Master of Landscape Architecture Program (MLA) Contributions of Landscape Architecture toward Sustainable Water Management in the Island of Gozo, Malta Damian Perez Beverinotti Xlendi Valley – Gozo, Malta Ecological Landscape Modelling and Management for Mediterranean Islands / 21.10.2010 Supported by the Programme Alßan, the European Union Programme of High Level Scholarships for Latin America, scholarship No. E07M403338AR
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
Gozo Cultural Landscape • Geomorphologic characteristics • Agricultural practices • Strategies to address water and soil conservation Gozo 4 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape . Terraces 5 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape . Source: Jones & Hunt (1994) Terraces 6 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape . Dams 7 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape Channels 8 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape Cisterns 9 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape . Water mills Water mills 10 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape . Water mills Dams Agricultural stores 11 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape . Cane reed boundaries Opuntia sp. boundaries 12 / 43
Gozo Cultural Landscape . Stone boundaries 13 / 43
Challenges Rapid population Growth � Development 2004 1966 Source: MEPA, Malta 14 / 43
Challenges D i m i n is h i n g water resources Jan Jul Dec Rainfall distribution Water scarcity + Climate change additional uncertainties to the planning process 15 / 43
Challenges Agriculture less important as economic activity • Water scarcity • High labor costs Abandoned and fallow rural areas Source: MEPA, Malta (2004) • Cost of land • Fields size 16 / 43
Research Questions How can landscape architecture contribute through planning to cope with water scarcity in the Maltese cultural landscape In which way may landscape architecture help allocate the scarce resources to solve the water management problems How design may be guided in order to help in the sustainable management of water resources 17 / 43
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 affect the 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 . 18 / 43
Methodology
Landscape Planning and Water Management Quantitative approach Mathematical modelling • Requires reliable data • Requires Scientific capacity • Expensive • Cultural aspects? Non numerical approach 20 / 43
Ecological Landscape Design Paradigm Source: Ecological Landscape Design and Planning / The Mediterranean Context (Makhzoumi & Pungetti 1999) 21 / 43
Ecological Landscape Associations Schematic illustration of the Ecological Landscape Association methodology. Source: Ecological Landscape Design and Planning / The Mediterranean Context (Makhzoumi & Pungetti 1999) 22 / 43
Water related processes Runoff Erosion Leaching Percolation Mobilization of nutrients in the soil Mobilization of contaminants Evapotranspiration Evaporation Dilution 23 / 43
Methodological approach Management units Ecological Landscape Main water related emphasizing the Associations process relationship between water and landscape Watershed as spatial scale Processes integration in both temporal and spatial scales 24 / 43
Case Study – Xlendi basin
Xlendi basin Land-use: 65% rural 25% urban 600 Ha Second largest tourist related coastal settlement Victoria Watershed Xlendi 26 / 43
Xlendi basin High Landscape Sensitivity Central valley is considered to be a high sensitivity landscape Source: MEPA, Malta (2004) 27 / 43
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) 28 / 43
Xlendi basin 18% of the basin is either irrigated or semi-irrigated Irrigated fields are clustered. Source: MEPA, Malta (2004) 29 / 43
Xlendi Flooding Risk Runoff water Obstructed discharge Accumulation point during storms Gozo & Comino Local and Source: Plan – MEPA 2006 30 / 43
Xlendi Flooding Risk 31 / 43
Planning / Design Units for Xlendi basin
Landscape Planning / Design Units Slope Geology Drainage network Land use 33 / 43
Landscape Planning / Design Units • Biotic • Abiotic • Cultural • Processes related with water flow 34 / 43
Unit 1 Upper urban areas / impervious soils / exotic species / runoff • Architectural heritage • Exotic and ruderal vegetation Sealed soils → • increased runoff (volume, frequency and flow duration) • Stormwater flowing to sewers or down slope through the streets 35 / 43
Unit 1 Upper urban areas / impervious soils / exotic species / runoff • 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 36 / 43
Walled terraces / Coralline Limestone – Globigerina / crops / Unit 2 runoff – erosion • 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 37 / 43
Walled terraces / Coralline Limestone – Globigerina / crops / Unit 2 runoff – erosion • 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 38 / 43
Walled terraces / Globigerina - Coralline / garrigue / erosion - Unit 3 runoff • 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 39 / 43
Walled terraces / Globigerina - Coralline / garrigue / erosion - Unit 3 runoff • 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 40 / 43
Unit 4 Walled terraces / blue clay / crops / erosion - runoff • High proportion of abandoned terraced fields • High risk of erosion associated with nature of soils - swelling clays • Crops 41 / 43
Unit 4 Walled terraces / blue clay / crops / erosion - runoff • Irrigation water availability in this area may help preserve the terraced fields • Cane and Opuntia sp. boundaries may be used to reduce erosion risk • Potential for water harvesting 42 / 43
Stream valley / lower coralline Limestone – valley fill / ‘widien’ Unit 5 vegetation / runoff - sedimentation • 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 43 / 43
Stream valley / lower coralline limestone – valley fill / ‘widien’ Unit 5 vegetation / runoff - sedimentation • 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 44 / 43
Unit 6 Lower urban area / valley fill / sedimentation - runoff • Sedimentation and runoff main water processes • Receive water, pollution and rubbish from upslope • Tourist quality of the area 45 / 43
Unit 6 Lower urban area / valley fill / sedimentation • 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 46 / 43
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