The effect of climate on the hydrological

regime of selected Greek areas with

different climate conditions

Thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of

Doctor rer. nat.
of the Faculty of Environment and Natural Resources
Albert-Ludwigs-University
Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

by
Spyridon Paparrizos

Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

2016

Dean:

Prof. Dr. Tim Freytag

Advisor:

Prof. Dr. Andreas Matzarakis

2nd Advisor:

Prof. Dr. Markus Weiler

To my parents Penelope and Antonios

Acknowledgements
By finalising the current Thesis, I would like first of all to express my gratitude to my
supervisor Professor Dr. Andreas Matzarakis, especially for the continuous and unfailing
supervision, as well as his priceless guidance during my life here in Freiburg. The scientific
work that we performed together and our talks will be forever depicted in my Thesis, and in
my memory.
I would also like to thank my second supervisor, Professor Dr. Markus Weiler who
has expressed kind interest about my research through our occasional talks.
Special thanks need to be given to the Associate Professor Dr. Fotios Maris, my
supervisor during my BSc. and MSc. studies and my mentor since my juvenile years in the
university. I would be forever grateful for the time he devoted to me, as well as the resources
that he provided me and I am sure that we will continue working together.
I am thankful to all my colleagues of the Chair of Environmental Meteorology and first
of all to PD Dr. Dirk Schindler who gave me the opportunity to work as a research assistant
and assist him with some lectures. My fellow colleagues at Hebelstrasse: Dominik Frhlich,
Sven Gebhart, Ronja Vitt, Marcel Gangwisch, Shiqi Yang, Yung-Chang Chen, as well as my
former colleagues Dr. Emmanuel Lubango Ndetto, Dr. Christine Ketterer and Dr. Letizia
Martinelli for the substantial help that provided to me, our exciting everyday talks, lunches,
and occasional feierabends; without you my life in Freiburg would have been less openminded, less multi-cultural, and probably ennui.
I want to thank also Dr. Simeon Potouridis, a colleague from my previous university
and a life colleague for his interest, his support and our long talks. He urged me to come and
study in Freiburg, and this was one of the best decisions I ever made. He was always there
for me and I know that he will continue to be.
Although the current Thesis is dedicated to my parents, I feel the need to write a few
more words to emphasize their contribution. I want to thank my parents Penelope and
Antonios as so my sister Emily for their substantial economic but most important: their moral
support. Our parents always believed in my sister and me since the beginning of our lives,
they raised us with dignity; they deprived many things in order to provide us with everything. I
could have never asked for a better family and I am more than thankful for that.
I sincerely appreciate the help of all the teachers and professors I had since the early
years of my life as each and every one of them contributed their part towards the
actualization of the current Thesis, and the achievement of my goals.
Finally, I want to say thanks to my friends and everyone I consider as family and have
supported me all these years.
4

Summary
Assessment of present and future variations of the aspects of the hydrological cycle is
essential for the research regarding climate and climate change. The current study is
focused on 3 selected agricultural areas widespread in Greece, the Ardas River basin in
North-eastern Greece, the Sperchios River basin in central Greece, and the Geropotamos
River basin in Crete Island in South Greece that have different climate characteristics due to
their location, as well as complex topography. The aim is to analyse the various aspects and
procedures of the hydrological cycle, and assess its future variations, responses, and their
effect on the hydrological regime of the study areas, with specific focusing on the agricultural
productivity. Furthermore, the study aimed to assess the role that topography plays in the
formation and spatial distribution of the climate conditions prevailing in the certain study
areas.
Initially, the study was focused on Potential Evapotranspiration (PET), which is one of
the most critical parameters in the research on agro-ecological systems. The computational
methods for the estimation of PET vary in data demands from very simple (empirically
based), requiring only information based on air temperatures, to complex ones (more
physically based) that require data on radiation, air humidity, etc. For this reason, 12
Potential Evapotranspiration formulae were adopted, analysed and inter-compared in terms
of their sensitivity regarding their input coefficients. The aim was to compare all the methods
and conclude to which empirical PET method(s) better represent the PET results in each
area and thus should be adopted and used each time, and which factors influence the results
in each case.
Subsequently the assessment and comparison of the future variation of annual and
seasonal precipitation was performed, as well as the assessment of the future response of
streamflow and its impacts on the hydrological regime, in combination with other fundamental
aspects of the hydrological cycle. The determination of heat requirements in the first
developing phases of plants, that has been expressed as Growing Degree Days (GDD) was
implemented, in order to assess the future variation and the spatial distribution of the GDD,
and how these can affect the main cultivations in the study areas. Finally, the aridity and
drought conditions prevailing in the study areas were estimated.
Since a major task and object of the current study was to spatially interpret the
various components and procedures, the current study describes a technique for
downscaling climatological data in areas with limited data. In cases where the observations
from the meteorological network as well as the density are insufficient to cover the entire
study area and the researcher is called to operate on a regional or the mesoscale and
5

produce detailed results, the technique can be a helping hand. It constitutes a combination of
statistical downscaling through multi-linear regression techniques with the dynamical
downscaling through Geographic Information Systems and it was used in order to spatially
interpolate with high resolution various climatological procedures in the current study.
Future meteorological data were derived and analysed from a number of Regional
Climate Models (RCMs) from the ENSEMBLES European project. The climate simulations
were performed for the future periods 2021-2050 and 2071-2100, under the A1B and B1
emission scenarios that were developed by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
Spatial interpolation was performed using the combined dynamical and statistical
downscaling technique and the Ordinary Kriging method within ArcGIS 10.2.1. Mann-Kendall
statistical control method was used to investigate possible trends, while the Auto-regressive
integrated moving average model (ARIMA) was used for forecasting within Mathworks
version of 2014a. ArcSWAT ArcGIS extension was used to simulate the future responses of
streamflow. Growing Degree Days (GDD) units was adopted to determine the present and
future heat requirements of the existing cultivations. Present aridity conditions were
estimated using the Aridity index (AI), while the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was
used to identify and assess the present and future drought conditions.
According to the combined downscaling technique that was proposed in the current
study, the results indicated that the current technique delivered very sufficient results as the
adjusted coefficient (R2) was appeared with high values in almost every case. Areas
characterized by Mediterranean type of climate with hot summers (Csa) showed the
strongest presumption against null hypothesis; while areas characterized by a combination of
different Mediterranean climate types (Csa and Csb) used the most coefficients in the
regression equations and produced relatively good results. Areas facing continental climate
conditions also delivered satisfactory results, although most of the examined independent
coefficients that were used in the regression analyses were presented with medium
presumption against null hypothesis. Summarizing, the described technique can be used for
every type of climate in almost every terrain for the accurate representation of various
climatological variables in the mesoscale.
Regarding the sensitivity analysis of PET formulae, the results indicated that for the
areas that face Mediterranean climate conditions, the most appropriate method for the
estimation of PET was the temperature-based, Hamon's 2nd version (PETHam2). Furthermore,
the PETHam2 equation was able to estimate PET almost with the same efficiency as the
average results of the 12 empirical formulae. For the Ardas River basin, the results indicated
that both PETHam2 and PETHam1 can be used to estimate PET satisfactorily. Moreover, the
temperature-based equations have proven to produce finer results, followed by the radiation-

based equations. On the other hand, PETASCE which is the most common equation, can also
be applied occasionally in order to provide satisfactory results.
Concerning the results of the integrated analysis and future responses of
precipitation, it is expected to be critically decreased for both scenarios, future periods and
study areas. Specifically, precipitation is expected to decrease by 32-40% by the end of the
century in the Sperchios River basin, by almost 45% in the Ardas River basin, and more than
50% in the Geropotamos River basin. Furthermore, the decrease in precipitation for the
Ardas River basin which is characterized by continental climate will be tempered, while in the
Sperchios River basin the decrease will be smoother due to the influence of some minor
climatic variations in the basins' springs in the highlands where milder conditions occur.
Precipitation decrease in the Geropotamos River basin which is characterized by
Mediterranean climate will be more vigorous. During the seasonal analysis of precipitation in
the Ardas River basin, autumn season is expected to face the greatest reductions reaching a
decrease of 65% by the end of the century, while for the Sperchios and the Geropotamos
River basin, spring season will face the greatest reductions with almost 53% and 59%,
respectively. Additionally, Mann-Kendall test indicated a strong downward trend for every
study area.
Respecting the results of the future assessment of streamflow, in all the examined
study areas is expected to be reduced. Areas characterized by continental climate will face
minor reductions by the mid-century that will become very intense by the end of it, and thus
these areas will become more resistant to future changes. Specifically, the decrease in the
Geropotamos River basin will range between 14-18% by the end of the century, while in the
Ardas River basin it will reach up to 21.5% (A1B: 2071-2100). For the Sperchios River basin,
the decrease will be stronger and by the end of the century it will reach up to 32%. This
practically means that the Ardas and the Geropotamos River basins are expected to lose 1/5
of their streamflow, while the Sperchios River basin will lose more than 1/3 of its current
streamflow. Areas characterized by Mediterranean climate conditions will be very vulnerable
in terms of future climate change. Reduced precipitation is the main reason for decreased
streamflow. Nevertheless, the high values of Actual Evapotranspiration by the end of the
century due to increases in air temperature will partly equilibrate the water balance.
The results regarding the Growing Degree Days indicated that for all future periods
and scenarios are expected to increase. The increase in the Geropotamos River basin will be
the highest reaching up to 3400 GDD units by the end of the century, followed by the Ardas
and the Sperchios River basins with almost 3000 and 2250 GDD units, respectively.
Moreover, the cultivation period will be shifted from April-October to April-September, which
will have social, economic and environmental benefits. During the examined period of AprilOctober which constitutes the main cultivation period in the examined study areas, the
7

