Final report- Group 82 - Aqualibrium

Channeling MultifunctionalityExploring alternative management practices for the canal Carrera del Saler

JULY 1, 2016AQUALIBRIUMMert Blommestijn, Eva Diestelhorst, Amanda Krijgsman, Joy Pengel, Sjoerd Pietersen

EXECUTIVE SUMMARYThe municipality of Valencia commissioned this report through Aqualibrium. It presents a vision for multi-functional canal management of the canal Carrera del Saler in the Albufera natural park. This vision is intended to serve as an inspiration for a pilot project, exploring alternative canal management practices, that can be expanded to other canals in the wetland. As of this moment, the Carrera del Saler mainly serves agro-economic interests and is used for navigation. However, interests in the stability, aesthetics and environmentally-friendliness of the canal and its banks are emerging as increasingly important. Aqualibrium believes that the vision presented in this report can meet these emerging interests without compromising on serving the interests that are met by current management. The report consists of three main chapters. It starts with an exploration of the current physical state of the canal banks which shows that the banks are lacking in stabilizing, water confining, aesthetic and nature-friendly properties. Hereafter, the report presents the problems perceived by stakeholders in regard to the canal management practices. While the perception of problems varies greatly between stakeholders, they all agree that bank stability is a major problem and deem the proposition of increasing stability by revegetation measures as acceptable. Aqualibrium sees this as an opportunity to not only increase the stability but also aesthetics and nature-friendliness of the bank and thus achieve a win-win situation. Therefore, in the third main chapter the report presents vision images of how the Carrera del Saler may look like when new management practices that support the stability, aesthetics and nature-friendliness in an integrated and multi-functional approach are applied and concludes with recommendations on how to operationalize the vision presented.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSWe would like to express our deep appreciation towards all those who supported us during our work on this challenging and exciting project. Especially, we want to thank Javier Jiménez Romo for all the input he gave us with regards to the content of this report as well as his immense support in organizing our project phase in the Albufera. Furthermore, we would like to thank our three supervisors dr.ir. Erik van Slobbe, dr. Saskia Werners and ir. Erik Heijmans for their input and stimulations in preparing, executing and finalizing this project as well as supporting us in growing as individuals and as a team. We are also deeply grateful towards ir. Harm Boesveld and dr.ir. Gerardo van Halsema for organizing our stay in Spain. Our special thanks goes out to Nicholas Hawkins for giving us a first introduction to the canal upon our arrival and sharing information from his own master thesis research with us throughout our project phase. Also, we want to thank the people of the Casa de la Demanà for providing us with an office and Manel Vela for giving us a tour on the canal. Last but not least, we want to thank the municipality of Valencia for giving us the opportunity to work on this exciting project and all the stakeholders that were open to being interviewed and provided us with interesting insights and perspectives.

Disclaimer: This report (product) is produced by students of Wageningen University as part of their MSc programme. It is not an official publication of Wageningen University or Wageningen UR and the content herein does not represent any formal position or representation by Wageningen University.

Copyright © 2016 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, without the prior consent of the authors.

Table of ContentACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................... iEXECUTIVE SUMMARY ........................................................................... ii1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................... 1 2. CURRENT STATE ........................................................................... 3

Zone A ........................................................................... 3Zone B ........................................................................... 3Zone C ........................................................................... 3Zone D ........................................................................... 6General observations ........................................................................... 6

3. CURRENT & DESIRED FUNCTIONS ............................................................... 74. PROBLEMS & OPPORTUNITIES ...................................................................... 9

4.1 Problems ........................................................................... 9Structure and Design ........................................................................... 9Maintenance Practices ........................................................................ 9 Authority, Decision-making & Administration.............................................. 10

4.2 Opportunities ........................................................................... 11 Structure and Design ........................................................................... 11Maintenance ........................................................................... 11Authority, Decision-making & Administration .............................................. 12Risk perception and Mentality................................................................ 12

5. VISION ........................................................................... 135.1 Zone A&B ........................................................................... 13

5.1.1 Current situation.......................................................................... 135.1.2 Proposed intervention .................................................................. 145.1.3 Proposed vision .......................................................................... 14

5.2 Zone C&D ........................................................................... 165.2.1 Current situation ..........................................................................165.2.2 Proposed intervention .................................................................. 165.2.3 Proposed vision ..........................................................................17

5.3 Division of responsibilities ........................................................................... 185.4 Dutch Examples ........................................................................... 20

6. DISCUSSION ........................................................................... 217. CONCLUSION ........................................................................... 228. REFERENCES ........................................................................... i

Literature: ........................................................................... iWebsites: ........................................................................... i

9. ANNEX ........................................................................... iiANNEX A - Methodology ........................................................................... iiANNEX B - Conceptual Framework..................................................................... ixANNEX C - Bottlenecks and opportunities overview................................................ xiANNEX D - Cross Sections ...........................................................................xiiiANNEX E - Aqualibrium Team Members.............................................................. xv

1 | | 2 Aqualibrium Aqualibrium

to give new insights into possible alternatives. These examples are explored by the means of interviews, observations and a literature review. On the basis of this input, images of how the canal could look like under different practices were developed. See Annex A for the methodology of this research and Annex B for the conceptual framework on multifunctional canal management, that this report is based on.

The results are presented in three parts. First, the current physical state of the canal and the maintenance practices that led to it are mapped and explored. Hereafter, the problems that stakeholders have with this current state and the wishes they want to integrate into new practices are presented. Lastly, vision images are presented and practices that would lead to them are recommended.

This report aims to serve as a first step to explore alternative canal management practices by providing a vision of what can be achieved if management practices are changed. The new management practices are based on an integrated approach to better meet the multiple functions desired by the main stakeholder groups. In order to identify the best alternative practices, the following four steps were taken. First, the current and desired functions of different stakeholders of the Carrera del Saler were identified with interviews. Second, the current physical state of the canal was mapped by the means of observations and the management practices that lead to it were identified by a combination of the observations and interviews. Third, stakeholders were asked to give input about how they would improve management practices. Fourth, examples from the Netherlands where ecological friendly canal maintenance has been implemented were used

canal. First, the Carrera del Saler is used for navigation by tourists boats. Second, the canal and its banks should be aesthetically appealing in order to attract tourists to the area (Javier Jiménez Romo, personal communication, May 12, 2016; Hulshof & Vos, 2016).

