Sustainable Development of the Hydrological Basin of Lake Koronia using Mathematical Programming and Statistical Analysis

Abstract

Lake Koronia, a Ramsar site in northern Greece, has experienced pronounced ecosystem degradation over the past 30 years associated with water level reduction and nutrient loading from agricultural and industrial activities as a result of poor management. The present study focuses on the delivery of a sustainable plan for theoretical and potentially in practice achievable water balance of the watershed of Lake Koronia and rational water resource management of the area. The use of mathematical modelling can assist in making the right decisions with respect to the water management as the increased complexity due to many factors affecting the water balance are impending the derivation of a suitable policy to address the problems. An optimisation model that takes into account all available investment options to allow restoration of the lake to a sustainable level and determines the best portfolio of investment and operating policies to ensure ecosystem recovery while maintaining the financial stability of the area is proposed. © 2012 Elsevier B.V