results indicated that the Sperchios and Geropotamos River basins will reach up to 2700
GDD units (A1B - 2071-2100), while the Ardas River basin will reach up to 2050 GDD units.
Additionally, the spatial distribution of the GDD indicated that in the upcoming years the
existing cultivations can find favourable conditions and can be expanded in mountainous
areas as well. On the other hand, due to the rough topography that exists in the study areas
the wide expansion of the existing cultivations onto higher altitudes is unaffordable.
Nevertheless, new, more profitable cultivations can be introduced which can find propitious
conditions in terms of Growing Degree Days units.
The results of the integrated analysis of aridity showed that the study areas are facing
humid conditions, mostly due to the existence of high altitudes. The highest Aridity Index (AI)
values are appeared in the Geropotamos River basin with AI = 1.09, following by the Ardas
and the Sperchios River basins with 0.94 and 0.93 respectively. The various climatic
conditions are responsible for differentiations in seasonal analysis regarding the aridity
conditions. The study areas related to the Mediterranean climate resulted more
heterogeneous conditions compared with areas affected by the continental climate as in the
Geropotamos River basin the AI ranges between 0.14 (summer) to 1.72 (winter). In the
Sperchios River basin the AI ranges between 0.24 (summer) to 1.80 (winter), while in the
Ardas River basin the Aridity Index values range between 0.25 (summer) and 1.31 (winter).
Nevertheless, the created aridity spatial maps of trend analysis presented with
differentiations, especially in the mountainous areas where an extreme downward trend is
appeared.
Finally, the results from the integrated analysis of present and future drought
conditions prevailing in the study areas indicated that for both scenarios, future periods and
study areas, drought conditions are expected to be more severe in the upcoming years. The
decrease of the SPI values in the Sperchios River basin is expected to be the strongest, as it
is the only study area that will face a negative balance (in SPI values), regarding the drought
conditions. Specifically, from the current SPI value of 0.59 it will drop to -0.79 in SPI values
by the end of the century. For the Ardas and the Geropotamos River basins, a great
decrease of the drought conditions will occur during the 2021-2050 period, while for 20712100 period the decrease will be continued, but it will be tempered. Specifically, in the Ardas
River basin the SPI values are expected to decrease from 1.14 to 0.52, while by the end of
the century the will further reduce and reach to 0.32 (SPI values). In the Geropotamos River
basin from the current 0.95, they values will decrease and reach by the end of the century
0.19 (in SPI values), which is a fact that indicates that the conditions in the Geropotamos
River basin tend to become negative, in terms of SPI values. Nevertheless, the situation in all
study areas according to the SPI classification is characterized as 'Near-normal', in terms of
drought conditions.
8

Zusammenfassung
Die Bewertung der gegenwrtigen und zuknftigen Vernderungen der Komponenten
des Wasserkreislaufs sind wichtig fr die Untersuchung des Klimas und des Klimawandels.
Die vorliegende Untersuchung konzertiert sich

auf 3 ausgewhlte landwirtschaftlich

geprgte Gebiete, die ber Griechenland verteilt sind, erhandelt sich das Ardas
Einzugsgebiet im Nordosten Griechenlands, das Sperchios Einzugsgebiet in Zentral
Griechenland und das Geropotamos Einzugsgebiet auf der Insel Kreta, im Sden
Griechenlands, die verschiedene charakteristische Merkmale aufgrund ihrer Lage sowie ihrer
komplexen Topographie aufweisen. Das Ziel ist die verschiedenen Komponenten und
Prozesse des Wasserkreislaufs zu analysieren und die zuknftige nderungen und ihre
Wirkungen auf das hydrologische Regime der Untersuchungsgebiete, insbesondere
bezglich der landwirtschaftlichen Produktion zu bewerten. Darber hinaus zielt die
Untersuchung darauf, die Rolle, die die Topographie fr die Bildung und die rumliche
Verteilung

der

dominierenden

klimatischen

Bedingungen

in

der

untersuchten

Untersuchungsgebieten spielt, zu bewerten.

Am Anfang konzentriert sich die Untersuchung auf die potentielle Evapotranspiration
(PET), die eine der kritischen Bestimmungsfaktoren fr die Untersuchung der agrarkologischen Systeme ist. Die Berechnungsmethoden fr die Bewertung der PET variieren in
den Anforderungen an die Daten. Von sehr einfachen empirischen Daten, welche nur
Informationen

ber

der

Lufttemperatur

erfordern,

bis

hin

zu

komplexeren

eher

physikalischen, die sich auf Strahlung und Luftfeuchtigkeit, etc. sttzen. Deshalb wurden 12
PET Formeln bernommen, analysiert und in Bezug auf ihre Sensitivitt bezglich der
Eingangsparameter Daten hin, vergleichen. Das Ziel war es alle Methode zu vergleichen und
zu heraus zu finden welche empirische PET Methode die PET Ergebnisse am besten fr den
jeweiligen Bereich reprsentieren, und daher immer benutzt werden sollten. Weiterhin sollte
ermittelt werden welche Faktoren die Ergebnisse im Einzelfall beeinflussen.
Anschlieend wurde die Bewertung und der Vergleich der zuknftigen Variation des
jhrlichen und saisonalen Niederschlages durchgefhrt, als auch die Bewertung der
zuknftigen Reaktionen des Abflusses und seine Auswirkungen auf das hydrologische
Regime in Kombination mit anderen fundamentalen Komponenten des Wasserkreislaufs. Die
Bestimmung der thermischen Anforderungen den ersten Entwicklungsphasen der Pflanzen,
die als Growing Degree Days (GDD) zum Ausdruck gebracht wurden, wurde einbezogen, um
so die zuknftigen Variationen und die rumliche Verteilung der GDD als auch deren Einfluss
auf die dominierenden Landwirtschaftlichen Kulturen in den Untersuchungsgebieten zu
bewerten. Schlielich wurden die Ariditt und die Trockenheit in den Untersuchungsgebieten
abgeschtzt.
9

Da primrer Zweck und Gegenstand der vorliegenden Untersuchung die Rumliche

Interpretation verschiedener Bestandteilen und Prozesse war, beschreibt die vorliegende
Untersuchung die Methodik zum Downscaling der klimatologischen Daten in Gebieten mit
Datenverfgbarkeit. Die Methodik kann sehr hilfsreich sein, wenn die Aufzeichnungen des
meteorologisches Netzes und die Dichte der Stationen ungengend sind um das ganze
Untersuchungsgebiet abzudecken, aber detaillierte Ergebnisse auf einer mesoskalige und
regionalen Skale bentigt werden. Die Methoden setzen sich aus einer Kombination von
statistischem Downscaling durch multi-lineare Regression und dynamischem Downscaling
durch

Geographische

Informationssysteme

(GIS)

zusammen,

um

verschiedene

klimatologischen Prozesse im vorliegenden Untersuchungsgebiet zu untersuchen.

Klimatische Daten zuknftiger Perioden von mehreren Regionalen Klimamodellen
(Regional Climate Models - RCMs) des ENSEMBLES Projekts wurden analysiert. Die
Klimasimulationen wurden fr die zuknftigen Perioden 2021-2050 und 2071-2100 unter
Annahme der A1B und B1 Emissionsszenarien, die vom Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change entwickelt wurden durchgefhrt. Rumliche Interpolation wurde durch die
Kombination dynamischer und statistischer Downscaling Methoden und die 'Ordinary Kriging'
Methode in ArcGIS 10.2.1 erreicht. Der Mann-Kendall Test wurde angewendet, um mgliche
Tendenzen zu untersuchen. Fr die Vorhersage wurde das 'Auto-Regressive Integrated
Moving Average' (ARIMA) Model in MATLAB 2014a benutzt. ArcGIS Erweiterung 'ArcSWAT'
wurde angewendet, um die zuknftigen Variationen des Abflusses zu simulieren. Growing
Degree Days (GDD) wurden verwendet, um die gegenwrtigen und die zuknftigen
thermischen Anforderungen dominierten Landwirtschaftlichen Kulturen zu bestimmen.
Gegenwrtige Ariditt wurden mit Hilfe des Aridity Index (AI) bewertet. Darber hinaus wurde
der Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) verwendet, um die gegenwrtige und zuknftige
Trockenheit zu identifizieren und einzuschtzen.
Die kombinierte Downscaling Methodik die in der vorliegenden Untersuchung
vorgestellt wurde, fhrt zu hinreichend genauen Ergebnissen. Der Regressionskoeffizient
(R2) weist hohe Zusammenhnge in fast allen Fllen auf. Gebiete, die als Mediterranes
Klima mit heien Sommern charakterisiert sind, weisen die strkste bereinstimmung der
Annahme mit der Nullhypothese auf. Im Gegensatz dazu weisen Gebiete, die verschiedene
Arten

Mediterranen

Klimas

aufweisen,

die

grten

Abweichungen

zu

Regressionsgleichungen auf, fhren jedoch relativ guten Ergebnissen. Auch fr Regionen

mit Kontinentalen Klimabedingungen liefert die Methodik zufrieden stellen die Ergebnisse,
obwohl die meisten der unabhngigen Regressionskoeffizienten mit einen geringeren
Erwartung gegenber der Nullhypothese verwendet wurden. Zusammenfassend kann die
beschriebene Technik unabhngig von Klima und Region fr die genaue Analyse von
verschiedenen Variablen auf der mesoskale benutzt werden.
10

