Multi-objective water allocation in the Alqueva Region
New Medit, vol 9, n.3, (September 2010), pp. 28-35
Language: EN
Jel classification: Q20, Q250, C60, C610
Alqueva dam in the Alentejo Region was developed to solve water scarcity in the South of Portugal and to ensure permanent availability of water for household and industrial consumption, irrigation, production of electric energy, ecological and environmental purposes. Competition among some of these multiple water uses requires an integrated management framework. This paper uses Interactive Decision Maps (IDM) technique to explore and achieve efficient and equitable water allocation combinations taking into account those multiple goals and principles of good water governance. Results show that multiple water uses do constrain full economic impact for agriculture and suggest that integrated management frameworks and policies are needed at regional territorial level to reach a compromise between competing economic, social and environmental goals and achieve project global development benefits.
water management, multiple criteria decision making, interactive decision maps, feasible goal method
