The LIFE AGROWETLANDS II foresees, firstly, the study and characterization of the pilot area, with the installation of a soil and water monitoring network, and then the development of a Decision Support System (DSS) to properly manage the irrigation events.
The model application will be replicated in Spain (at the Communidad de Regantes de Carrizales (Elche)), where the soil salinization problems are accentuated by a stronger summer drought.
The main project phases (Actions) are listed below:
Environmental characterization of the pilot area, by means of field surveys and drone/satellite image acquisition.
Organization of the gathered data in a geo-database, realized according to the INSPIRE European Directive, in order to categorize, through a geostatistical approach, the whole pilot area;
Installation of a wireless sensor network (WSN) to monitor (a) the amount and salinity of the irrigation and drainage water, (b) the soil moisture and salinity, (c) the groundwater depth and water quality (d) the meteorological conditions of the pilot area;
Implementation of a model that, using the data gathered by the WSN network, simulates the soil water balance and salt mass balance and schedules the irrigation events.
Calibration and validation of the model on a small scale and on a field scale;
Development of a Decision Support System (DSS) and of a web friendly interface for the farmers;
Replication of the study in a Spanish Mediterranean wetland site;
Networking, training and dissemination activities.