One week of SMART-Control training courses and workshops in Cyprus

From 23 to 27 November 2020, the SMART-Control project implemented a series of workshops and training courses on the use of web-based tools for the assessment of associated risks occurring at managed aquifer recharge (MAR) sites. The event was tailored on the needs and expertise of researchers, managers and operators of MAR schemes in Cyprus and brought together actors from different institutions from science and practice. Among them were representatives from the Water Development Department of Cyprus, Cyprus Geological Survey, Water Board of Larnaca, Union of Cypriot Farmers, Cyprus University of Technology, and the University of Cyprus – NIREAS International Water Research Center. The training courses provided both managers and technical operators with an introduction to the use of SMART-Control simulation tools with focus on improved real-time data observation and management to reduce the risks associated with MAR applications. The participants learned how to connect real-time environmental sensors with the SMART-Control modelling platform, how to use temperature measurements in infiltration basins and groundwater monitoring wells for a quick estimation of water residence times in the underground, as well as how to assess potential microbial risks using dedicated web-based tools. The core of the training course was represented by setting up and calculation of a numerical groundwater flow model directly from web browser using the capabilities of the project modelling platform. The training course concluded with a replication workshop in which two replication sites in Cyprus were found potentially suitable for implementing the SMART-Control approach to improve water management. The event was organised by the project partners adelphi and the University of Cyprus with contributions from TU Dresden and Berlin Centre of Competence for Water, Germany.

SMART-Control (“Smart framework for real-time monitoring and control of subsurface processes in managed aquifer recharge (MAR) applications”) is a WaterJPI project of the 2017 call “Water resource management in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals” running from February 2019 to January 2022. The project consortium consists of in total 9 partners from France, Cyprus, Germany and Brazil and is coordinated by Technische Universität Dresden, Germany. The main objective of SMART-Control is to reduce the risks associated with the application of sustainable groundwater management techniques by developing an innovative web-based real-time monitoring and control system (RMCS) in combination with risk assessment and management tools. The system builds up on the functionalities of the existing groundwater modelling platform developed by the Research Group INOWAS at TU Dresden, Germany (https://www.inowas.com). For more info visit the project website at: https://www.smart-control.inowas.com.

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