The aim of the EFAMED Sub-Project is to assess the real conditions of degradation of a Mediterranean basin
(Turia river), mainly regarding human influence, determine its extent and spatial distribution, the risks involved and its possible evolution.

In this sense, the specific objectives of this sub-project are:
• To determine the actual quality status of waters, soils and sediments of the Turia river basin through the study of its more representative landscape units and the main irrigation networks.
• To establish the main types of degradation that affect the river basin, and to determine nowadays the affected points by each one of the possible types of downgrading incident agents.
• To assess the presence and levels of the main contaminating agents representative of the different potential degradation sources, inorganic (nitrates, sulfates, permanganate, phosphates, nutrients, chlorides, heavy metals) and organics (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), in waters, soils and sediments.
• To determine the spatial distribution of the contaminants and different degradation sources in the basin by the application of different models, geo-statistics and GIS techniques. And to set target landscape units (areas) for the reconstruction of detailed spatial chemical flows of contaminants.
• To create a logical structure for the application of the environmental forensics patterns in a more wide scope taking in to account not only chemical parameters but physical ones, and the interactions with climate variability.
• To evaluate the possible degradation risks of the zones included in the river basin, and its future projection.
• To study the influence of climatic change and its interaction with human pressures on the evolution of fragile zones.

EFAMED web site:

http://mefturia.es/subproyecto-efamed/

Andreu, V.

Valencina Government(Complementary grants for R&D Projects for research groups of proven quality ACOMP/2013) Amount of the grant: € 10,780,00

CIDE-CSIC Participating researchers: 5