Die Ergebnisse der Sensitivittsanalyse der PET Formel zeigen, dass die geeignetste
Methode fr die Abschtzung von PET in den Gebieten, die Mediterrane Klimabedingungen
aufweisen, die 'Hamon's 2. Version' (PETHam2) ist. Darber hinaus kann die PETHam2
Gleichung PET fast mit der gleichen Effizienz wie die durchschnittlichen Ergebnisse der 12
empirischen Formeln abschtzen. Bezglich des Ardas Einzugsgebietes zeigen die
Ergebnisse, dass beide PETHam2 und PETHam1 fr die hinreichende Schtzungen der PET
benutzt werden knnen. Auf der Temperatur gesttzten Gleichungen fhren zu besseren
Ergebnisse. Dahinter folgen die auf Strahlung basierenden Gleichungen. Andererseits kann
PETASCE, die am weitesten verbreiteteste Gleichung nur in manchen Fllen zu
befriedigenden Ergebnisse fhren.
Die Ergebnisse der integrierten Analyse zur

zuknftigen Entwicklung

des

Niederschlags lassen erhebliche Reduktionen fr beide Szenarien gegenber der

Referenzperiode fr alle Untersuchungsgebiete erwarten. Es ist zu erwarten, dass der
Niederschlag bis zum Ende des Jahrhunderts in Sperchios Einzugsgebiet um 32-40%, im
Ardas Einzugsgebiet um ungefhr 45% und in Geropotamos Einzugsgebiet mehr als 50%
abnehmen wird. Darber hinaus wird die Reduktion des Niederschlags in Ardas
Einzugsgebiet, das ein kontinentales Klima aufweist, stark sein. Im Gegensatz dazu wird die
Reduktion der Niederschlagsmenge im Sperchios Einzugsgebiet schwcher ausfallen da hier
die Klimavariationen geringer im Quellgebiet schwcher ausfallen. Die Reduktion des
Niederschlags in Geropotamos Einzugsgebiet das ein Mediterran Klima aufweist, wird
intensiver sein. Die Ergebnisse der saisonalen Analyse des Niederschlags im Ardas
Einzugsgebiet zeigen, dass in der Jahreszeit Herbst mit der grten Reduktion von bis zu
65% bis zum Ende des Jahrhunderts zu rechnen ist. Im Frhling wird sich die
Niederschlagsmenge im Sperchios Einzugsgebiet und im Geropotamos Einzugsgebiet um
ungefhr 53% bzw. 59% verringern. Zustzlich zeigte der Mann-Kendall Test eine starke
negative Tendenz fr alle Untersuchungsgebiete.
Die Ergebnisse der zuknftigen Schtzung des Abflusses zeigen eine Reduktion in
allen untersuchten Untersuchungsgebieten. Regionen, die ein kontinentales Klima
aufweisen, werden Mitte des Jahrhunderts mit geringen Reduktionen konfrontiert und
werden daher die zuknftige Entwicklung besser verkraften. Insbesondere die Reduktion im
Geropotamos Einzugsgebiet wird bis zum Ende des Jahrhunderts eine Bandbreite von 14 bis
18% aufweisen. Die Reduktion im Ardas Einzugsgebiet wird 21.5% erreichen (A1B: 20712100). Fr das Sperchios Einzugsgebiet wird die Reduktion strker ausfallen und bis zum
Ende des Jahrhunderts 32% erreichen. Die bedeutet, dass der Abfluss des Ardas
Einzugsgebiets und des Geropotamos Einzugsgebiets bis zu 1/5 abnehmen werden. Das
Sperchios Einzugsgebiet wird mehr als 1/3 seins gegenwrtigen Abflusses verlieren. Gebiete
mit Mediterranen Klima sind sehr vulnerabel gegenber den nderungen. Der reduzierte
11

Niederschlag ist der Hauptgrund fr den reduzierten Abfluss. Trotzdem werden die hohe
Werte

der

Aktuellen

Verdunstung

am

Ende

des

Jahrhunderts

durch

die

Luftemperaturzunahme die Wasserbilanz ausgleichen.

Die Ergebnisse der Analyse der Growing Degree Days (GDD) zeigen, dass fr alle
zuknftige Perioden und Szenarien eine Zunahme an GDD zu erwartet ist. Die Zunahme im
Geropotamos Einzugsgebiet wird mit 3400 GDD am Ende des Jahrhunderts die hchste
sein. Danach folgen das Ardas Einzugsgebiet und das Sperchios Einzugsgebiet mit ungefhr
3000 und 2250 GDD. Auerdem wird die Anbauperiode sich von April bis Oktober auf April
bis September verschieben, was soziale, wirtschaftliche und kologische Vorteile bringen
kann. Whrend der untersuchte Periode von April bis Oktober des Hauptanbauperiode in
den untersuchten Gebieten zeigen die Ergebnisse, dass die Sperchios und Geropotamos
Einzugsgebiete bis zu 2700 GDD (A1B: 2071-2100) erreichen werden. Das Ardas
Einzugsgebiet wird bis zu 2050 GDD erreichen. Zustzlich zeigt die rumliche Verteilung der
GDD, dass sich die Bedingungen fr den bestehenden Anbau verbessern werden in den
folgenden Jahren und sich dieser in bergige Gebiete ausdehnen kann. Aber wegen der
ausgeprgten Topographie in den Untersuchungsgebieten ist die Ausdehnung des
bestehenden Anbaus in groen Hhen nicht wirtschaftlich. Trotzdem kann neuer,
profitablerer Anbau statt finden, da sich die Bedingungen bezglich der GDD verbessern
knnen.
Die Ergebnisse der integrierten Analyse der Ariditt haben gezeigt, dass in den
Untersuchungsgebieten Feuchtigkeitszustnde herrschen, die grundstzlich auf die groe
Hhe zurckzufhren sind. Die hchsten Werte des Aridity Index (AI) weist das
Geropotamos Einzugsgebiet mit AI=1.09 auf. Danach folgen das Ardas und das Sperchios
Einzugsgebiete mit 0.94 und 0.93. Die unterschiedlichen klimatische Bedingungen sind
verantwortlich fr die Differenzierungen in der saisonalen Analyse der Ariditt. Die
Untersuchungsgebiete, die ein eher Mediterranes Klima aufweisen, zeigen strkere
Variationen als Gebiete, die vom kontinentalen Klima geprgt sind. So hat der AI im
Geropotamos Einzugsgebiet eine Bandbreite von 0.14 (Sommer) bis 1.72 (Winter), im
Sperchios Einzugsgebiet von 0.24 (Sommer) bis 1.80 (Winter) und im Ardas Einzugsgebiet
von 0.25 (Sommer) bis 1.31 (Winter). Die Karten der Aridittsverteilung die aus den
Ergebnisse der Trendanalyse erstellt wurden, zeigen insbesondere in bergigen Regionen
eine starke negative Tendenz.
Schlielich zeigen die Ergebnisse der integrierten Analyse der gegenwrtigen und
zuknftigen Trockenheitsbedigungen, der Untersuchungsgebiete, dass fr beide Szenarien
gegenber der Referenzperiode fr alle Untersuchungsgebiete, die Trockenheit in den
nchsten Jahren strker ausfllt wird. Es ist zu erwarten, dass die Abnahme der SPI Werte
in

dem

Sperchios

Einzugsgebiet

am

grten
12

sein

wird,

da

es

das

einzige

Untersuchungsgebiet

ist,

das mit

einer

negativen

Bilanz konfrontiert

wird.

Vom

gegenwrtigen SPI Wert von 0.59 wird es bis zum Ende des Jahrhunderts auf 0.79 fallen,
Die Ardas und Geropotamos

Einzugsgebiete werden eine groe Abnahme der

Trockenheitsbedigungen in den Jahren 2021-2050 erfahren. Im Ardas Einzugsgebiet ist eine

Abnahme der SPI Werte von 1.14 auf 0.52 zu erwarten. Bis zum Ende des Jahrhunderts
werden die SPI Werte weiter abnehmen und 0.32 erreichen. Im Geropotamos Einzugsgebiet
werden die Werte ebenfalls abnehmen und von den gegenwrtigen 0.95 bis zum Endes des
Jahrhunderts auf 0.19 fallen. Es lsst sich also ableiten, dass sich die Bedingungen im
Geropotamos Einzugsgebiet zumindest auf die SPI Werte bezogen negativ entwickeln
werden.

Dennoch

ist

die

Lage

in

allen

Untersuchungsgebieten

bezglich

Trockenheitsbedigungen gem der SPI Klassifikation als 'Near-normal' charakterisiert.

13

der

Contents
Acknowledgements ..............................................................................................................4
Summary ...............................................................................................................................5
Zusammenfassung...............................................................................................................9
Chapter 1 | Introduction ...................................................................................................17
1.1 Background.................................................................................................................17
1.2 Aim of the Study .........................................................................................................20
1.3 Study structure ............................................................................................................21
Chapter 2 | Literature Review .........................................................................................23
2.1 Aquatic origin ..............................................................................................................23
2.2 Global water budget ....................................................................................................23
2.3 Hydrological cycle .......................................................................................................25
2.4 Scope of Hydrometeorology........................................................................................27
2.5 Water resources and climate change ..........................................................................28
2.6 Water resources, climate change and economic impacts ............................................31
2.7 Water resources, climate change and agriculture........................................................32
2.8 Water resources in Greece .........................................................................................34
Chapter 3 | Data and Methodology .................................................................................37
3.1 Study areas.................................................................................................................37
3.2 Climate .......................................................................................................................42
3.3 Climate Data ...............................................................................................................44
3.4 Data homogeneity, correlation and future data extraction ...........................................45
3.5 Downscaling and spatial interpolation techniques .......................................................47
3.6 Trend analysis of climatological data...........................................................................51
3.7 Potential Evapotranspiration formulae.........................................................................52
3.8 Sensitivity analysis ......................................................................................................54
3.9 Aridity Index ................................................................................................................55
14

3.10 Standardized Precipitation Index...............................................................................56

3.11 Runoff assessment using ArcSWAT .........................................................................58
3.12 Growing Degree Days ...............................................................................................60
Chapter 4 | Results ..........................................................................................................63
4.1 Sensitivity analysis of PET formulae ...........................................................................63
4.2 Integrated analysis of Precipitation .............................................................................70
4.3 Present and future responses of runoff .......................................................................77
4.4 Integrated analysis of Growing Degree Days ..............................................................83
4.5 Integrated analysis of Aridity .......................................................................................89
4.6 Integrated analysis of Drought ....................................................................................94
Chapter 5 | Discussion ..................................................................................................103
5.1 Selection of the appropriate PET formula ..................................................................103
5.2 Assessment of precipitation responses .....................................................................105
5.3 Assessment of future climate change impacts on the hydrological regime ................107
5.4 Assessment of present and future Growing Degree Days for agriculture ..................110
5.5 Assessment of aridity conditions ...............................................................................112
5.6 Assessment of present and future drought conditions ...............................................115
5.7 Synthesis report ........................................................................................................117
Chapter 6 | Conclusions and Outlook ..........................................................................119
6.1 Conclusions ..............................................................................................................119
6.2 Outlook .....................................................................................................................121
References ........................................................................................................................123
List of Figures ..................................................................................................................143
List of Tables ....................................................................................................................145
List of Symbols and Abbreviations .................................................................................147
Appendix ...........................................................................................................................151

