-resources availability in this area. In addition, issues related to proper water management are presented and discussed that will allow areas with similar characteristics to adapt to climate change. Our study identified the complex geological setting of the area that redirects water away of the hydrological basin (karsts) and the geomorphology that favors precipitation loss through runoff as the most important factors for the low availability of water resources. This paper attempts to create a base of discussion for similar cases worldwide by providing a framework of approaching scientifically analogous problems. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:55:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a0e05ce8572e4234b713a7e17d219114 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4441 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T22:55:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-02-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water |
| spelling | doaj.art-a0e05ce8572e4234b713a7e17d2191142023-11-23T18:12:12ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412022-02-0114346210.3390/w14030462Uncoupled Precipitation and Water Availability: The Case Study of Municipality of Sfakia, Crete, GreeceVasileios A. Tzanakakis0Aikaterini Pavlaki1Emmanouil Lekkas2Emmanouil A. Varouchakis3Nikolaos V. Paranychianakis4Giorgos Fasarakis5Andreas N. Angelakis6Department of Agriculture, School of Agricultural Science, Hellenic Mediterranean University, 71410 Iraklion, GreeceSchool of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, GreeceCoastal and Marine Research Laboratory, Foundation for Research and Technology-Hellas, Ν. Plastira 100, Vassilika Voutes, 70013 Iraklion, GreeceDepartment of Mineral Resources Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, GreeceSchool of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Technical University of Crete, 73100 Chania, GreeceConsulting Engineering Bureau, 73100 Chania, GreeceHellenic Agricultural Organization (HAO)—Demeter, Agricultural Research Institution of Crete, 71300 Iraklion, GreeceSfakia is a mountainous municipality located in the southwestern area of the island of Crete, including the southern part of the Lefka Ori Mountain, with an elevation ranging from sea level to over 2400 m. The mountainous massif mainly consists of carbonate rocks and intense karstic phenomena can be observed. The part of the area exceeding over the elevation of 600 m is characterized by high amounts of precipitation (1500 mm). Despite this high precipitation, the water availability in the area is low. This work aims to identify the factors that affect the water-resources availability in this area. In addition, issues related to proper water management are presented and discussed that will allow areas with similar characteristics to adapt to climate change. Our study identified the complex geological setting of the area that redirects water away of the hydrological basin (karsts) and the geomorphology that favors precipitation loss through runoff as the most important factors for the low availability of water resources. This paper attempts to create a base of discussion for similar cases worldwide by providing a framework of approaching scientifically analogous problems.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/3/462Cretekarstspermeability of geological layerswater managementwater scarcity |
| spellingShingle | Vasileios A. Tzanakakis Aikaterini Pavlaki Emmanouil Lekkas Emmanouil A. Varouchakis Nikolaos V. Paranychianakis Giorgos Fasarakis Andreas N. Angelakis Uncoupled Precipitation and Water Availability: The Case Study of Municipality of Sfakia, Crete, Greece Water Crete karsts permeability of geological layers water management water scarcity |
| title | Uncoupled Precipitation and Water Availability: The Case Study of Municipality of Sfakia, Crete, Greece |
| title_full | Uncoupled Precipitation and Water Availability: The Case Study of Municipality of Sfakia, Crete, Greece |
| title_fullStr | Uncoupled Precipitation and Water Availability: The Case Study of Municipality of Sfakia, Crete, Greece |
| title_full_unstemmed | Uncoupled Precipitation and Water Availability: The Case Study of Municipality of Sfakia, Crete, Greece |
| title_short | Uncoupled Precipitation and Water Availability: The Case Study of Municipality of Sfakia, Crete, Greece |
| title_sort | uncoupled precipitation and water availability the case study of municipality of sfakia crete greece |
| topic | Crete karsts permeability of geological layers water management water scarcity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/14/3/462 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vasileiosatzanakakis uncoupledprecipitationandwateravailabilitythecasestudyofmunicipalityofsfakiacretegreece AT aikaterinipavlaki uncoupledprecipitationandwateravailabilitythecasestudyofmunicipalityofsfakiacretegreece AT emmanouillekkas uncoupledprecipitationandwateravailabilitythecasestudyofmunicipalityofsfakiacretegreece AT emmanouilavarouchakis uncoupledprecipitationandwateravailabilitythecasestudyofmunicipalityofsfakiacretegreece AT nikolaosvparanychianakis uncoupledprecipitationandwateravailabilitythecasestudyofmunicipalityofsfakiacretegreece AT giorgosfasarakis uncoupledprecipitationandwateravailabilitythecasestudyofmunicipalityofsfakiacretegreece AT andreasnangelakis uncoupledprecipitationandwateravailabilitythecasestudyofmunicipalityofsfakiacretegreece |