A Perpetually Interrupted Interbasin Water Transfer as a Modern Greek Drama: Assessing the Acheloos to Pinios Interbasin Water Transfer in the Context of Integrated Water Resources Management Case Study Hristos Tyralis1*, Aristoteles Tegos2, Anastasia Delichatsiou3, Nikos Mamassis4, Demetris Koutsoyiannis5 1,2,4,5Department of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, Heroon Polytechneiou 5, 157 80 Zografou, Greece 2
[email protected] 3Retired, Infrastructure Directorate, General Staff, Hellenic Air Force, Mpodosaki 4, 142 32 Nea Ionia, Greece, adeli-
[email protected] [email protected] [email protected] *Corresponding Author:
[email protected] ABSTRACT Interbasin water transfer is a primary instrument of water resources management directly related with the inte- grated development of the economy, society and environment. Here we assess the project of the interbasin water transfer from the river Acheloos to the river Pinios basin which has intrigued the Greek society, the politicians and scientists for decades. The set of criteria we apply originate from a previous study reviewing four interbasin water transfers and assessing whether an interbasin water transfer is compatible with the concept of integrated water resources management. In this respect, we assess which of the principles of the integrated water resources management the Acheloos to Pinios interbasin water transfer project does or does not satisfy. While the project meets the criteria of real surplus and deficit, of sustainability and of sound science, i.e., the criteria mostly relat- ed to the engineering part, it fails to meet the criteria of good governance and balancing of existing rights with needs, i.e., the criteria associated with social aspects of the project.