15

16

Chapter 1
Introduction
1.1 Background

Water, along with air and land, are the main sources that contribute to the
conservation of human's life. Water is not only a basic element for our planet's life and
environment, but also a regulating factor for economic, technological, social and cultural
development (Mimikou 2005). Nevertheless, according to previous reports from the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) uncertainties in climate change impacts
on water resources, and droughts and floods arise for various reasons such as different
scenarios of economic development, greenhouse emissions, etc. (IPCC 2007).
Climate change is the greatest human challenge the world faces, as negative effects
such as flooding phenomena, heat waves, forest fires, droughts, etc. have started to
becoming very severe (Hillel and Rosenzweig 2002). Human activities have been affected by
this change and they will continue influencing in the future (IPCC 2007). The latest IPCC
reports mask the importance of the regional changes and refer that these regional to globalscale projections of future runoff remain relatively uncertain compared to other aspects of the
water cycle (IPCC 2014).
Although climate change is evident, changes in the aspects of the hydrological cycle
and most importantly in precipitation are harder to observe and measure with the existing
records, both because of the greater difficulty in sampling precipitation and also because it is
expected that precipitation will have a smaller fractional change than the water vapour
content of air as the climate warms (IPCC 2014; Paparrizos et al. 2016a). Some regional
precipitation trends appear to be robust, but when virtually all the land area is 'filled in' using
a reconstruction method (e.g. GIS-Techniques), the resulting time series of global mean land
precipitation show a little change since 1900 (IPCC 2014). Additionally, regional differences
are relatively high (Nastos and Zerefos 2008).
Evapotranspiration (ET) constitutes another fundamental aspect of the hydrological
cycle as it can significantly affect the water budget of the natural environment (i.e.
approximately 62% of all precipitation falling on land is evapotranspirated) (Ampas and
Baltas 2012). Evaporation, evapotranspiration, potential evapotranspiration (PET) which is
defined as the amount of water that can potentially evaporate and transpirate from a
17

vegetated surface with no restrictions than the atmospheric demand (Lu et al. 2008), and
crop requirements estimates are essential for the design, operation and management of
irrigation projects, and are prerequisites for the optimal water resources management and
especially of agricultural areas prone to water deficits (Kotsopoulos et al. 2015). In areas
where water resources are vulnerable due to overexploitation from irrigation for agricultural
use, it is essential to estimate crop requirements with the greatest possible precision.
Moreover, in areas where irrigation is a major component of agriculture due to low
precipitation, it is also of economic importance to ascertain PET as satisfactorily as possible;
in fact PET is in these regions the most significant component of the hydrological budget
together with precipitation (Alexandris et al. 2006). In this way, good management and
planning of available water resources is attained and water requirement must be adjusted to
atmospheric demand, which is related to the climatic conditions (Jabloun and Sahli 2008).
Variations in precipitation and specifically decreased land precipitation in combination
with increased air temperature, which enhance evapotranspiration and reduce soil moisture
are important factors that have contributed to more regions experiencing drought conditions
(Dai et al. 2004). Climate uncertainties results from drought and aridity phenomena are one
of the major threats in contemporary water resources management (Saravi et al. 2009).
Water consumption is increasing in semi-arid rural regions around the world, mainly due to
developing agricultural activities. Moreover, the rapid growth of world population and uneven
distribution of resources have served to escalate both the frequency and severity of natural
hazards and disasters, especially in semi-arid regions (Dalezios and Bartzokas 1995).
Meanwhile, by the middle of the 21st century, annual average river runoff and water
availability are projected to increase as a result of climate change at high latitudes and in
some wet tropical areas, and decrease over some dry regions at mid-latitudes and in the dry
tropics. Many semi-arid areas (e.g. the Mediterranean basin, etc.) are particularly exposed to
the impacts of climate change and are projected to suffer a decrease of water resources due
to climate change (Bates et al. 2008; Paparrizos and Matzarakis 2016a). Nevertheless, due
to the complexity of the hydrological processes and the different basin characteristics, a big
amount of input data is needed every time in order to assess the future responses of runoff;
as well as complex computational techniques that they are able to spatially interpenetrate the
water movement of a certain study area with high accuracy (Paparrizos et al. 2016a).
The procedures and variations of the hydrological cycle as well as drought and aridity
phenomena impacts concern a variety of sectors of economy, environment and society of the
affected area (Chen et al. 2001; Wang et al. 2010). The socio-economic impacts of
environments may arise from the interaction between natural conditions and human factors
such as changes in land use, land cover and the demand and use of water. Excessive water
withdrawals can exacerbate the impact of reduced water resources, and drought and aridity
18

classification, especially in areas where the water constitutes a vital coefficient for agriculture
(Wang 2005; Holman 2006).
In relation to the aspects of the hydrological cycle, and in order to assess and
combine the future variations of the aspects of the hydrological cycle in connection with the
agriculture production, the influence of the climate on plant phenology needs to be studied
from the point of view of climate change, for consideration of the potential adaptation
measures of plant species (Paparrizos and Matzarakis 2016b; Paparrizos et al. 2016d).
Indeed, this interest is greater in areas where the climate conditions might force more rapid
adaptation, such as in the Mediterranean area, which is expected to suffer stronger effects in
terms of climate change (Giorgi and Lionello 2008; Nastos et al. 2013a).
Climate variations impact society and ecosystems in a broad variety of ways and
increases existing threats that have already put pressure on the environment. Changes on
water resources which are intimately tied to other social issues as food supply, health,
industry, transportation and ecosystem integrity can cause chain damages to property and
infrastructure and to human health, which imposes heavy costs on society and the economy.
Areas where various sectors rely strongly on certain temperatures and precipitation levels
such as agriculture, forestry, energy and tourism are particularly affected (IPCC 2007; 2014).
The Mediterranean region is one of the most diverse and sensitive ecosystems. It is
situated at the southernmost tip of the northern zone of middle latitudes, which seems to be
more vulnerable to changes in global warming (Nastos et al. 2013b). Greece belongs to a
part of the Mediterranean region, where the accurate knowledge of the variations of the
hydrological cycle is mandatory for agriculture (Dalezios et al. 2000; Tigkas et al. 2012).
Hence, possible future changes in the aspects of the hydrological cycle are more critical for
agriculture than the average conditions (Paparrizos et al. 2016a).
The selected study areas are located in Greece and face different climate conditions.
In these study areas, agriculture is the main production and economic activity. Furthermore,
the three study areas are widespread in Greece and face different climate conditions which
make them rather representative. A significant part of the local population is employed fully
or partly in the primary sector (agriculture and livestock). Due to these facts, most of the local
population uses the water from the torrential streams for irrigation. Irrigation plays an
important role, due to the reduced amount of water availability from rainfalls and the farmer's
inability to 'buy' water. Farming and manufacturing activities based on the agricultural activity,
as well as other activities of the primary and secondary production sector create a pressing
need for a study that will provide information and adapting systems regarding the future
responses of the aspects of the hydrological cycle over the selected representative areas
(Paparrizos et al. 2016b).

19

1.2 Aim of the Study

The overall aim of the current study concerns the combination of the hydrological and
meteorological fields, in order to investigate the effect of climate and climate change in the
hydrological regime of three water basins widespread

in Greece. Besides, the study is

focused in the mesoscale, and it will examine the importance and role of the topography and
the physical characteristics that describe the natural environment of the study areas, and are
interfering with the hydrometeorological procedures which take place in the certain study
areas. Additionally, since the existing meteorological network in the study areas does not
have the density and thus it is insufficient and unable to cover the whole area of study
(Paparrizos et al. 2014), a downscaling technique is introduced and applied which can
spatially interpolate with great accuracy the variables that were used in the current study, as
well as other various climatological variables.
Initially, a sensitivity analysis and comparison of various potential evapotranspiration
formulae that were applied in these study areas was performed in order to obtain knowledge
regarding to which is the most appropriate formula to use every time while performing
research. Additionally, the meteorological variables that contribute in each formula were
examined regarding their sensitivity and effect, each time. The main reason for the
actualization of the current part of the study was the lack of available measured PET data.
Hence, in order to estimate PET, empirical equations needed to be implemented. In different
climates, the annual PET values significantly vary and this constitutes the selection of the
appropriate empirical PET formula very important. This question is answered, through a
sensitivity analysis of various PET formulae. A study regarding the sensitivity analysis of PET
formulae provides useful results about which is the most appropriate method(s) to apply in
regional-local study areas with different climate conditions, and which meteorological
variables most strongly affect PET and thus a part of the hydrological cycle (Paparrizos et al.
2016c).
Subsequently, an integrated analysis and mapping regarding the future responses of
precipitation was performed, as well as a future assessment of the runoff. Afterwards, the
concept of temperature was implemented and the present and future variations of the heat
units, measured in growing degree days were estimated and spatially interpolated in order to
achieve a better understanding of the flowering season development in the plant species,
and for forecasting when flowering will occur. Finally, an integrated analysis and mapping
regarding the aridity and drought conditions prevailing in the certain study area was
conducted (Paparrizos et al. 2016b; 2016e) . Seasonal assessment of aridity conditions was
performed only for the present period, while assessment of drought conditions was

20

performed for the present, as well as for the future periods that were defined in the current
study.
The results of the current study will provide the opportunity to the farmers, residents
and all the stakeholders to understand the climate conditions and the variations of the
hydrological cycle and the water resources prevailing in their areas and adjust their systems
in order to deal with future conditions. This contributes to the sustainable development of the
agricultural production for the local population related with agricultural activities or, for these
who have in mind being occupied with the agriculture sector in the future. Moreover, the
different climates that exist can provide an informative comparison regarding the severity of
future climate change that will prevail amongst the study areas.
Summarizing, through the current thesis, the following questions will be answered:

How can the climatological variables be spatially interpreted in areas with insufficient
meteorological network and limited data?