The canal and bank management practices of the Carrera del Saler are currently not supporting the multiple functions that stakeholders have an interest in due to various reasons. The expansion of rice fields since the 1970’s has resulted in narrow canal banks with steeper slopes, especially on the east side, which made them prone to erosion (Hulshof & Vos, 2016; Mondría-García, 2004). Debris is used in order to stabilize the banks. However, leakage of toxins from the debris may occur and the material does not confine and stabilise the bank in a proper way. To make things worse, waves created by passing boats, invasive plant species like Arundo donax that destabilize the banks with their rooting system and musk-rats and crabs digging holes into the banks, lead to further erosion. The consequent sedimentation of silt in the canal bed reduces the canal depth to the point where it becomes too shallow for navigation. At this point the bed is usually cleaned and the cleaning material is deposited on the banks. However, this practice has two negative effects for the ecological quality of the canal and its banks. Firstly, when cleaning practices are too frequent or too deep, this is harmful for aquatic species in the canal (e.g. freshwater mussels). Secondly, when the excavated material is deposited on the bank suffocation of vegetation occurs. The deposited material forms a crust on the bank which easily crumbles away which reduces the water confining capacity of the bank and thus poses a problem for farmers. Furthermore, the combination of debris and crusty cleaning material is considered aesthetically unattractive. Due to the high rate of erosion the above mentioned process has to be repeated frequently which increases the environmental damage as well as the maintenance costs.

The purpose of this project is to raise awareness on the impact of current management practices on the functionality of the canal Carrera del Saler and to stimulate dialogue between stakeholders about alternative canal management practices.

The Albufera natural park is a freshwater wetland situated close to the city of Valencia. The area consists of a shallow 2,800 ha lagoon surrounded by 18,000 ha of extensive paddy rice cultivation. Water management in the Albufera wetland is very dynamic with many user groups having an interest in different functions of the wetland. Among the user groups are farmers, environmentalist, tourists, fishermen and hunters (Hulshof & Vos, 2016). There is a need to balance the various interests of the diverse user groups in a multifunctional approach. This poses a challenge to the management of the canal systems that connect the rice fields with the lake. The Carrera del Saler, one of the main canals of this area is especially interesting due to its function of connecting the town El Saler to the lake and its historical and cultural relevance (Figure 1). Currently, the canal mainly serves the functions of irrigation and navigation. However, other interests regarding the aesthetics, stability and environmentally friendliness of the banks are gaining influence and need to be taken into account in the future.

The various stakeholder groups who are interest in different services from the Carrera del Saler are farmers, the tourism sector and nature conservationists. Farmers with adjacent fields have a main interest in the canal for irrigation and drainage, and want the banks to be stable and serve for water confinement between the canal and their fields. As the Albufera is part of Natura2000 and the Ramsar Convention, nature conservationists want to improve the ecological quality of the canal and its banks for higher biodiversity and ecological connectivity (Soria, 2006). The tourist sector has an interest in two services from the

1INTRODUCTION

Figure 1: Where Carrera del Saler is situated.


This chapter describes the current physical state of the canal and its banks of Carrera del Saler and serves as a basis for the following chapters. Chapter 2 describes the starting point to any future changes and portrays the physical impact of current management and maintenance practices.

The canal banks vary along the Carrera del Saler in terms of width, slope, vegetation cover, applied maintenance practices and land use in the adjacent areas. Assessment of the physical state of the banks has been done through observations. Which physical characteristics are considered problematic for the banks, and therefore should be focussed on during the observations, is determined by interviews and literature about canal bank management.The canal is divided into three zones based on the land use adjacent to the canal and characteristics based on the applied management practices and morphological features. The research is focussing on Zone A and B as these make up the most of the canal and to a lesser extent C. The three different zones are depicted in Map 1. The remainder of the canal is merged into zone D and not addressed in depth in this report. Zone D are areas where land adjacent to the canal is unused and where banks are not managed so that vegetation can grow freely. This chapter gives a short description of the main characteristics of each zone and then presents general observations which are applicable to all zones of the canal.

ZONE AThe main land use adjacent to the canal in this zone is paddy rice cultivation. The zone is characterised by a broad dike which is accessible for cars. The morphological shape of the dike is broad and flat (width between 3.0 and 4.5m) with relatively short and steep slopes (between 50° and 90°). In general, vegetation in zone A is relatively sparse. Typical is the presence of debris, visible on top of the dike and slopes. This forms the main problem for the dike stability. For this reason

the extent of observed debris is shown on Map 2. Furthermore, extensive cleaning practices are commonly used on both sides of the dike, forming a thick layer of dried-up mud which is prone to erosion. Also, signs of mowing practices are common and subsequently mowed vegetation is left on the banks. Lastly, indicators of herbicide application on dike bank

ZONE BIn zone B the main land use adjacent to the canal is paddy rice cultivation interspersed with land with a higher elevation. This land has no specific purpose and is covered by shrubby vegetation. The dikes in Zone B are relatively narrow (ranging between 0.3 and 4.1m) and low (ranging between 0.7 and 1.8m). The narrow width poses a problem for the dike stability and is highlighted in Map 3. Parallel to the dikes inland are small drainage canals for the rice fields (usually with a width of 2.0 to 3.0m). Traces from cleaning practices are visible. The cleaning material on top of the dikes is coming from the drainage canals of the rice fields (instead of the canal). In general, the cleaning material consists of a thick layer of silt which shows signs of erosion on many parts of the dikes. The dike slopes on both sides are steep and vary around 70°. Especially the common reed Phragmites is abundant and to a lesser extent is Typha and Iris pseudacorus, emergent aquatic plants. Signs of debris and mowing practices are observed less, but signs of herbicides usage were more frequent compared to zone A. In zone B, there are five plots of land adjacent to the canal which have a higher elevation and are covered by a relatively rich variety in vegetation. These areas could have a high ecological value if they are developed strategically.

ZONE CIn this zone, the land use is characterised by informal vegetable gardening. The people in charge of the gardens maintain the banks with erosion prevention measures, such as wooden

2CURRENT STATE

Map 1: The subdivision of the Carrera del Saler in zone A, B and C.

Map 2: Abundance of debris in zone A of Carrera del Saler.


and plastic campshedding. There is no dike and the end of the relatively low bank (height ranges between 0.3 and 0.7m) is marked by a small path leading to the gardens. The small path alongside the canal is not maintained well as it is eroded away in some locations. The slope of the narrow bank is relatively steep and many observed locations have a slope of 90°. Debris is present on half of the observed locations. No obvious signs of cleaning and mowing practices are observed. Phragmites and Typha are the dominant vegetation types that alternate each other on the sidewall of the canal. The vegetation has a width of approximately between 3.0 and 8.0 meters and a height between 2.0 and 4.0 meters. Some parts of the canal and bank show no vegetation, possibly due to the presence of debris on the underwater sidewall of the canal.

ZONE DZone D is composed of an area adjacent to Albufera lake, and the triangle shaped abandoned rice field on the West side of the canal next to the Port of Saler. The land in this zone is unused and the banks are unmanaged. The area is covered with freely growing vegetation which is mainly dominated by Phragmites.

