OMeGA develops solution that will help manage an increasingly scarce resource

Técnico integrates and coordinates the OMeGA operational group - Optimization of Water Management which promises to make an important contribution in the management of the volumes stored in the reservoirs of the hydro-perimeter, helping to better manage a resource that is increasingly scarce. For this new challenge, MARETEC - IST research center has partnered with entities such as Federação Nacional dos Regantes de Portugal (FENAREG),  Associação de Regantes e Beneficiários do Vale do Sorraia (ARBVS),  Action Modulers, AQUALOGUS and Sociedade Agrícola Bico da Vela II.

The first and main objective of the group is already outlined and is launching an innovative operational tool "capable of optimizing the times of discharge of the dams in order to save water and to guarantee volumes that ensure the different uses, in particular irrigation, considering simultaneously the ecological needs ", explains the teacher of Técnico and researcher of MARETEC - IST, professor Tiago Ramos. "MARETEC - IST has taken over the coordination for already having the necessary tools and technologies to develop the operational platform", emphasizes the teacher.

The tool, which will begin to be developed in September 2018, should be ready to be tested in June 2019, providing up-to-date information on "the quantity and quality of water in the hydro-irrigation reservoirs; weather forecasts, in particular precipitation; forecasts of inflows and water consumption; the volumes needed to maintain ecological flows; and recommendations to help the decision-making of the managers of the uses, "says Professor Tiago Ramos. "The aim is to optimize the management of the reservoirs by optimizing the volumes used for each purpose and thus saving water," he added.

Integrating technologies developed in MARETEC - IST, with emphasis on the MOHID model (http://www.mohid.com/), and providing for inflows to the reservoir, and at the reservoir level, the tool will be developed on a web platform" with the purpose of facilitating their centralized management and maintenance, and also facilitate their use in different computer systems", explains the professor of Técnico. Beyond all this and in view of its greater accessibility will be used "web-responsive" technology and design, "facilitating the use in web browsers from different equipment, not only personal computers, but also tablets, and smartphones," according to the teacher.

OMeGA is funded by PDR2020 and is trying to come up with solutions at a time when volumes stored in hydro-reservoir reservoirs are steadily decreasing as a result of drought periods of concern to the general population.