Which role does topography plays in the spatial distribution of the climatological
variables?

In areas with no measured Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) data, which technique

should be followed for the estimation of PET?

How will the aspects of the hydrological cycle will respond in the future in areas that
face different climate conditions?

How the future climate change will affect the operation of the hydrological regime of
the study areas and which factors are mostly involved in each type of climate?

Will the existing cultivations find favourable conditions for their expansion in the
upcoming years?

1.3 Study structure

The current study consists of a total of six chapters which constitute a summary of the
methods and results of the 7 peer reviewed articles. The first chapter is a general
introduction to the subject matter with clear description of the background as well as the aim
of the current study. The second chapter contains an extensive literature review regarding
the general aspects of hydrometeorology, while the third chapter includes a description of the
21

general characteristics of the study areas, climate and climatological data (present and future
assessment), statistical, GIS- and downscaling techniques, as well as spatial interpolation
and description of the implemented methodology that was followed in order to complete the
various tasks that were assigned in the current study. The main findings are presented and
depicted in chapter four, while a comprehensive discussion of the findings is featured in
chapter five. The conclusion as well as the future research outlook is provided in chapter six,
while several appendices that include an extended summary of the articles are attached at
the end. As a cumulative dissertation, this thesis summarises the contents of the following
publications:

1. Paparrizos, S., Maris, F., Matzarakis, A., 2016: Integrated analysis of present and future
responses of precipitation over selected Greek areas with different climate conditions.
Atmospheric Research, 169:199-208, DOI 10.1016/j.atmosres.2015.10.004

2. Paparrizos, S., Maris, F., Matzarakis, A., 2016: Sensitivity analysis and comparison of
various potential evapotranspiration formulae for selected Greek areas with different
climate conditions. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, DOI 10.1007/s00704-15-1728-z

3. Paparrizos, S., Maris, F., Matzarakis, A., 2016: Integrated analysis and mapping or
aridity over Greek areas with different climate conditions. Global NEST Journal,
18(1):131-145.

4. Paparrizos, S., Matzarakis. A., 2016: Assessment of future climate change impacts on
the hydrological regime of selected Greek areas with different climate conditions.
Hydrology Research, DOI 10.2166/nh.2016.018

5. Paparrizos, S., Matzarakis. A., 2016: Present and future assessment of Growing Degree
Days over selected areas with different climate conditions. Meteorology and
Atmospheric Physics, DOI 10.1007/s00703-016-0475-8

6. Paparrizos, S., Maris, F., Weiler, M., Matzarakis. A., 2016: Analysis and mapping of
present and future drought conditions over Greek areas with different climate conditions.
Theoretical and Applied Climatology, DOI 10.1007/s00704-016-1964-x

7. Paparrizos, S., Maris, F., Matzarakis. A., 2016: A short note for a downscaling technique
for climatological data in areas with complex topography and limited data. International
Journal of Engineering Research and Development (Accepted - In Press)
22

Chapter 2
Literature Review
2.1 Aquatic origin

The water origin is closely related to the processes and mechanisms that formed the
earth and its solid crust. In 1949, the Soviet scientist O. Y. Schmidt in his book 'A theory of
Earth's origin: Four lectures' (Schmidt 1949) argued that during the initial stages of earth
forming, water molecules were solidified by cooling and pooled to form a gaseous cloud of
dust, which was concentrated. The accumulated heat from the subsequent radioactive
heating caused evaporation of water from the earth's core, and the water vapour as they
were re-cooled, they were transformed into concentrated drops and felt into the earth as a
'hot shower'. More plausible was the argument according to which the water vapour
appeared on the formatting earth's 'plasma' simultaneously with various minerals, and during
the cooling period they switched into the liquid state, creating the hydrosphere.
More persuasive was the theory of V.I. Vernadsky (Vernadsky 1965) according to
which the amount of the water on earth has remained unchanged for a long period and the
seas that flood the earth during the transgression, are merely 'splashes' of the world's ocean.
2.2 Global water budget

The amount of water that exists on planet Earth is considered stable. According to
estimations from L'vovich (1979), the amount of water that it is present on Earth is estimated
at 1.36 x 109 km3. About 94% of this exists as salt water of the oceans. Most of the remaining
water is bound up in the polar ice caps and in glaciers (about 2%); a small part exists as subsurface water (less than 0.01%). About 4% is found as groundwater. Only a tiny fraction of
the global water (0.01%) exists as fresh water in lakes and rivers for domestic, agricultural
and industrial utilization. About 0.001% of the global water exists in the atmosphere in the
vapour state as clouds. Atmospheric processes have a fundamental role in the
replenishment of the fresh water supply of the world through evaporation from the oceans,
transport of the moisture by air currents to distant places and condensation of the vapour to
form clouds followed by precipitation as rain, snow or other forms (Rakhecha and Singh

23

2009). Table 2.01 depicts the global water balance, while table 2.02 presents the distribution
of the freshwater on Earth.

Table 2.01. Global Water Balance (L'vovich 1979)

Volume of Water x 106 km3

Location
Oceans

Percentage (%) of Global

Water

1278.4

94.0

Polar Ice and Glaciers

27.2

2.0

Groundwater

54.4

4.0

Soil Water

0.082

0.006

Lakes and Rivers

0.136

0.01

Atmosphere

0.0136

0.001

1360

100

81.736

6.0

Total Global Water

Freshwater

Table 2.02. Distribution of freshwater on Earth (Kotoulas 2001)

Type of Freshwater

Percentage
(%)

Polar Ice and Glaciers

77.23

Groundwater - depth up to 800m

9.86

Groundwater - depth from 800 4000m

12.35

Soil moisture

0.17

Freshwater Lakes

0.35

Rivers

0.003

Hydrated mineral soil

0.001

Plants, Animals, Humans

0.003

Humidity

0.04

Total

100

It is thus observed that 77% of the freshwater is bounded in polar ice and glaciers and
22% of the freshwater is located in underground aquifers. The surface freshwater that exists
in rivers and freshwater lakes has a small percentage. Nevertheless, rivers and freshwater
lakes constitute the main water sources to cover the human needs.
24

The fact that rivers and freshwater lakes (surface waters) are the main sources of
water seems to contrast the image that is occurred from tables 2.01 and 2.02, according to
which the percentage of groundwater is higher than the surface waters. The explanation lies
in the fact that the water resources cannot be reserved, but they are renewable. Hence,
surface waters present a movement and thus they are renewed with much faster rate than
the underground water. In other words, the great importance is not on the static image of the
water storage, but rather on the dynamic image of the global water movement, which is
described by the quantity of the water movements between its various forms, namely the
quantities that are being transported in the hydrological cycle (Perlman et al. 2005).

2.3 Hydrological cycle

There is a continuous chain of movement and interchange of water between the

oceans, the atmosphere and the land surface and below the land surface; this chain, as
depicted in figure 2.01 is known as the water cycle or the hydrologic cycle.

Figure 2.01. The hydrological cycle (www.nasa-news.org)

25

The hydrologic cycle has four basic components namely:

Evaporation and Transpiration

Precipitation

Runoff (Streamflow)

Groundwater

The hydrologic cycle can be visualized as beginning with the evaporation of water
from the water bodies. Evaporation occurs from oceans, lakes, streams and land surface,
and transpiration from vegetation, plant leaves and forests in the form of water vapour due to
the heat energy provided by solar radiation. The water vapours move upward and after
condensation they form clouds at higher altitudes. While much of the clouds fall back to the
oceans as precipitation, a part of the clouds is driven to the land area by winds. Through
various processes, clouds cause precipitation on the land surface in different forms, such as
rain, snow, hail, sleet, dew, etc. When rain falls from clouds some of it is evaporated from the
falling rain drops. Part of the precipitation reaching the ground is quickly evaporated and
returned to the atmosphere. The rest seeps into the soil which enriches the moisture content
of the soil. Some of the soil water is used up by plants and it returned to the atmosphere by
evapotranspiration. The remaining water percolates deep to become groundwater. The
groundwater may come to the surface through springs and other outlets. When rainfall is
heavy and the soil is saturated the water flows over the land called runoff. Surface runoff
flows into streams and lakes to reach eventually back to the oceans. In this manner, the
hydrologic cycle is completed (Horton 1931; Ackermann et al. 1955; Park 2001).
Of the four basic components of the hydrologic cycle, the precipitation component is
important to hydrometeorologists, because it represents the quantity of water received over
an area for use. The quantity of water going through individual components of the hydrologic
cycle can be estimated using the continuity equation (Eq. 2.01) known as water budget
equation of hydrologic equation. The hydrologic equation is simply a statement of the law of
conservation of mass and is given as:

(2.01)

Where:
I is the inflow volume of water during a given time period
26

O is the outflow volume of water during the time period

S is the change in storage of the water volume during the given period

In hydrologic calculations, volumes are often expressed as average depths over a

given area.
Since the total water resources of the Earth is constant, the mean annual evaporation
from the oceans is estimated to be 3,35,000 km3 and from inland water bodies and the land
surface 65,000 km3 giving a total mean global annual value of 4,00,000 km3. This must, on
average, be equal to the total quantity of water coming back to the Earth's surface in the form
of precipitation (rainfall and snowfall), because the average amount of water vapour remains
constant. Dividing the total volume of evaporation per year by the surface area of the Earth
(4r2 = 4 x 3.14 x 6371 x 6371 = 5.1 x 108 km2), the average annual global rainfall is
approximately 800mm.
The actual distribution of precipitation on the earth is non uniform. On average, the
equatorial zone gets about 2000mm while the subtropical zones receive much less than the
average of 800mm. In total, precipitation exceeds evaporation over the land and evaporation
exceeds precipitation over the ocean surface (Rakhecha and Singh 2009).