GENERAL OBSERVATIONSNext to the observations which vary greatly between the zones and thus linked to them, there are also two important observations which were apparent along the entire canal. Firstly, the extensive presence of litter along the canal is striking. Secondly, the occurrence of the invasive species Arundo donax can be observed along the entire canal.Map 4 shows the current presence of Arundo donax. The dots are representing locations where Arundo donax is growing, which are mainly on the East bank of the canal. The problem with Arundo donax is that its rooting system destabilizes the dike. Roots can grow up to 50 to 60 centimeters into the dike and fracture its material (Manel Vela, personal communication, June 14, 2016). Furthermore, as it is so deeply enrooted in the dike it puts the dike at risk of tipping over when strong winds blow against the plant. Due to its narrow character, the dike of zone B is especially vulnerable to the damages caused by the invasive species Arundo donax

Map 3: Dike width in zone B of Carrera del Saler.

Map 4: Presence of Arundo donax in Carrera del Saler.


In general, wetlands have a high potential for multifunctionality and can provide many services that benefit various stakeholders (Gren, 2010). However, as of this moment the Carrera del Saler does not provide those multiple services and focuses on the agro-economic interests and this merely to a limited extend. Therefore, there is a need for a new management plan that transforms the canal into a multi-functional one. Relevant stakeholders in this area are government entities, nature

conservation entities, dike maintenance companies, agriculturalists, NGOs and the tourist sector. Interviews revealed that there are four types of functions which are required of the canal namely ecology related functions (ECO), irrigation and drainage (I&D), tourism related functions (TOU) and navigation of boats (NAV). Table 1 presents which stakeholder sees which functions as being met in the present and which functions they wish to be included in the future.

Table 1: Current, insufficient and desired functions of Carrera del Saler linked to stakeholders.

3CURRENT & DESIRED FUNCTIONS


Problems and opportunities are identified on the basis of interviews with the stakeholders of the Carrera del Saler. This chapter discusses the most frequently addressed problems and opportunities perceived by stakeholders.

4.1 PROBLEMSThe diverse stakeholders perceive various problems in relation to the current state and management of the canal and its banks. While there are many diverging interests in the ultimate management of canal and canal banks, some issues were addressed frequently by a wide array of stakeholders during interviews. These issues can be seen as bottlenecks as they are the point of congestion that slow down the flow in the bottle or in the case of the Carrera del Saler hamper any improvement of the situation towards a pilot project for a multifunctional canal. An overview of bottlenecks can be found in Annex C. Table 2 presents the most frequently addressed problems which will be further explained in this chapter.

STRUCTURE AND DESIGN

The bottlenecks perceived by different stakeholders that relate to the structure and design of the canal are linked to the canal depth, bank width and slope, use and availability of materials and the absence of trees. A too shallow canal is mainly seen as a problem by stakeholders who use the canal for navigation such as boat riders. A too narrow bank is perceived as a problem by rice farmers (especially in zone B). The municipality also perceives this as a problem, since the drainage and pumping costs are increased by a high infiltration rate of water through the dikes. Farmers are aware that debris is reducing the dike stability. Nevertheless, they still use it since it is a cheap and efficient maintenance practice and because there is no sound alternative. At the same time canal and dike maintenance companies complain that there is limited natural soil material available to strengthen the canal dikes or flattening the bank

slopes. Furthermore, maintenance companies are not authorized to use abandoned rice fields to store construction material prior to implementation of alternative dike designs. The current suitable alluvial clay layer of the canal bed is locally only 30 cm thick. Beneath this clayey canal bed layer, sand is deposited that should remain untouched to prevent adverse water loss due to increased seepage (Manel Vela, personal communication, June 14, 2016). Finally, especially ecologists are in favour of planting trees on the canal dikes to restore the aesthetic and ecological value of the canal. This is however opposed by rice farmers who are afraid of increased maintenance costs, damages caused by birds who can nest and hide in the trees and think that increased vegetation on the slopes can lead to hydrosere of the canal, a plant succession state at which the canal is slowly turned into a swamp.

MAINTENANCE PRACTICES

There is a general consensus among all the interviewed stakeholder that canal bank erosion is reducing dike stability. The stakeholders attribute erosion to various causes such as the use of debris (especially in zone A), waves created by passing boats clashing against banks, invasive vegetation (Arundo donax) and no post treatment of deposited cleaning material which leaves the material prone to soil crusting. The appliance of herbicides is perceived as problematic mainly by environmental NGOs and ecologists. On the other hand, the use of herbicides is justified by farmers to secure a productive rice harvest. In the past, rice farmers planted Arundo donax hoping that it would stabilize the banks. Instead, this measure had the opposite effect (see general observations in Chapter 2.1) which is now recognized by all stakeholders. Another common problem that arises is the infrequent appliance of maintenance practices by Tancats (organization of farmers of one polder ) and maintenance companies. An example is the frequency of mowing that is currently lacking an ecological strategy, and is done too frequent

4PROBLEMS & OPPORTUNITIES

(4 times a year) or too few (once every 3 years) (Peeters, 2014). Maintenance companies commented that the treatment of cleaning material was insufficient. Nowadays cleaning material is simply deposited on the canal dikes without any further treatment. The lack of treatment (loosening the deposited silt and clay, pre-wettening the deposited soil, slightly compacting and revegetating the soil) causes a rough and cracked soil crust that is prone to erosion.

AUTHORITY, DECISION-MAKING & ADMINISTRATION

At this moment there is a continuous debate about canal bank ownership and authorization for implementing alternative canal bank designs and maintenance practices between the local environmental department of the Generalitat de Valencia* and the Tancat leaders that have rice plots adjacent to the canal (Tancat Pujol o del Pomero and the Tancats located in the municipality of Alfafar). This results in unclarity about who is responsible for dike maintenance which causes the problem of fragmented decision making bodies

(currently the Tancats in collaboration with the comunidad de regantes**. Due to the unclear responsibilities and authorities, it is not possible for the decision making bodies to design an integrated and anticipatory plan. Instead, the maintenance approach is reactive, merely applying maintenance to the weakest spots. This problem is exacerbated by contrasting norms, standards, laws and regulations that are stated in the general management plan of natural park L’Albufera. For example, farmers are not authorized to change any physical aspect (structure and design) of the dikes and at the same time are obligated to meet several environmental requirements without receiving any financial compensation from the administration of the Generalitat de Valencia. Furthermore, there is no clear definition of “appropriate” dike management, nor a dike management plan that specifies who should apply what practice at a given time in a specific Tancat. Overall, all the interviewed stakeholders stress a lack of financial resources that are necessary for alternative dike design implementation and improved maintenance practices.

Table 2: Most addressed problems among interviewed stakeholders with regard to the current state of Carrera del Saler.

*Conselleria de Medi Ambient de la Generalitat Valenciana: Responsible for setting environmental norms, environmental planning and regulations and territorial planning in the state of Valencia (2016, June 30) Retrieved from http://www.gvaoberta.gva.es/inici.

