Date Published: 13/07/2020
ARCHIVED - Agro-engineers identify which agricultural areas are causing most damage to the Mar Menor
ARCHIVED ARTICLE
This knowledge can help to target resources when finding solutions to the algal growth in the lagoon
The College of Agricultural Engineers of the Region of Murcia (COIARM) has concluded an initial study which examines the role played by agriculture in the deterioration of the Mar Menor, focusing specifically on which of the areas of agricultural activity surrounding the lagoon are the most damaging to the lagoon, with the aim of helping to highly target actions which will offer the best return
This report has been delivered to the Segura Hydrographic Confederation (CHS) which intends to analyze the study's conclusions this week.
The document is the first of the actions recommended by the commission of experts created by COIARM, which for months has been analyzing the problem using the different disciplines covered by agronomic engineering.
The study has managed to identify a 553 hectare area in the Campo de Cartagena,
considered to be of particular importance due to the way in which the land is constituted, the result being a disproportionately high level of nutrients filtering into the Mar Menor.
Data gathered from a number of sources have been entered and analyzed using a Geographic Information System (GIS), which creates a digital terrain model, enabling engineers to factor in the variables regarding the land and its constitution as well as different environmental variables. These systems allow, through the superposition of layers on the studied area, to determine the coincidence between different factors, both physical and chemical.
Each layer provides a different variable: subdivision according to the administrative ownership of property, use of rain-fed or irrigated land, woody or horticultural crops, slope of the terrain, type of soil, speed of movement of the water, which indicates the time it takes for the water to reach the sea from each point of the water aquifer which lies beneath the Campo de Cartagena.
The data obtained through the crossing of these indicators creates valuable base information which can help to identify the plots of land which effectively cause the greatest harm and can help those empowered to legislate to make sure that the areas which are doing the most harm are dealt with first as a priority.
This is just one tiny element of the work currently underway to examine the underlying causes of the problem and identify the most effective route to resolve the issues long-term.