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transcript
Contributions of Landscape Architecture toward Sustainable Water Management
in the Island of Gozo, Malta
Supported by the Programme Alßan, the European Union Programme of High Level Scholarships for Latin America, scholarship No. E07M403338AR
Damian Perez Beverinotti
Xlendi Valley – Gozo, Malta
Master of Landscape Architecture Program (MLA)
Ecological Landscape Modelling and Management for Mediterranean Islands / 21.10.2010
Presentation outline
• Brief introduction to Mediterranean and Maltese landscape
• Some issues affecting Gozitan landscape
• Research questions / Scope and limitations
• Research and planning methodology
• Results / Findings
• Conclusions
Mediterranean Landscape
4 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape
Gozo
• Geomorphologic characteristics
• Agricultural practices
• Strategies to address water and soil conservation
5 / 43
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Gozo Cultural Landscape
Terraces
6 / 43
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Gozo Cultural Landscape
Source: Jones & Hunt (1994)
Terraces
7 / 43
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Gozo Cultural Landscape
Dams
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Gozo Cultural Landscape
Channels
9 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape
Cisterns
10 / 43
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Gozo Cultural Landscape
Water millsWater mills
11 / 43
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Gozo Cultural Landscape
Water mills
Dams
Agricultural stores
12 / 43
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Gozo Cultural Landscape
Cane reed boundaries Opuntia sp. boundaries
13 / 43
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Gozo Cultural Landscape
Stone boundaries
14 / 43
Challenges
Rapid population Growth � Development
1966 2004
Source: MEPA, Malta
15 / 43
Water scarcity
Climate change
+
additional uncertainties to the planning process
Diminishing water resources
Challenges
Jan Jul Dec
Rainfall distribution
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Challenges
Agriculture less important as economic activity
Source: MEPA, Malta (2004)Abandoned and fallow rural areas
• Water scarcity• High labor costs• Cost of land• Fields size
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Research Questions
How can landscape architecture contribute through planning to cope with water scarcity in the Maltese cultural landscape
How design may be guided in order to help in the sustainable management of water resources
In which way may landscape architecture help allocate the scarce resources to solve the water management problems
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Scope and Limitations
While acknowledging the wider context of Gozo island, this research confines itself mainly to Xlendi basin
The most up to date georeferenced data provided by Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA) dated from 2003 and 2004 reflecting the rural and urban conditions of Gozo before the ascension of Malta to the EU.
Mathematical modelling requires reliable data, scientific capacity and it is expensive. In this sense, ready available data from different sources on soil types, rainfall intensity, evapotranpiration have been used. Numerical models and results have been considered estimates and have been used as such. Conclusions consider the quality of the data available
The unavailability of finances to carry out each aspect of the study to its logical conclusion has limited it. Nevertheless, these limitations do not significantly affectthe quality of this study and are taken care of in the design of the study. Availability of ready data on related studies was also helpful .
Methodology
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Landscape Planning and Water Management
Mathematical modelling
Quantitative approach
Non numerical approach
• Requires reliable data• Requires Scientific capacity• Expensive• Cultural aspects?
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Source: Ecological Landscape Design and Planning / The Mediterranean Context (Makhzoumi & Pungetti 1999)
Ecological Landscape Design Paradigm
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Schematic illustration of the Ecological Landscape Association methodology.
Source: Ecological Landscape Design and Planning / The Mediterranean Context (Makhzoumi & Pungetti 1999)
Ecological Landscape Associations
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Water related processes
RunoffErosion Leaching
PercolationMobilization of nutrients in the soil
Mobilization of contaminantsEvapotranspiration
EvaporationDilution
24 / 43Processes integration in both temporal and spatial scales
Ecological Landscape Associations
Main water related process
Methodological approach
Watershed as spatial scale
Management units emphasizing the
relationship between water and landscape
Case Study – Xlendi basin
26 / 43
Xlendi basin
Watershed
Xlendi
Victoria
600 Ha
65% rural
25% urban
Second largest tourist related coastal settlement
Land-use:
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Xlendi basin
High Landscape Sensitivity
Central valley is considered to be a high sensitivity landscape
Source: MEPA, Malta (2004)
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Xlendi basin
17% of the basin‘s fields are fallow or abandoned
Most located in the high slope areas of the valley
Source: MEPA, Malta (2004)
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Xlendi basin
18% of the basin is either irrigated or semi-irrigated
Irrigated fields are clustered.