** Comunidad de regantes: Valencian irrigation communities that are public corporations, attached to the basin organizations, which are responsible for organizing the collective exploitation of public, surface and groundwater. The Comunidad de regantes are Spanish irrigators’ associations of ancient origin based on Roman and Arabic systems. Regantes are grouped farmers aimed to manage and distribute the irrigation water in an efficiently, orderly and equitable way among its members (Hulshof & Vos, 2016).


RISK PERCEPTION AND MENTALITY

The risks that are perceived in regard to the current state of the dikes are contrasting among the interviewed stakeholders.There is a conflict of interest between ecologists, NGO’s, the tourist sector and the generalitat of Valencia on the one hand and the rice farmers and comunidad de regantes on the other hand. The first group of stakeholders blame the latter for being solely focused on the agro economical functions of the canal and its dikes and their limited interest in the potential ecological and estetical values of the canal. In contrast, rice farmers complain that NGO’s and ecologists are not realistic about the costs of implementing alternative dike design and maintenance practices and accuse the environmental department of the generalitat of Valencia of not giving financial and institutional support to implement these practices.

4.2 OPPORTUNITIESDespite that stakeholders have various and at times conflicting interests in different services of the Carrera del Saler, interviews reveal that there is also a number of interests that are shared among stakeholders. These shared interests and consensus stimulates the chance of a collaborative effort that will be the basis of a multi-functional canal management approach (see stated canal functions in Table 3). This

multifunctional canal management approach is needed to implement a first pilot project in Carrera del Saler that serves multiple interests of the interviewed stakeholder groups. An overview of opportunities can be found in Annex C.

STRUCTURE AND DESIGNAll stakeholder share the mutual goal of improving the bank stability. For rice farmers and the municipality an improved dike stability is beneficial as it improves flood prevention and reduces pumping costs. If dike stability is enhanced by increasing vegetation cover, other stakeholders such as ecologists and the tourism sector can benefit from a higher ecological and aesthetic value. Rice farmers acknowledge that revegetating could serve as a proper solution to stabilize the dikes. However, rice farmers remain concerned about creating a habitat for nesting birds that are a potential threat for the rice production. Furthermore, the dike could be used as a hiking or cycling path by tourists. The Centro de Investigación Piscícola El Palmar of the Generalitat of Valencia provides free planting material for ecological restoration purposes which means that revegetating can be conducted relatively cost-efficiently.

MAINTENANCEAt this moment several agro environmental enterprises are active in l’Albufera natural park and have knowledge of alternative canal bank

maintenance practices (such a flattening the bank slope, revegetating the banks, removing debris) and dike maintenance companies have the relevant knowledge to apply them. In Chapter 5.3 a suggested division of responsibilities and activities needed for the implementation of a pilot project that applies alternative canal bank management practices is showed.

AUTHORITY, DECISION-MAKING & ADMINISTRATION Both the Tancat presidents of Pujol o del Pomero and of the municipality of Alfafar stated that they are willing to collaborate with different entities such as ecologists, NGO’s, the park management, the generalitat and local municipalities to work towards a more multifunctional canal. Overall, there is a shared

interest in a demonstrative pilot project that serves as an example of a multifunctional canal. The pilot project has the potential for upscaling the alternative management practices in natural park L’Albufera.

RISK PERCEPTION AND MENTALITYAll the stakeholders are aware of the local environmental problems that are interrelated with the current canal bank management practices. Especially the generalitat of Valencia, ecologists and the tourism sector believe that a canal with improved ecological and aesthetic functions will benefit the local Valencian society culturally, socially and economically. This stresses the need for collaboration between stakeholders to work towards the implementation of a pilot project.

Table 3: Main perceived opportunities among interviewed stakeholders with regard to the Carrera del Saler.


In order to come up with an integrated plan to efficiently manage the canal and its banks in a way that it can support the multiple functions that stakeholders desire from the canal, we first studied the current state of the canal (see also Chaper 2). In this chapter the vision for the Carrera del Saler is presented by the means of schematic canal cross sections and impression images. The purpose is to visualize the future canal schematically and aesthetically, after the implementation of alternative canal bank management practices proposed in this report. The vision is supposed to stimulate the dialog between stakeholders. These images can serve as a bridge for dialogue between stakeholders when discussing a pilot project. Hereafter, they can then discuss issues such as structure, design, maintenance, authority, responsibility and decision making. The images combine the zones A&B and the zone C&D in one image respectively, since those zones are located on opposite sides of the canal and thus represent the opposing canal banks.

5.1 ZONE A&B5.1.1 CURRENT SITUATIONFigure 2 shows a schematic cross section of our findings in zones A and B (Annex D). In zone A, debris is applied as a low cost and short term solution by farmers in order to stabilize the bank

(see also Map 2). From the field observations and interviews with nature conservationists/NGOs and the farmers, it became clear that the use of debris does not sufficiently support the stability of the bank and furthermore releases harmful toxins into the water. In addition, debris deteriorates the aesthetic value of Carerra del Saler. The main problem in zone B is the narrow dike (Figure 2, see also Map 3), that does not sufficiently prevent water leakage from the canal into the rice fields. Consequently, farmers suffer under waterlogging and face the risk of a dike break (President of Tankat Pujol Del Pomero, personal communication, June 21, 2016). Field observations indicate that reactive management is applied in both zones. The amount of cleaning material, the age and density of the vegetation, often differs from field to field rather than having been implemented to the bank as an integrated system.

Currently, the dominant function of Carrera del Saler is to serve the rice fields for irrigation and drainage. Consequently, maintenance on the canal banks generally takes place upon the instructions of farmers (Farmer and Irrigation manager Alfafar, personal communication, June 22, 2016). Despite the Carrera del Saler also is being used for navigation of tourist boats,the tourist sector does not contribute to the maintenance efforts.

5VISION5.1.2 PROPOSED INTERVENTION

In order to improve the stability and aesthetic value of the canal bank in zone A and the dike in zone B, we suggest to implement gentle canal bank slopes (Figure 3). Implementation of gentle canal bank slopes is a long term investment which requires less maintenance. The proposed gentle slopes can be achieved by broadening the bank with 2.5 meters on each side, in order to create a slope of approximately 300. Gentle slopes will decrease the navigation area, however, the canal is wide enough to provide the boat riders at least 5 meters space to pass. The marine clay on the bottom of the canal is suitable for the implementation of the gentle slopes as it will serve as a confining layer and ensure bank stability (Manel Vela, personal communication, June 14, 2016). Deepening the canal bed will increase the wetted perimeter of the canal.Next to the improvement of the agricultural, aesthetically and ecological functions, the frequency and intensity of maintenance will decrease. This implies a reduction in maintenance costs and less damage to the

aquatic biodiversity of the canal. Indirectly, the rehabilitation of target species in the Albufera, such as freshwater mussel, will be supported. According to Jonker & Menkveld (1998), a canal bank with gentle slopes is cleaned once every two years for an optimal ecological state. Dredging should be conducted once every three to five years (Twisk, 2003). We suggest that the maintenance could either be done by farmers, who then should be given a subsidy for their work, or by a contracted maintenance company who will get the responsibility of the entire canal commissioned by the Environmental department of the Generalitat of Valencia. We assume that enough marine clay from deepening the canal bed is available to broaden the dike 1,5 meter in zone B, with an associated dike height of 1,3 meters on the field side. However, this must be proven by further inspection. The dike in zone B will be broadened by reducing the width of the drainage canal in zone B. The drainage canal in zone B has an average width of 2.6 meters, compared to 1.7 meters in zone A (the specific data collected in the field are available upon request).

