Water and energy sustainable management in irrigation systems network.

Water scarcity, water quality deterioration and the increasing demand for water and for renewable energy in water systems, require sound planning and management practices supported by computer modeling. Such management practices must ensure the sustainable use of water resources, including the achievement of a good status of water bodies as prescribed by the EU Water Framework Directive. The purpose of this paper is to establish the applicability and limitations of two commercial software products to simulate the operation of a water system based on the Sorraia water project in Portugal. Particular attention was given to two products: (1) AQUATOOL, developed by the Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (UPV); and, (2) WEAP developed by the Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI). The capabilities of the two models were analyzed focusing on the following aspects: (1) capability to reproduce the operation of a water system; (2) capacity to estimate the system's reliability to meet water demands; (3) easiness of the modeling process, including entry data requirements and presentation of results; (4) usefulness to support decisions of water authorities. From the modeling activity process it is possible to conclude that: (1) AQUATOOL and WEAP are applicable in planning exercises, for which it is necessary to evaluate possible modifications in existing water systems and to analyze the effectiveness of resource exploitation policies, by taking into account objectives and infrastructure; and, (2) within certain modeling limitations, these software products can be used for water allocation predictions, multi-reservoir modeling, and reliability assessment of water systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]