2.4 Scope of Hydrometeorology

Hydrometeorology is an interdisciplinary field of research that combines knowledge

from the atmospheric sciences and hydrology to study the transfer and exchange of water
and energy between land and the lower atmosphere (Botai et al. 2015). The scope of
hydrometeorology research is clearly interdisciplinary and includes analysis of the spacetime properties of proxy parameters such as precipitation, evaporation, temperatures and
their influence on river systems (Mora et al. 2014).
The development of hydrometeorology as a science is closely linked with the
increasing use of meteorology to the problems that refer to hydrology. Evaporation is
commonly used to determine water losses from lakes, ponds, and reservoirs as well as in
assessing the water requirements of crops. Estimates of evaporation from river basins are
used for conceptual hydrological modeling (Maris et al. 2014). Deducting evaporation losses
from rainfall, it is possible to estimate surface runoff. The rate at which evaporation takes
place greatly depends upon the meteorological elements of temperature, radiation, humidity,
vapour pressure, sunshine hours, cloud cover, and wind velocity. These meteorological
elements are of great value estimating evaporation indirectly for hydrological studies where
direct measurement of evaporation is not possible.

27

Precipitation data are used for the design and construction of water resources
projects. Construction of dams, reservoirs across rivers for collection and storage of river
runoff water to serve the needs of the people has been in vogue for many centuries. In the
planning and design of these dams, long-period precipitation data are used for the estimation
of water flowing in a stream. Streamflow data are vital for the assessment of the water yield
of river basins and for sizing the storage capacity of dams. Finally, hydrometeorology has a
wide scope in providing precipitation statistics for use in a wide range of design and
construction of hydraulic structures (Rakhecha and Singh 2009).

2.5 Water resources and climate change

According to publications from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

(IPCC) (Bates et al. 2008), observational records and climate projections provide abundant
evidence that freshwater resources are vulnerable and have the potential to be strongly
impacted by climate change, with wide-ranging consequences for human societies and
ecosystems.
Observed warming over several decades has been linked to changes in the largescale hydrological cycle such as:

Increasing atmospheric water vapour content

Changing precipitation patterns

Intensity and extremes

Reduced snow cover and widespread melting of ice

Changes in soil moisture and runoff

Precipitation changes show substantial spatial and inter-decadal variability. Over the
20th century, precipitation has mostly increased over land in high northern latitudes, while
decreases have dominated from 10S to 30N since the 1970s. The frequency of heavy
precipitation events (or proportion of total rainfall from heavy falls) has increased over most
areas. Globally, the area of land classified as very dry has more than doubled since the
1970s. There have been significant decreases in water storage in mountain glaciers and
Northern Hemisphere snow cover. Shifts in the amplitude and timing of runoff in glacier -and

28

snowmelt- fed rivers, and in ice-related phenomena in rivers and lakes, have been observed
(IPCC 2013).
Climate model simulations for the 21st century are consistent in projecting
precipitation increases in high latitudes and parts of the tropics, and decreases in some
subtropical and lower mid-latitude regions. Outside these areas, the sign and magnitude of
projected changes varies between models, leading to substantial uncertainty in precipitation
projections. Thus projections of future precipitation changes are more robust for some
regions than for others. Projections become less consistent between models as spatial
scales decrease (Yin 2005).
Increased precipitation intensity and variability are projected to increase the risks of
flooding and drought in many areas. The frequency of heavy precipitation events (or
proportion of total rainfall from heavy falls) will be very likely to increase over most areas
during the 21st century, with consequences for the risk of rain-generated floods. At the same
time, the proportion of land surface in extreme drought at any time is projected to increase, in
addition to a tendency for drying in continental interiors during summer, especially in the subtropics, low and mid-latitudes (Meehl et al. 2005).
Water supplies stored in glaciers and snow cover are projected to decline in the
course of the century, thus reducing water availability during warm and dry periods (through
a seasonal shift in streamflow, an increase in the ratio of winter to annual flows, and
reductions in low flows) in regions supplied by melting water from major mountain ranges,
where more than one-sixth of the worlds population currently lives (Stern 2007).
Globally, the negative impacts of future climate change on freshwater systems are
expected to outweigh the benefits (Vrsmarty et al. 2000; Alcamo et al. 2003; 2007; Arnell,
2004). By the 2050s, the area of land subject to increasing water stress due to climate
change is projected to be more than double that with decreasing water stress. Areas in which
runoff is projected to decline face a clear reduction in the value of the services provided by
water resources. Increased annual runoff in some areas is projected to lead to increased
total water supply. However, in many regions, this benefit is likely to be counterbalanced by
the negative effects of increased precipitation variability and seasonal runoff shifts in water
supply, water quality and flood risks (Bates et al. 2008).
Climate change affects the function and operation of existing water infrastructure
including hydropower, structural flood defences (Maris et al. 2015), and drainage and
irrigation systems as well as water management practices (Schudder 2005). Adverse
effects of climate change on freshwater systems aggravate the impacts of other stresses,
such as population growth, changing economic activity, land-use change and urbanisation.
Globally, water demand will grow in the coming decades, primarily due to population growth

29

and increasing affluence; regionally, large changes in irrigation water demand as a result of
climate change are expected (Vrsmarty et al. 2010).
Current water management practices may not be robust enough to cope with the
impacts of climate change on water supply reliability, flood risk, health, agriculture, energy
and aquatic ecosystems. In many locations, water management cannot satisfactorily cope
even with the current climate variability, so that large flood and drought damages occur. As a
first step, improved incorporation of information about current climate variability into waterrelated management would assist adaptation to longer-term climate change impacts. Climatic
and non-climatic factors, such as growth of population and damage potential, would
exacerbate problems in the future (Bates et al. 2008).
Climate change challenges the traditional assumption that past hydrological
experience provides a good guide to future conditions. The consequences of climate change
may alter the reliability of current water management systems and water-related
infrastructure. While quantitative projections of changes in precipitation, river flows and water
levels at the river-basin scale are uncertain, it is very likely that hydrological characteristics
will change in the future. Adaptation procedures and risk management practices that
incorporate projected hydrological changes with related uncertainties are being developed in
some countries and regions (Barrios et al. 2009; Gujja et al. 2009; Kashaigili et al. 2009; Yu
et al. 2009).
Adaptation options designed to ensure water supply during average and drought
conditions require integrated demand-side as well as supply-side strategies. The former
improve water-use efficiency, e.g., by recycling water. An expanded use of economic
incentives, including metering and pricing, to encourage water conservation and
development of water markets and implementation of virtual water trade, holds considerable
promise for water savings and the reallocation of water to highly valued uses. Supply-side
strategies generally involve increases in storage capacity, abstraction from water courses,
and water transfers. Integrated water resources management provides an important
framework to achieve adaptation measures across socio-economic, environmental and
administrative systems. To be effective, integrated approaches must occur at the appropriate
scales (Moench et al. 2003).
Mitigation measures can reduce the magnitude of impacts of global warming on water
resources, in turn reducing adaptation needs. However, they can have considerable negative
side effects, such as increased water requirements for afforestation/reforestation activities
(Calder 1990) or bio-energy crops (IPCC 2000), if projects are not sustainably located,
designed and managed.
Water resources management clearly impacts on many other policy areas, e.g.
energy, health, food security and nature conservation. Thus, the appraisal of adaptation and
30

mitigation options needs to be conducted across multiple water-dependent sectors. Lowincome countries and regions are likely to remain vulnerable over the medium term, with
fewer options than high income countries for adapting to climate change. Therefore,
adaptation strategies should be designed in the context of development, environment and
health policies (Parry et al. 2007).
Several gaps in knowledge exist in terms of observations and research needs related
to climate change and water (Dai and Trenberth 2002). Observational data and data access
are prerequisites for adaptive management, yet many observational networks are shrinking.
There is a need to improve understanding and modelling of climate changes related to the
hydrological cycle at scales relevant to decision making (Frisch et al. 2002; GCOS 2003;
2004). Finally, information about the water related impacts of climate change is still
inadequate especially with respect to water quality, aquatic ecosystems and groundwater
including their socio-economic dimensions (IPCC 2007; Bates et al. 2008).
2.6 Water resources, climate change and economic impacts

Climate and water resources impact on several secondary and tertiary sectors of the
economy such as insurance, industry, tourism and transportation. Water related effects of
climate change in these sectors can be positive as well as negative, but extreme climate
events and other abrupt changes tend to affect human systems more severely than gradual
change, partly because they offer less time for adaptation (Bates et al. 2008).
Industrial sectors are generally thought to be less vulnerable to the impacts of climate
change than such sectors as agriculture. Among the major exceptions are industrial facilities
located in climate-sensitive areas (such as floodplains) (Ruth et al. 2004).
For the finance sector, climate-change related risks are increasingly considered for
specific 'susceptible' sectors such as hydro-electric projects, irrigation and agriculture, and
tourism (UNEP/GRID-Arendal 2002).
Effects of climate change on tourism include changes in the availability of water,
which could be positive or negative (Braun et al. 1999; Uyarra et al. 2005). Warmer climates
open up the possibility of extending 'exotic' environments (such as palm trees forest in Crete
Island in southern Mediterranean), which could be considered by some tourists as positive
but could lead to a spatial extension and amplification of water- and vector-borne diseases.
Droughts and the extension of arid environments (and the effects of extreme weather events)
might discourage tourists, although it is not entirely clear what they consider to be
unacceptable (IPCC 2007).