Figure 2: Schematic cross section of the current state of the canal Carrerea del Saler in zones A&B.

Figure 3: Schematic cross section of the operationalization of the canal Carrera del Saler in zones A&B.

5.1.3 PROPOSED VISION

The final state of the canal will ultimately improve and support the functions desired by different stakeholders (Table 1; Figure 4). The increase of natural vegetation, facilitated by the gentle slopes, will improve the ecological value and serve the interests of the tourism sector.

The landscape will grow more diverse, which supports the aesthetically function of Carrera del Saler better than the current state. Also, the interviewed farmers confirmed that an increase in vegetation on the canal banks will help to stabilize the dikes and therefore decrease maintenance requirements (Farmers, personal communication, June 2016). Nevertheless,


on the sides of the canal banks, as drawn in Figure 5b. However, the type of birds in the Albufera are mainly seen in reeds. Moreover, the actual reduction in harvest caused by birds is not known.

Figure 5a shows the current situation and Figure 5b the proposed future situation, you can see an impression as to how the canal will look like in the future when everything is implemented and is being maintained properly. Figure 5b demonstrates the aesthetics when alternative practices are implemented, making it more appealing.

5.2 ZONE C&D5.2.1 CURRENT SITUATIONFigure 6 is a schematic cross section of the canal close to the port of El Saler (see also Annex D). Figure 6 is characterised by zone C in the east, where informal gardening takes place, and in the west by uncontrolled vegetation in zone D (Map 1, see also Chapter 2). In zone C a camp shedding is made of plastic, debris, reed and wood. The use of this

materials is not aesthetically valued, which is in conflict with the desires of other stakeholders (Table 1). In addition, field observations show that canal bank protection applied in zone C is vulnerable to waves caused by passing boats and is about to collapse in some locations. Field observations also indicate that the camp shedding was made by adjacent garden owners themselves. It is noticeable that they used material that is closest at hand. Which maintenance practices are applied in zone D is unclear. Due to its dense Phragmites vegetation, zone D supports the aquatic quality of Carrera del Saler by facilitating nursery of fish and amphibians. However, the dense and uncontrolled Phragmites vegetation is in conflict with the boat riders because the vegetation grows into the canal and decreases the navigation area (Visit Albufera, personal communication, June 9, 2016)

the interviewed farmers did expressed their concern about the increase of vegetation, because vegetation attracts birds (Farmers, personal communication, June 2016). Birds are not wanted as they damage the harvest. Farmers were particularly worried about trees

Figure 4: Schematic cross section of the future state of the canal Carrerea del Saler in zones A&B.

Figure 5: Photo of the state of the canal Carrera del Saler in zones A&B (A) and an impression image (B).

Figure 6: Schematic cross section of the current state of the canal Carrerea del Saler in zone C.

5.2.2 PROPOSED INTERVENTION

Based on the current canal bank protection in zone C, we propose the implementation of an underwater tank (Figure 7). The implementation of an underwater tank avoids the need of space on the side of zone C and requires less maintenance. We propose to create an underwater tank by making an extra camp shedding, 2,5 meters out of the actual canal bank. In the underwater tank, vegetation can

grow in a controlled manner and the growth of target species in the Albufera, such as Iris pseudacorus and Typha can be supported. This will contribute to the biodiversity, ecological and aesthetic value of the canal. At the same time, the underwater tank provides protection against the impact of waves caused by passing boats. Implementation of the underwater tank will leave at least 5 meters for the boat riders to pass and will therefore not negatively impact the passage of boat riders.


stakeholders as maintenance requirements are reduced. Also, the stability of the dike will be improved here, ensuring better passage of the boats. The increase of vegetation, within the water tank, will be more attractive for tourism and the ecology of this particular canal area. In Figure 9b you can clearly see how the canal bank will look more appealing, stable and attractive than in its current state. As for who should do the maintenance, it is in our belief that this should be done by the garden holders, or by a contracted maintenance firm who will get the responsibility of the whole canal, as is also mentioned in Chapter 5.3.Figure 9a shows the current situation and figure b shows the future situation of how the canal bank situated by the gardens may look like.

The proposed intervention in Figure 7 requires less maintenance when applied in a correct way. However, the implementation costs are relatively high. We suggest that the the implementation of an underwater tank should be taken up as a joint responsibility between the garden owners and the NGOs. The garden owners should supply the material needed, the NGOs should provide technical assistance and supply target plant species in the Albufera, such as Iris pseudacorus and Typha. The proposed intervention will also benefit the boat rides because vegetation will be easier to control.

5.2.3 PROPOSED VISIONA few years after the implementation, the state as shown in Figure 8 could be reached. The proposed intervention will benefit different

Figure 7: Schematic cross section of the operatilzation of the canal Carrerea del Saler in zone C.

Figure 8: Schematic cross section of the future state of the canal Carrerea del Saler in zone C.

Figure 9: Photo of the state of the canal Carrera del Saler in zone C (A) and an impression image (B).

taken and responsibilities to do so need to be distributed. In Table 4, we give a suggestion on who could fulfill which responsibilities in order to achieve the canal profiles presented in Figure 4 and Figure 8.

5.3 DIVISION OF RESPONSIBILITIES

The vision presented in this report is intended to serve as a first step to stimulate stakeholders to work together towards a pilot project. In order achieve the implementation of a pilot project, further steps need to be


Table 4: Table showing who is responsible for different aspects.

5.4 DUTCH EXAMPLESThe alternative maintenance practices which we used for the visions are based on dutch examples. In Figure 10 you can see how a gentle canal bank slope is implemented to improve the banks of the Valei Kanaal. We used

this as inspiration for dike protection in zones A&D. In figure 11 you can see how poles have been used to protect the dikes in Delftland, the same way we intended to protect zone C

Figure 10: Newly constructed gentle canal bank in the Valei Kanaal, in the Netherlands.

