Title: Application of an integrated methodology for spatial classification of the environmental flow in the Bulgarian-Greek Rhodope Mountain Range

Authors: Ekaterina Ivanova; Dimitrios Myronidis

Addresses: Space Research and Technology Institute, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Str. 'Acad. Georgy Bonchev', Bl. 1, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria ' Department of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, University Campus 54124, P.O. Box 268, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece

Abstract: Nowadays, the environmental flow (e-flow) is globally recognised as an essential component of the sustainable water resources management. Therefore, defining flow requirements is an important step forward, especially in transboundary regions where different water management practices exist. This study aims to propose a GIS-based methodological framework for regional-scale environmental flow modelling and hydrological regime classifications to further define environmental flow requirements in the Bulgarian-Greek Rhodope Mountain Range. The methodology incorporates GIS-based interpolation techniques and environmental flow magnitude modelling in order to identify the quality of ecosystems, based on indicative environmental flow values at any point in the region. Suitability model was generated to classify the preferential locations for aquatic and riparian communities into five ecological management classes (EMC). Furthermore, cluster analysis was applied to 198 catchments in order to distinguish five different zones of watersheds with homogeneous hydrological and morphological characteristics.

Keywords: environmental flow magnitude modelling; Rhodope Mountain Range; GIS; freshwater ecosystems; ecological management classes; EMC.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSAMI.2022.123045

International Journal of Sustainable Agricultural Management and Informatics, 2022 Vol.8 No.1, pp.84 - 103

Received: 28 Mar 2021
Accepted: 04 Jan 2022
Published online: 23 May 2022 *

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