31

2.7 Water resources, climate change and agriculture

Water is a central issue of adaptation to climate change in agriculture. Agricultural

production

depends

critically

on

how

climatic

variables

such

as

precipitation,

evapotranspiration and temperatures vary across regions and over time. The effects of
climate change on agriculture occur through crop water requirements, availability and quality
of water, and other factors, which are affected by both long-term gradual change and
extreme events, and across a range of scales from local to regional to continental. Moreover,
climate is not only changing but is becoming non-stationary, meaning that expectations can
no longer be based only on past observations.
Interactions between climate change, water and agriculture are numerous, complex
and region-specific. Climate change can affect water resources through several dimensions
simultaneously:

Changes in the amount and time patterns of precipitation

Impact on water quality through changes in runoff

Impact on river flow

Impact on retention and thus loading of nutrients

Extreme events such as flooding phenomena and drought conditions

Water supply can be directly impacted by climate change through changes in rainfall
patterns, and indirectly through changes in water compartments such as surface water,
groundwater, snow and glaciers that can be used for the purpose of agricultural water
withdrawals, including irrigation and livestock (OECD 2014).
Regarding irrigation, most plants need water for healthy growth, and water shortages
decrease plant yields and increase plant stress and susceptibility. Many countries suffer from
water shortages, and complex irrigation schemes have been developed to supplement water
supplies to dry agricultural areas by means of dams and artificial channels. Irrigation
agriculture is traditional form of agriculture in the Mediterranean countries and it is by far the
biggest agricultural use of freshwater, and it grows bigger over time as the area under
irrigation continues to expand (Park 2001).
Nevertheless, different crops and regions vary in their water requirements.
Additionally, coupled with inefficient crop choice, some irrigation practices waste large
amount of water. The continued expansion of irrigation agriculture is causing mounting
concern about the sustainability of water supplied in many areas. Rainfall patterns,
temperature, evapotranspiration, soil quality and vegetative cover all influence soil moisture
levels (Pimentel et al. 1997).
32

Interactions between relevant weather variables that affect agricultural production are
difficult to characterize. Scientific evidence underlying projected impacts on freshwater has
significant limitations when it comes to informing practical, on-site adaptation decisions.
These complex interactions multiply the uncertainties concerning the impact of climate
change on agriculture.
The frequency and severity of extreme events such as flooding phenomena and
drought conditions may increase as a result of climate change and have substantial negative
impacts on agricultural production. Much of the work undertaken on the potential impact of
climate change has focused on projected changes in average temperature and rainfall, and
links between these changes and measurable outcomes with clear economic implications.
Despite the low level of certainty concerning the scientific evidence regarding shifts in
extreme events, non-linear (convex) damage functions mean that changes in extremes are
expected to be most costly.
Because agricultural water management involves public good, externalities and risk
management issues, private adaptation to climate change is not equal to collective
adaptation. A consistent strategy for agricultural water management needs to consider the
following five levels of actions and their linkages:

On-farm: Adaptation of water management practices and cropping and livestock

systems

Watershed: Adaptation of water supply and demand policies in agriculture and with
the other water users (urban and industrial) and uses (ecosystems)

Risk management: Adaptation of risk management systems against flooding

phenomena and drought conditions

Agricultural policies and markets: Adaptation of existing agricultural policies and

markets to the changing climate

Interactions: between mitigation and adaptation of agricultural water management

At the watershed level, well-designed, flexible and robust water sharing rules and
economic instruments such as water pricing and water trading can foster adaptation of water
systems. As climate is becoming non-stationary and climate risks are projected to increase,
systems that allocate water across farms and across other uses should be flexible and robust
enough to allow for efficient use of water, taking into account redistributive consequences
and priority uses.
Climate change adaptation and mitigation practices may have positive or negative
implications on agricultural water management and on water quality. The potential synergies
and trade-offs between mitigation and agricultural management practises are, however, site33

specific and for many cases there are substantial knowledge gaps. Although this is a
complex matter, it is important to recognise these linkages in the design of mitigation policies
to reduce the risk of conflict between mitigation and water policy objectives and to maximize
potential synergies (OECD 2014).
2.8 Water resources in Greece

Water resources refer to the water 'produced' inside a country in conjunction with the
external water contribution from neighbouring countries (e.g. trans-boundary rivers).
According to data from the AQUASTAT (FAO 2016), the mean precipitation in Greece in
652mm/year while in Europe is 664mm/year and in the Mediterranean European countries is
768mm/year. In Greece, the western part accepts the majority of rainfalls with more than
1500mm/year, while eastern Greece, along with the islands of the Aegean and Crete, have
considerably small rainfalls.
The shortage of water (drought) in a region is not only related to the availability of the
water resources, but also to the water utilization. Table 2.03 and figure 2.02 depict the
supply-demand water situation for the 14 water districts in Greece (109 m3/year).

Table 2.03. Supply-demand water situation for the 14 water districts in Greece

No.

Water Regions

Supply

Demand

Status

West Peloponnisos

73

55

Surplus

North Peloponnisos

122

104

Surplus

East Peloponnisos

56

67

Deficit

West Central Greece

415

82

Surplus

Epirus

193

33

Surplus

Attica

56

54

Marginally Surplus

East Central Greece

128

187

Deficit

Thessaly

210

335

Deficit

West Macedonia

159

136

Surplus

10

Central Macedonia

137

130

Marginally Surplus

11

East Macedonia

354

132

Surplus

12

Thrace

424

253

Surplus

13

Crete

130

133

Marginally Deficit

14

Aegean Islands

25

Deficit

2.464

1.726

Surplus

Total

34

450

424

415

400

Supply

350

Demand

354

335

300

253

250

159

50

187

122

150
100

210

193

200
73
104
55

67

82
33 56

56

128

136

137

132

130

54

133
130
25
7

Figure 2.02. Supply-demand water situation for the 14 water districts in Greece

Although it is evident that water supply-demand situation in Greece is presented with

surplus, nevertheless, the situation is expected to become worse under a systematic climate
change due to the greenhouse effect (Mimikou 2005). According to figure 2.02, the Ardas
River basin belongs to the Thrace Region and it is the only one from the examined areas
where the status regarding the water resources shows a surplus. On the other hand the
Sperchios (East Central Greece) and the Geropotamos (Crete) River basins belong in water
Regions that face deficit and marginally deficit conditions, respectively. In the era of climate
change, it is useful to study the future climate change and their impact to the water resources
as well as to assess the future responses of the aspects of the hydrological cycle in relation
with the agriculture production, towards the sustainable water management and the
sustainable development of the environment and the agriculture productivity.

35

36

Chapter 3
Data and Methodology
3.1 Study areas

The study areas are located in Greece. The Ardas River basin (Study area I) is
located in the north-eastern part of Greece (a significant part of the watershed belongs to
Bulgaria - mostly the mountainous area of the basin where the springs of Ardas River are
located). The Sperchios River basin (Study area II) is located in Central Greece, while the
Geropotamos River basin (Study area III) is located in Crete Island in southern Greece.
Figure 3.01 depicts the general location of the study areas, while table 3.01 presents the
local population that is employed in the primary section, or are related with agricultural
activities, as well as the main characteristics of the study areas.

Table 3.01. Characteristics of the study areas

Study areas
Location

Ardas

Sperchios

North-eastern Greece Central Greece

Region

Geropotamos
South Greece

Evros

Ftiotida

Irakleion

Region population (inhabitants)

149.354

169.542

304.270

People occupied in the primary sector

37.560

52.426

116.251

25.1

30.9

38.2

Cfa, Cfb, Dfb

Csa, Csb

Csa

5681.3

1727.7

651.6

Perimeter (km)

513

259.2

113.3

Mean Slope (%)

4.8

13.1

8.7

1 - 2081

0 - 2277

0 - 2380

Mean annual precipitation (mm)

839.8

792.9

759.8

Mean annual temperature (oC)

10.5

16.6

17.2

8907.8

4519.9

1038.8

Percentage (%)
Climate Classification (Kppen-Geiger)
2

Area (km )

Elevation range (m)

Length of Hydrographic Network (km)

37

Figure 3.01. Location and characteristics of the study areas

38

Study area I - Ardas River basin

Table 3.02. Meteorological stations and characteristics - Ardas River basin
Station

Figure 3.02. Meteorological stations - Ardas River basin

Elevation (m) Lat. ( )

Long. ( )

Years

90.7

41.70

26.30

PREC

Kuprinos

51.2

41.58

26.23

PREC

Sitoxori

112.4

41.46

26.35

PREC

Mikro Dereio

129.2

41.31

26.10

PREC

Megalo Dereio

401.4

41.23

26.01

PREC

Protoklisi

55.1

41.30

26.25

Didimoteixo

48.4

41.35

26.50

Metaxades

129.0

41.41

26.23

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

Orestiada

39.2

41.50

26.51

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

Edirne

50.0

41.66

26.56

PREC; T; RH;

Kurdjali

273.3

41.65

25.36

PREC; T; RH;

Ivaylovgrad

120.5

41.58

26.10

1985-2000

32.6%

243 - Land principally covered by agriculture

21.5%

311 - Broad-leaved forest

9.3%
17.8%

PREC
PREC

312 - Coniferous forest

313 - Mixed forest

3.3%

321 - Natural Grasslands

0.2%

323 - Sclerophylous vegetation

15.3%

324 - Transitional woodland shrub

o

Figure 3.03. Land Use - Ardas River basin

Variables*

Dikaia

*PREC=Precipitation (mm); T=T mean, Tmax, Tmin ( C); Rs= solar radiation (MJ/m );
3
RH=Relative Humidity (%); WS=Wind Speed (m/s); Q=Discharge (m/s )

39

Study area II - Sperchios River basin

Table 3.03. Meteorological stations and characteristics - Sperchios River basin

Figure 3.04. Meteorological stations - Sperchios River basin

Station

Elevation (m)

Lat. ( )

Long. ( )

Neoxori

800

38.96

21.86

Years

PREC

Pitsiota

800

39.01

21.9

PREC

Zileuto

120

38.93

22.26

PREC

Trilofos

580

39

22.21

PREC

Timfristos

850

38.91

21.91

PREC

Ypati

286

38.86

22.23

PREC

Duo Vouna

460

38.79

22.38

Lamia

144

38.91

22.43

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

Karpenisi

819

38.9

21.78

T; Rs; RH; WS

Domokos

522

39.13

22.3

T; Rs RH; WS

Kastri

100

38.94

22.2

Kompotades

20

38.86

22.36

Komma

12

38.84

22.43

1981-2000

24.7%

243 - Land principally covered by agriculture

12.1%

311 - Broad-leaved forest

12.0%

312 - Coniferous forest

9.5%

313 - Mixed forest

1.6%

321 - Natural Grasslands

23.6%

323 - Sclerophylous vegetation

16.5%

324 - Transitional woodland shrub

o

Figure 3.05. Land Use - Sperchios River basin

Variables*

PREC

*PREC=Precipitation (mm); T=T mean, Tmax, Tmin ( C); Rs= solar radiation (MJ/m );
3
RH=Relative Humidity (%); WS=Wind Speed (m/s); Q=Discharge (m/s )