Figure 11: Newly constructed canal bank protection with poles in Delftland, in the Netherlands.http://www.profextru.nl//projects/p49_Onderwaterbeschoeiing%20aug%202012-10.JPG (d30/06/2016)


The canal and bank management of the Carrera del Saler does not provide the multiple functions that stakeholders have an interest in. Currently, the canal and bank management is focussed on serving the agricultural function and to a limited extend the navigation, ecology and aesthetic functions. In addition, the agricultural function is not adequately met. Aqualibrium has proposed the implementation of gentle canal bank slopes in zone A&B, and broadening the dike in zone B. Gentle canal bank slopes provide confining and stability of the canal banks, which solves the main problem of the farmers. Furthermore, gentle slopes support the ecological quality of Carrera del Saler by facilitating vegetation growth and nursery grounds for fish and amphibians. The growth of vegetation, for example the Iris pseudacorus, contributes to the aesthetic function of the canal. The proposed intervention requires, relative to the use of debris, high investment costs, but needs less maintenance compared. Deepen the canal will also avoid vegetation growth in the navigation area. In addition, the excavated material from the bottom of the canal can be used to broaden the dike in zone B.

For the zones C&D we proposed the implementation of an underwater tank. The underwater tank provides protection against the impacts of the waves caused by passing boats. They also allow for controlled vegetation growth of target plant species in the Albufera and avoid vegetation growth in the navigation area of tourism boats. This way, the implementation of underwater tanks improve the ecological, aesthetic and navigation functions of the canal. The implementation costs are relatively high, we suggest therefore that the task should be taken up as a joint responsibility between the garden owners and the NGOs.

However, simply changing the maintenance practices is not enough. The observations and the interviews show that there is no integrated and anticipatory management and maintenance approach for the canal and the banks of Carrera del Saler. Instead, maintenance is merely applied in a reactionist way. In addition, there is ambivalence about where the maintenance responsibilities lie. These two issues hinder the implementation of integrated and multi-functional canal management practices. In order to achieve the vision presented in this report, responsibilities need to be clearly defined and the canal needs to be treated as a unitary system. Therefore, having stakeholders come together and debate and attribute responsibilities needs to be the first step of any change. Aqualibrium hopes that this report can serve as an initiator of the dialog about what functions stakeholders desire from Carrer del Saler and how this can be realized. The proposed vision in this report can support in this process. To operationalize the implementation of such a vision, further research is needed about the legal responsibilities and stakeholder perceptions of responsibilities.

This pilot project can help to overcome current identified problems and manage canal banks in a way that meet the multiple interests of stakeholders. Therefore Aqualibrium has created a vision of a multi-functional canal with banks that are stable, water confining, aesthetically pleasing to attract tourists and support a high ecological value of the area. The implementation of this vision needs to be based on clearly defined responsibilities and an integrated management plan which can serve at short term as cornerstone for multifunctional canal and bank management.

The purpose of this project is to raise awareness on the impact of current management practices on the functionality of the canal Carrera de El Saler and to stimulate dialogue between stakeholders about alternative canal management practices. We have done this through interviewing different stakeholders about their desired functions of the canal and about the interventions they propose to strengthen these desired functions. The identified ‘bottlenecks and nodes’ based on the outcomes of the interviews, gave input to the dialog during the final presentation of the project. In addition, the interviews revealed the fuzziness about maintenance responsibilities over the canal. Therefore, we have given suggestions on the division of maintenance responsibilities, presented in Chapter 5.3. Unfortunately, there was no possibility to interview the owners of the informal vegetable gardens in zone C. We have no information about their interest in the current and proposed management practices on the functionality of the canal Carrera del Saler. However, we assume that they benefit from our proposed interventions, as the risk of waterlogging in the gardens will decrease.

Due to time constraints, the assessment on current state (structures, flora, indicators) and the management practices in Carrera del Saler, has been carried out on a general level and is not very detailed. On the basis of the general

assessment, we have identified vulnerabilities of canal. Through integrating the outcomes of the interviews with the field observations and Dutch examples of natural friendly canal management, we proposed the implementation of gentle canal bank slopes in zone A&B, and implementation of an underwater tank in zone C&D.

If an actual strategy for developing a pilot project is to be developed, further research should be conducted on the costs of various maintenance approaches to find a feasible solution. In addition, research has to be conducted on whether the material obtained from deepening the bed will be enough to broaden the dikes. If this is not the case, new realistic sources for dike material need to be identified and also space for storage needs to be organised. A further constraint to the implementation of the vision presented in this report is the water quality of Carrera del Saler. While more vegetation is able to improve the water quality, its growth is also constrained by it (Pim de Kwaadsteniet, personal communication, May 31, 2016). Due to time constraints, the water quality aspect is not included in this project. Nevertheless, the efforts to initiate this pilot project have to go hand in hand with improving the water quality of the system.

6DISCUSSION 7 CONCLUSION

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LITERATURE:Degorski, M. (2004). Spatial variability of multifunctional landscape as the basis for potential differences of regional „smart growth“ of rural areas – the examples from Poland. Rural Areas And Development, 2.Gren, I et al. Reg Environ Change (2010) 10: 339. doi:10.1007/s10113-009-0105-9

Hulshof, M., & Vos, J. (2016). Diverging realities: how framing, values and water management are interwoven in the Albufera de Valencia wetland in Spain. Water International, 41(1), 107-124.

Jonker & Menkveld (1998) Planten in de polder: veldgids voor grasland, oever, sloot en plas. Schuyt & Co uitgevers en importeurs, Haarlem.

Mondría-García, M. (2004). Jornada de Debate sobre el Desarrollo Sostenible de l’Albufera de Valencia. Documento de Conclusiones. Valencia: Confederación Hidrográfica del Júcar.

Peeters, E. T. H. M., Veraart, A. J., Verdonschot, R. C. M., van Zuidam, J. P., de Klein, J. J. M., & Verdonschot, P. F. M. (2014). Sloten: Ecologisch functioneren en beheer (p. 160). KNNV Uitgeverij ism STOWA en Universiteit Wageningen.Soria, J. M. (2006). Past, present and future of la Albufera of Valencia Natural Park. Limnetica, 25(1), 135-142.

Twisk, W., Noordervliet, M. A. W., & Ter Keurs, W. J. (2003). The nature value of the ditch vegetation in peat areas in relation to farm management. Aquatic Ecology, 37(2), 191-209.

WEBSITES:Retrieved on 2016, June 30 http://www.gvaoberta.gva.es/planes-y-regulacion-en-materia-de-medio-ambiente

Retrieved on 2016, June 30 http://www.gvaoberta.gva.es/normativa-ambiental

Retrieved on 2016, June 30 http://www.gvaoberta.gva.es/instrumentos-de-ordenacion

ANNEX A - METHODOLOGYResearch strategy observations and measurements Carrera del SalerCentral in our research strategy for the field research necessary to answer the second sub-ques-tion is that we start with general rough observations and move towards more detailed measure-ments.

Method: Observations• General vegetation cover will be determined by estimating the percentage of coverage.

• Land use next to canal (rice field, road, nature area, recreation etc.)