Source: MEPA, Malta (2004)
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Xlendi Flooding Risk
Source: Gozo & Comino Local Plan – MEPA 2006
and
Runoff water
Accumulation during storms
Obstructed discharge
point
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Xlendi Flooding Risk
Planning / Design Units for Xlendi basin
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Landscape Planning / Design Units
Slope
Geology
Drainage network
Land use
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Landscape Planning / Design Units
• Biotic
• Abiotic
• Cultural
• Processes related with water flow
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Upper urban areas / impervious soils / exotic species / runoff
• Architectural heritage
• Exotic and ruderalvegetation
• Sealed soils →increased runoff (volume, frequency and flow duration)
• Stormwater flowing to sewers or down slope through the streets
Unit 1
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Upper urban areas / impervious soils / exotic species / runoffUnit 1
• Stormwater pollution and excess runoff may be controlled by best management practices in streets and open spaces
• Actions to collect intercepted rain water in roofs might help reduce runoff
• Traditional materials might be combined with exotic plant species to build water related structures
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• Extensively terraced agricultural area
• Runoff and groundwater extraction are used as sources of irrigation water
• Erosion occurs where dry-stone walls have fallen into disrepair
• Conservation of terrace cultivation should be a priority
Walled terraces / Coralline Limestone – Globigerina / crops / runoff – erosionUnit 2
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Walled terraces / Coralline Limestone – Globigerina / crops / runoff – erosionUnit 2
• Conservation of terrace cultivation should be a priority
• Small-scale high value agricultural activities such us viticulture may be a solution for this problem
• Water harvesting and conservation techniques at field level may help reduce runoff while helping water scarcity
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Walled terraces / Globigerina - Coralline / garrigue / erosion -runoffUnit 3
• High proportion of abandoned terraced fields
• Conservation of terrace cultivation should be a priority
• High risk of erosion associated with high slope
• Natural vegetation garrigue
• Crops in the terraces
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Walled terraces / Globigerina - Coralline / garrigue / erosion -runoffUnit 3
• Conservation of the rock walls and upper terraced fields should be a priority
• Development projects located in this unit should not impact the natural vegetation or increase erosion
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Walled terraces / blue clay / crops / erosion - runoffUnit 4
• High proportion of abandoned terraced fields
• High risk of erosion associated with nature of soils -swelling clays
• Crops
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Walled terraces / blue clay / crops / erosion - runoffUnit 4
• Irrigation water availability in this area may help preserve the terraced fields
• Cane and Opuntiasp. boundaries may be used to reduce erosion risk
• Potential for water harvesting
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Stream valley / lower coralline Limestone – valley fill / ‘widien’vegetation / runoff - sedimentationUnit 5
• Provide unique habitat for endangered species
• Stream valley as a corridor, linking patches and allowing for the movement of species
• Farmed where slope allows
• Silted dams
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Stream valley / lower coralline limestone – valley fill / ‘widien’vegetation / runoff - sedimentationUnit 5
• Techniques of runoff water harvesting might be applied in the upper parts of the unit
• Sedimentation and the ecological functions of the stream should be taken into consideration
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Lower urban area / valley fill / sedimentation - runoffUnit 6
• Sedimentation and runoff main water processes
• Receive water, pollution and rubbish from upslope
• Tourist quality of the area
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Lower urban area / valley fill / sedimentationUnit 6
• Actions to preserve sedimentation up-stream but avoid it in the storm-water sewers should be taken
• Development should not occur where runoff water coming from upslope might be reduced
• Low urban area should adapt to live with water
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Conclusions
The methodology used in this study might help address the particularities of each zone of a basin in a way that scientific, cultural and ecological understanding of the landscape and the water related processes dominates the process of design/planning.
The case study assists in the understanding of the link between landscape components and water driven processes in Xlendi basin which in turn might help as a base for sustainable planning decisions.
Makhzoumi, J. & Pungetti, G., 1999. Ecological landscape design and planning: The Mediterranean Context, London: E& FN Spon. Malta Environment and Planning Authority (MEPA). Landscape Assessment Study for the Maltese Islands. Floriana, Malta. 2004.Van Grunderbeeck P. & Tourre Y. M.; Mediterranean Basin: Climate Change and Impacts during the 21st Century, in Climate Change and Energy in the Mediterranean. Plan Blue,UNEP. 2008. 558p .Jones, A. & Hunt, C., 1994. Walls, wells and water supply: aspects of the cultural landscape of Gozo, Maltese Islands. Landscape Issues, 11, 24-29.
Referencesin this presentation
Thank you for your attention
Contributions of Landscape Architecture toward Sustainable WaterManagement in the Island of Gozo, Malta
Ecological Landscape Modelling and Management for Mediterranean Islands / 21.10.2010