Available online at www.sciencedirect.com ScienceDirect Agriculture and Agricultural Science Procedia 4 ( 2015 ) 201 – 210 IRLA2014. The Effects of Irrigation and Drainage on Rural and Urban Landscapes, Patras, Greece Evaluation of the effects of irrigation and drainage practices on the landscape of Lake Pamvotis, Ioannina: implications for landscape management in the context of sustainability. Ekaterini P. Chiotelli* Management Authority of Lake Pamvotis, Ioannina, 66-68 Mar. Kotopouli str, 45445, Ioannina, Greece Abstract In order to achieve the maintenance of the so called natural heritage and sustainable development, it is necessary to apply landscape management for the conservation of natural sources. Although water is a renewable source, it is not inexhaustible, neither of continuous quality. Good quality water reserves decline globally due to wasteful consumption or mismanagement and thus water is becoming a source in demand among the several consumers (agriculture, industry, civil systems etc). In Greece, about 70-80% of water is used for agricultural purposes. Irrigation and drainage brought about significant changes in the landscape of Ioannina basin. A brief review and evaluation of irrigation and drainage practices in the basin of Ioannina makes obvious that there is a need to address issues related to water use and management in the context of sustainability, climate change and water deficiency. Therefore, the present paper aims to provide an overview of the challenges involved in applying landscape management regarding the use and management of water and discuss solutions, proposals or recommendations in the context of sustainability of the lake ecosystem and generally the protected area. Emphasis is given to the integration of ecosystem services in landscape management. © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (©http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. ). Peer-review-review under responsibilityresponsibility ofof Technological Data Research Educational and Consulting Institute of Epirus, Hydroconcept R&D (www.hydroconcept.gr) Keywords: Landscape management; sustainability; water resources; ecosystem services, integrated management of water resources. 1. Introduction Research globally shows an accelerated degradation of the environment and the landscape mainly due to overexploitation of natural resources by humans. Water, an important element of the landscape, is a characteristic example, as it is threatened by pollution, overexploitation, and climate change, thus in many areas water deficiency problems or declined quality, are apparent. Landscape is a finite resource, which must therefore be managed * Corresponding author. Tel.: +0030-6946851050; fax: +0030-2651031867. E-mail address: [email protected]. 2210-7843 © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of Data Research and Consulting doi: 10.1016/j.aaspro.2015.03.024 202 Ekaterini P. Chiotelli / Agriculture and Agricultural Science Procedia 4 ( 2015 ) 201 – 210 appropriately to maintain its momentum for the next generations. Sustainable landscape management therefore, is a necessity in order to maintain ecosystem functions and services and consequently the integrity of resources and human prosperity. Although there is a growing interest on sustainable landscape management, many issues still remain to be resolved in order to integrate the concept of sustainability into everyday landscape planning, management and decision making. The present paper argues that addressing environmental problems or extending landscape management to a larger scale, as landscape ecology proposes, provides a holistic and integrated basis to promote sustainability. Wetlands are a major feature of the landscape in almost all parts of the world (Mitsch, 2000) Wetland landscapes though, are reflections of their watershed, meaning that they are depended and affected by whatever happens in their watershed, therefore it is scientifically more appropriate to be managed at their basin level. That is also the essence of WFD, the EU Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60 / EC, 2000). Vital functions, that are crucial in maintaining ecological balance but are also valuable to people in various ways, are performed in wetland landscapes, such as flood control, sediment retention, absorption of nutrients and biodiversity support, replenishment of water supplies, carbon dioxide absorption, heat storage and release (Gerakis and Koutrakis, 1996; Mitsch, 2000). Careful management is required in order to maintain wetlands functions and values. The biota (that is, the organisms and the communities that are formed) of the wetlands, including lake and river systems, is very closely dependent on the water regime, which indeed is the most important characteristic of each wetland (Gerakis et al., 2007). Approaches to quantify and value ecosystem services have been developed during the latest years (Groot et al., 2010). Wetlands are fragile ecosystems that suffering extensive degradation in Greece, especially where anthropogenic pressure is intense and land use changes are extensive (Chiotelli, 2011). Simultaneously, climate is changing globally and locally. Climate change affects water resources and therefore intensifies water crisis caused from mismanagement. In the Mediterranean, for example, an area might receive the same rainfall compared with the past, but the distribution of rainfall will be different, resulting in alternating periods of extended drought with periods of heavy rainfall, a distribution that does not favor the enrichment of natural water reservoirs. Mediterranean countries are threatened by summer drought, creating the conditions for dangerous forest fires. Changed and intensified patterns of flooding, for instance flash floods are expected. Fresh water cycle will be among the systems most affected by climate change (Fragou and Kallis, 2010). The EU water framework directive, adopted in 2000, impels to improve water quality and quantity. As it is stated “Water supports life. It is a crucial resource for humanity, generating and sustaining economic and social prosperity. It is also at the core of natural ecosystems and climate regulation”. The EU water framework takes a pioneering approach to protecting water based on natural geographical formations: the so called “river basins”. It sets out a precise timetable, with 2015 as the deadline, for getting all European waters into acceptable condition. Europe's water is under pressure. Economic activities, population growth and urbanisation are increasing pressures on freshwater throughout Europe. Unless stronger action is taken, 47% of EU surface waters will not have good ecological status by 2015. About 25% of groundwater has poor chemical status due to human activities. The chemical status of 40% of surface waters is unknown, showing that monitoring is inadequate in many Member States (http://bookshop.europa.eu/en/the-eu-water- framework-directive-pbKH0414216/). According to WFD, action is needed to protect water in qualitative and quantitative terms. At the operational level, the challenge is to translate the agreed principles into concrete action. 2. Study area The basin of Ioannina is located in the center of Epirus and is surrounded by high mountains. In the center of the basin, lake "Pamvotis" is located, with a small inhabited island at north east. Lake belongs to the European network of Protected Areas (NATURA 2000), because of its important habitats and rare species of flora and fauna. Lake Pamvotis was formed during the Miocene to the Pliocene period and is a relatively small urban lake situated in Ioannina, the biggest city of Epirus Region. It has an average depth of 4m (max 8,5m) and covers approximately 22sq km. However, in spite of its small size it has a long history and is of great importance as ecosystem and landscape. Despite intense human activity, the lake’s ecosystem preserves great biodiversity. Deriving from natural springs and streams, the waters of Lake Pamvotis support a rich ecosystem that includes a large number of fish, birds and amphibians species. The lakeshore vegetation and the extensive reedbeds provide shelter to the lake’s fish and avifauna. The total volume of water varies between 80 and 120 mil m3. However, Lake Pamvotis watershed, due to the growing trend of urban development, is experiencing rapid habitat loss and fragmentation, water quality degradation and water balance disturbance as well as pollution. Ekaterini P. Chiotelli / Agriculture and Agricultural Science Procedia 4 ( 2015 ) 201 – 210 203 3. Methods-research process Research process included case study selection-the basin of Ioannina, literature review on water management, wetland functions and values, sustainability issues and local practices (concerning water management). Then, good management practices implemented internationally were explored and field visits were carried out at the study area, followed by data collection concerning Lake Pamvotis. Afterwards, revision/ adaptation of available information and good management practices internationally applied were examined. Finally, specific proposals for sustainable management practices in the basin of Ioannina are presented, with emphasis in the preservation of water resources. 4. Review and evaluation of