• Bank erosion spots, extent of debris (stones etc.), cleaning material (mud cover on banks).

• Sluices to the paddy fields.

• Milestones that used to determine the property and maintenance responsibility border between farmers and municipality. Distance from canal will be measured.

• List of most common species (such as Arundo donax, Iris pseudacorus, Typha species and Phragmites species) will be created. Observation of genus type and subsequently the density and width in the canal of the plant species are determined according to respectively an ordinal 3-point scale: sparse; moderate; dense and measurement in meters. Special attention will be given to the observation of Arundo donax as this species has most harmful impact on the dike stability.

Method: Measurements

• Width of the banks will be measured from the end of the canal to the start of other land use (e.g. paddy field or nature area, house etc.) with measuring-tape.

• Slope banks → using a level.

• Depth of the canal and slope of the underwater canal sidewall is determined by 5 measure points in the canal. One is located in the middle of the canal and two on each side of the canal (one 20 centimeters from the bank and the second other 1.50 meter from the bank). This way a transect can be made with a linear slope of the underwater sidewall.• Material banks. Soil type of the bank will be determined according to a list of possible soil types. Also grain size will be determined qualitatively.

• Thickness of mud in canal bed. Stick and measuring tape was used.

• Turbidity. With a Secchi disk the transparency of the water will be determined, which is the length at which the contrast of the disk is not visible anymore.

Material needed for observations and measurements:Water vegetation determination guide, measuring-tape, GPS, stick, Secchi disk, level and a boat.

Method: ArcGIS

The results of the observations and measurements will be mapped in themed assessment maps

8REFERENCES 9ANNEX

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with ArcGIS to visualize the results and help identify landscape units. GPS locations linked to ordinal observations of debris, dike width, arundo donax presence in Excel sheets are loaded in GIS and depicted in maps.

The methods and activities regarding management practices consist of interviews and observations. The sub-question will be an integral component of the interviews with different stakeholders as described under sub-question 1. By asking stakeholders what their management practices are. Subsequently, we will derive management practices from the observations during the field-research. For example, the vegetation cover will tell us something about mowing patterns and mud on banks will show the method used for cleaning of the canal.

Interviews (stakeholder selection)

Table 5: Topic List Stakeholder Interviews

Contents Interviews

Main introduction:• Common introduction (chit-chat), we are students from Holanda and are interested in the Motas of the canal and its management.

• Do you have time to talk about the Motas of the canal, this takes about 15 minutes?

• Since I talk a bit Spanish but my friend does not, to make the translation easier do you mind we record this short interview?

• I will ask the questions and subsequently translate your answer to my friend.

End• Thanking and goodbye

• In case of more formal interviews, exchange of contact data

Interview Rice Farmer – Canal Bank Management• Where do you need the canal for?

• What other functions should the canal have?

» Why (not)?

• What is your opinion about the state, stability, structure of the Mota?

• Could you explain the reason behind this opinion?

• What problems do you perceive with regard to the state, stability, structure of the Mota?

» Why do you perceive these problems?

» Why (not)?

• Do you apply any maintenance practices to the Mota yourself (cumbro, deposition of cleaning material, mowing, herbicide) ?

» So yes, what kind of maintenance practices and how long is the canal bank you maintain?

» For how long have you been applying these maintenance practices?

» Would you like to apply alternative maintenance practices?

» Why (not)?

» If so, what type of maintenance practices should be applied?

» How often should these maintenance practices be applied?

» Why (not)?

• Who should be responsible for the implementation of these practices?

» Why this person/company?

Interview Boat Rider – Canal Bank Management• Where do you need the canal for?

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» Why (not)?


» Could you explain the reason behind this opinion?


» Why do you perceive these problems?

» Why (not)?

» Who is currently applying maintenance practices to the Mota?

» What kind of maintenance practices?

» How long have these maintenance practices been applied?

» Should alternative maintenance practices be applied?

» Why (not)?




Interview employee Maintenance company – Canal Bank Management• Where do you need the canal for?


» Why (not)?



• What problems does your company perceive with regard to the state, stability, structure of the Mota?

» Why does your company perceive these problems?

» Why (not)?

• What kind of maintenance practices does the company you’re working for apply to the Mota?


» Would your company like to apply alternative maintenance practices?

» Why (not)?

» If so, what type of maintenance practices would you like to apply?



Interview contractor Maintenance company – Canal Bank Management• What functions should the canal have?

» Why (not)?



• What problems does your company perceive with regard to the state, stability, structure of the Mota?

• Why does your company perceive these problems?

» Why (not)?

• What kind of maintenance practices does the company apply to the Mota?

» For how long has the company been applying these maintenance practices?

» Would your company like to apply alternative maintenance practices?

» Why (not)?




Interview Nature NGO – Canal Bank Management• Where do you need the canal for?


» Why (not)?

• Do you think that a multifunctional canal is important for meeting the Natura2000 standards?

» Why (not)?



• What problems do you perceive with regard to the state of the Mota?

• Why do you perceive these problems?

» Why (not)?

• Does the NGO you’re working for apply any maintenance practices to the Mota?

» So yes, what kind of maintenance practices?

» For how long has the NGO been applying these maintenance practices?

» Would the NGO you’re working fot like to apply alternative maintenance practices?

» Why (not)?

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Interview Nature Conservationist – Canal Bank Management• Where do you need the canal for?


» Why (not)?


» Why (not)?





» Why (not)?

• Do you apply any maintenance practices to the Mota yourself (cumbro, deposition of cleaning material, mowing, herbicide) ?

» So yes, what kind of maintenance practices and how long is the canal bank you maintain?


» Would you like to apply alternative maintenance practices?

» Why (not)?


» How often should these maintenance practices be applied?

» Why (not)?



Interview Municipality of Valencia– Canal Bank Management• Where does the municipality need the canal for?


» Why (not)?


» Why (not)?



• What problems do you perceive with regard to the state of the Mota?


» Why (not)?

• Does the municipality you apply/delegate any maintenance practices to the Mota?

» So yes, what kind of maintenance practices?

» For how long has these maintenance practices been applied?

» Would the municipality like to apply alternative maintenance practices?

» Why (not)?




Birdlife international

Do you consider the canals in Albufera natural parks as important landscape elements for bird habitat and conservation?

If so, what are the main habitat elements/aspects you need in a canal for bird conservation?

Are there currently projects that contain specific measures that improve these habitat elements at the canal banks for bird habitat and conservation?

