DEcision system For Irrigation in Crete based on Innovative Technologies - DE.F.I.C.I.T
2019-2022
The purpose of the proposed project is to establish an integrated spatial decision-making system in large-scale (Crete Water District) with the aim of: (a) precisely identifying irrigation needs, according to optimal crop yields and proper management of water resources; b) designing optimal adaptation scenarios for the agricultural sector in the light of upcoming climate change; and c) the dynamic integration of the above information through the creation of a platform for immediate and real-time updated information to be provided to businesses and entities, whose actions are directly related to the optimal design and management of land improvement projects in the Region of Crete.
The Laboratory of Geophysical - Satellite Remote Sensing & Archaeo-environment (GeoSat ReSeArch Lab) of the Institute for Mediterranean Studies / Foundation for Research & Technology (IMS/FORTH) participates in the above project as the responsible partner of work package 1: “Creation of detailed map of soil texture analysis at Crete”.
The main actions of this sub-project are the recording and estimation of the diverse types of geomorphological features of the topographic relief, such as slope, roughness, curvature, using geoinformatics and applying appropriate algorithms to the Digital Elevation Models (DEMs). The extracted information is useful in characterizing an area, based on its geomorphological characteristics, and the extent to which the topography can be linked to the various factors of geodiversity and soil texture analysis. Particular emphasis will be given to highlighting the geodiversity in areas with an agricultural environment, in order to highlight and examine the characteristics of soil texture analysis in these areas, since they have a greater need for crop irrigation. Based on the emergence of geomorphological features, the determination of the field measurement sample points for the remaining sub-projects will be completed.
Satellite imagery processing and its correlation with various soil-water resources variables will also be implemented to determine the soil texture analysis, taking into account the outcomes of the other sub-projects as well, both in the pilot study area of Kampos Chania and subsequently throughout the Crete Region.
In this subproject the overall composition of the derivative maps will be involved in the creation of a digital surface spatial map through Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA), in order to analyze the satellite images and DEMs that will determine the geodiversity and soil texture analysis, to be imported in a GIS environment for further analysis and correlation with existing cartographic, geological, geochemical, geophysical and soil data from the rest of the sub-projects.
More information on the project can be found on the project's official website.
Beneficiaries: ELGO-DEMETRA (Institute of Olives, Subtropical Plants and Vine), Institute for Research and Technology (FORTH), Technological University of Crete and Mediterranean University.
Budget: € 240.721
IMS/FORTH budget: € 42.000
Duration: The project will be completed by 31/01/2022
The project is co-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Greek State.
Project Team