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ANNEX B - CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKThis report applies the concept of multi-functionality to canal management. According to Gren (2010), wetlands provide multiple services which are not valued in monetary terms such as biodiversity or scenic beauty. However, the Carrera del Saler in the Albufera wetland does not contribute sufficiently in these aspects. Instead, it focuses on serving agro-economic interests (Hulshof & Vos, 2016). Multi-functional landscape design is referred to in many EU documents, as it is considered one of the prerequisites of sustainable growth and harmony between stakeholders (Degorski, 2004)

In this project proposal the definition of a canal is used from Peeters et al., (2014): a canal is an artificial water body that functions as a water transportation and has usually a width between 10 to 15 meters, is relatively shallow (up to 1.5 meters), contains almost permanently water and is part of a larger system of watercourses. The conceptual framework as shown in Figure 2 will be used. The state of a canal is determined by the hydrology, substances and structures on which the human influence has an effect. This project is about management practices of the canal and canal banks and their effect on the different functions of the canal. The focus of the project is on the interventions and management of the structures domain of the canal. When analyzing structures, we will focus a.o. on vegetation cover, bank slopes, erosion, substrate depth and cross section of the canal. However, structures and management are not the only factors that influence the functions of the canal. Therefore, we will also take the hydrological (surface and groundwater) features of the area and substances (e.g. turbidity) of the canal into account. For hydrology we will mainly focus on water level management and aspects important for irrigation and drainage functions of the canal. When we refer to the state of the Carrera de El Saler we refer to the categories and relations between Structures and Canal management practices which in turn determine different functions of the canal.

The different categories of ecological factors and human influence are defined as follows:

• Structures are defined as the the characteristics of the habitat structures at different scales of both the canal and the canal banks (Peeters et al., 2014). This includes the longitudinal and cross section of the canal. The shape determines the prevalence of different vegetation mosaics (distribution of e.g. mersive, submersive, floating, bank vegetation). This category includes dike height, width and slope. This category is important for determining possible interventions and its consequences for the functions of the canal.

• Substances is defined as the chemical factors and processes that are determined by water movements of the canal system, external inputs (e.g. atmospheric deposition) and local processes (e.g. denitrification) (Peeters et al., 2014). Because the substances are largely determined by the total canal system, for this research the emphasis is on structures.• Most important of the category of Hydrology for this project is the water level management. This factor determines possible interventions such as changing the bank slope. The velocity of the water is not considered to be a crucial factor.• Canal management practices considered in this research are mainly canal bed and bank maintenance, water level, invasive species and habitat management. Also potential human interventions on structures are considered, for example changing bank and underwater sidewall slope creating terraced banks.• Functions is defined as the role of the canal for human use. The aim of multifunctional canal management comprises combining the four functions of ecology, irrigation/drainage, tourism and navigation. Stakeholders emphasize the importance of different functions of the canal.

Figure 12: Conceptual Framework

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ANNEX C - BOTTLENECKS AND OPPORTUNITIES OVERVIEW * Interviewed by Nicholas Hawking, MSc student Environmental Sciences at the Wageningen University.

Table 6: Overview of addressed bottlenecks by stakeholders

Table 7: Overview of addressed nodes/opportunities by stakeholders

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ANNEX D - CROSS SECTIONS

Figure 13: Cross sections of Carrera del Saler. Depicted are the canal depth, bank and dike height in combination with the thickness of the silt layer relative to the water level of the canal. Also the canal width can be derived from the cross sections

Map 5: Locations of the cross sections of Figure 1 in Carrera del Saler.

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ANNEX E - AQUALIBRIUM TEAM MEMBERS

Mert BlommestijnBachelor: BSc Liberal Arts & Sciences with a major in Environmen-tal Sciences at Utrecht University. Master (Specialisation): MSc International Land & Water Manage-ment with a specialisation in Adaptive Water Management at Wage-ningen University.Previous Projects: Internship at the Center for Coastal Resilience and Urban eXcellence (CRUX), Stevens Institute of Technology, Ho-boken (USA). Main activity was modelling flash floods in Hoboken. Added value within this project: My interdisciplinary background could be of use. I have experience in finding common ground and creating a more comprehensive understanding. Thus, not only analyzing different aspects, but really connect and integrate different views of stakeholders as well as different biophysical characteristics (ecological and morphological) of the research object (the canal).

Eva DiestelhorstBachelor: International Land & Water Management with a minor in Development and Policies in a Globalizing WorldMaster (Specialisation): International Land & Water Management with a specialization in Adaptive Water ManagementPrevious Projects: Research internship about groundwater irrigation and water balances in MoroccoAdded value within this project: Due to my bsc in Land and Water management which focussed on hydrology, erosion, irrigation and drainage I can function as a technical expert on these issues during this project.

Amanda KrijsgmanBachelor: International Land and Water Management, Wageningen University, with a minor in Green Blue Cities, Future Proof Neigh-bourhoods. Master (Specialisation): International Land & Water Management with a specialization in Irrigation and Water ManagementPrevious Projects: Assistant in the project “GreenInfra4Beira”, an urban storm water management project in the second capital of Mo-zambique. The project was a collaboration between researchers from Deltaris, Alterra Wageningen UR, Witteveen&Bos, Wissing Urban planning and the Catholic University of Beira. Conduct fieldwork on the planned (a)biotic conditions of a planned water retention area. Participation in the stakeholder workshop.

Added value within this project: Motivated International Land and Water Management under-graduate (MSc) with communication, organisation and scientific analysing skills. Looking for an opportu-nity to apply her integrated knowledge of socio-economics and water management to the complex situation of Carrera de El Saler.

Joy PengelBachelor: Landscape Architecture and Planning. Specialisation: Landscape Architecture and a minor in International Land and Wa-ter Management.Master (Specialisation): International Land and Water Management, with a specialisation in Adaptive Water Management. Plus the mas-ter Landscape Architecture and Planning, with a major in Landscape Architecture.Previous Projects: Creating a landscape design for a farm of 500 Hectares while using the permacultural principles in Vila do Bispo, South of Portugal. Researching the most effective and precise way to calculate the water flow when doing fieldresearch in Ethiopia. Designing a green and sustainable, self supportive neighbourhood (Geworteld Wonen) in RijswijnBuiten in the Netherlands.Added value within this project: With my bachelor background I can help with making the visualisations and have already some experi-ences in creating landscape management plans. Furthermore, I will ensure that the organization within the project goes smoothly and hopefully without any problems.

Sjoerd PietersenBachelor: BSc. Forest Management and Nature Conservation. Spe-cialization: Tropical Forestry, Master (Specialisation): MSc International Land and Watermanage-ment. Specialization: Sustainable Land ManagementTeam Role: External communication with Dutch and Spanish river and canal bank experts, farmer organizations and other relevant stakeholders. Furthermore, I will act as the Team’s translator. Previous Projects: Elaboration of a mangrove nursery management plan in México, Forest management plan for a community forest in Surinam. Thesis on assessing valuable ligneous plant species in Mex-ican agroforestry system. Literature research on gender relations within agroforestry value chains for LEI (Landbouw Economisch Instituut) Wageningen. Added value within this project: Experience with GIS, Ability to speak Spanish, experience with doing fieldwork in humid tropical conditions.

Documents

Final report- Group 82 - Aqualibrium