40

Study area III - Geropotamos River basin

Table 3.04. Meteorological stations and characteristics - Geropotamos River basin

Figure 3.06. Meteorological stations - Geropotamos River basin

Station

Elevation (m)

Lat. ( )

Long. ( )

Souda

106.4

35.54

24.10

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

Irakleio

68.3

35.32

25.17

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

Ierapetra

24.2

35.01

25.72

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

Siteia

25

35.19

26.09

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

Rethimno

118

35.34

24.50

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

Tympaki

33.7

34.99

24.74

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

Palaioxora

25

35.23

23.68

Anogeia

823.7

35.28

24.95

PREC; T; Rs; RH

Fourni

500

35.25

25.66

PREC; T; Rs; RH

Kastelli

350

35.12

25.20

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

Zaros

322

35.13

24.90

PREC; T; Rs; RH

Faistos

95.7

35.04

24.79

Souda

106.4

35.54

24.10

PREC; T; Rs; RH; WS

70.4%

311 - Broad-leaved forest

1.2%

312 - Coniferous forest

321 - Natural Grasslands

10.1%

323 - Sclerophylous vegetation

324 - Transitional woodland shrub
o

Figure 3.07. Land Use - Geropotamos River basin

PREC; T; Rs; RH

313 - Mixed forest

13.1%

5.1%

1981-2000

Variables*

243 - Land principally covered by agriculture

0.1%

0%

Years

*PREC=Precipitation (mm); T=T mean, Tmax, Tmin ( C); Rs= solar radiation (MJ/m );
3
RH=Relative Humidity (%); WS=Wind Speed (m/s); Q=Discharge (m/s )

41

3.2 Climate

The study areas present different climate characteristics. The Ardas River basin is
characterised by the existence of various climate types, but mainly faces humid continental
conditions. In the summer period, the Ardas River basin faces warm and in some parts hot
conditions, while the winter period is mild to cool. Precipitation falls throughout the year.
During the winter season, snowfall occurs in many areas and snow cover is often deep.
Regarding the climate conditions in the Sperchios River basin, mostly the biggest part
of the basin faces Mediterranean conditions with hot-summer Mediterranean climate. Some
minor variations appear on the Rivers' springs on the mountainous area where milder
conditions appear with warm-summer Mediterranean climate. Generally, the summer season
is characterised by insignificant amount of precipitation and very warm to hot conditions,
while the winters are mild with snowfalls in the highlands that
The Geropotamos River basin is characterized by purely Mediterranean conditions
with hot-summer Mediterranean climate. The summer season presents a general dryness,
while the winters are mild to cool, and wet. The Geropotamos River basin receives almost all
its amount of precipitation during winter, autumn, and spring seasons, and it can go up to 4-6
months during the summer period without any significant precipitation. The drier atmospheric
conditions are a result of strong, desiccating winds on the leeward side of the mountainous
areas (Peel et al. 2007).
Figures 3.08, 3.09, and 3.10 depict the Kppen-Geiger classification in the examined
study areas.

42

Figure 3.08. Kppen-Geiger classification - Ardas River basin

Figure 3.09. Kppen-Geiger classification - Sperchios River basin

Figure 3.10. Kppen-Geiger classification - Geropotamos River basin

43

3.3 Climate Data

Daily values of meteorological data are obtained from the stations within or adjacent
to the study areas as can be seen in figures 3.02, 3.04 and 3.06, derived from the Hellenic
National Meteorological Service (HNMS) and OGIMET1 are used in the study.
Future data are obtained by the output simulations of an ensemble of six Regional
Climate Models (RCMs), which were carried out within the European project ENSEMBLES.
The characteristics of the RCMs and the driving Global Circulation Models (GCMs) can be
found in table 3.05.

Table 3.05. Driving GCMs, Institutes, RCMs, and relevant references of the used
ENSEMBLES simulations

Driving GCM
BCCR-BCM2

Institute

RCM

References

Norwegian Meteorological

METNO_HIRHA

Christensen et al.

Institute

(1996)

Centre National de
CNRM-CM3

Recherches

CNRM-RM4.5

Meteorologiques
ECHAM/MPI-OM1

Danish Meteorological
Institute

METO-HC-

Met Office Hadley Centre,

HadCM3C

UK

METO-HC-

Met Office Hadley Centre,

HadGEM2

UK

HadCMeQ0 (normal Swiss Federal Institute of

sensitivity)

Technology

HIRHAM5

Gibelin and Deque

(2003)
Jungclaus et al. (2006)
Roeckner et al. (2006)

HADCM3C

Johns (2009a)

HADGEM2

Johns (2009b)

ETHZ-CLM

Jaeger et al. ( 2008)

The climate simulations concern the future periods 2021-2050 and 2071-2100 against
the reference periods that were pre-selected for each study area, under the A1B and B1
IPCC climate forcing scenarios.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC 2007), climate
forcing refers to anything which forces a change on the climate system. In the specific case,
it refers to the emission scenarios or representative concentration pathways, that are
providing projections regarding the atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gasses.
These scenarios are used as the driving inputs to the global climate models, as the
1

www.ogimet.com
44

greenhouse gas concentrations influence the balance between the incoming and the
outgoing radiation. Thus, each set of climate projections is valid under a specific assumption
of future anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations.
There are three main sets of climate change forcing scenarios: SRES scenarios, nonSRES scenarios, and the latest RCP scenarios. These are forty SRES scenarios grouped
into four families (A1, B1, A2, B2), based on narratives of demographic, social, economic,
technological, and environmental development. There are five widely used illustrative
scenarios: A1B, A1F1, A1T, A2, and B1. Table 3.06 presents a short description of the
scenarios that were used in the current study (namely A1B and B1).

Table 3.06. IPCC emission scenarios (IPCC 2001)

A future world of very rapid economic growth, low population growth and rapid
introduction of new and more efficient technology. Major underlying themes are
A1B

economic and cultural convergence and capacity building, with a substantial

reduction in regional differences in per capita income. In this world, people pursue
personal wealth rather than environmental quality. Energy technologies balanced
across energy sources.
A convergent world with the same global population as in the A1 storylines but with

B1

rapid changes in economic structures toward a service and information economy,

with reductions in materials intensity, and the introduction of clean and resourceefficient technologies.

3.4 Data homogeneity, correlation and future data extraction

Regarding the reference period data for the study areas, since there are no available
common meteorological data series, a homogeneity test is performed, followed by a
statistical correlation test, to correlate the existing values and determine the reference
periods that will be adopted. The technique of data homogeneity was conducted using the
double-mass curve, proposed by Dingman (1994; 2002).
Since the existence of limited data in Greece is an issue that the researcher is called
to overcome (Paparrizos et al. 2014), homogeneity check is one of the first steps and
essential tool in the analysis of a long record. The double-mass curve is used to check the
consistency of many kinds of hydrological and meteorological data by comparing the data for
a single station with that of a pattern composed of the data from several other stations in the
area. It constitutes a commonly used data analysis approach for investigating the behaviour
of various hydrometeorological records and it is often used to determine whether there is a
45

need for corrections to the data - to account for changes in data collection procedures or
other local conditions. Such changes may often result from a variety of things including
changes in instrumentation, changes in observation procedures, or changes in gauge
location or surrounding conditions (Dingman 1994; 2002; Paparrizos and Chatziminiadis
2010; Paparrizos 2012).
Additionally, the correlation of the existing data series is performed using the t-test
(Snedecor and Cochran 1989; Haan 2002). Many tests have been proposed in the literature
for the statistical significance of correlation between different data series. In the current
study, due to the fact that the sample of data (daily values transformed into monthly and
finally yearly values) is relatively small (<25), the t-test is preferred. The significance of a
sample correlation, r, depends on the sample size and also on the size of r. The assumptions
according to t-test are:

The samples, x and y, are drawn from populations that follow a bivariate normal
distribution

The samples constitute random samples from the population

The population correlation coefficient is zero: = 0

If these assumptions are satisfied (which they are in the certain study), then according to
equation 3.01:

(3.01)

the statistic equation follows a t-distribution with N - 2 degrees of freedom, where:

N is the sample size

r is the correlation coefficient between these two samples

The null and alternative hypotheses for a test (two-sided) are:

H0: = 0
H1: 0

46

Combining the t-test and the double-mass curve homogeneity test, the periods that
were determined for the study areas were 1981-2000 for the Sperchios and the
Geropotamos River basins, and 1985-2000 for the Ardas River basin.
Regarding the future simulated data that they are occurred by the output simulations
of the European project ENSEMBLES, their original form was network Common Data Form
(netCDF) files. NetCDF files is a set of software libraries and self-describing, machineindependent data formats that support the creation, access, and sharing of array-oriented
scientific data (Open Geospatial Consortium 2016). The commercial software package
MATLAB2014a (MATLAB 2014a, The Mathworks Inc., Natick, MA, 2000) was used to
access the data through the 'MATLAB netcdf' package which provides interfaces to dozens
of functions in the netCDF library. Additionally, a script was developed to extract the specific
sets of data according to the location of the study areas. An indicative initial read of an
ENSEMBLES data series can be found in Appendix A1, while the developed script in order to
extract the necessary data can be found in Appendix A2.

3.5 Downscaling and spatial interpolation techniques

One of the biggest issues faced by atmospheric scientists nowadays is the accurate
representation and prediction of various climatological parameters. In this direction, one of
the most important observational tools that climatologists have in their service in order to
collect data is the radar. Its applicability has been tested since the 1940's, mostly to detect
and forecast extreme weather conditions, but also to contribute to the accurate knowledge of
the climatic variations prevailing in and dominating in a certain area (Maris et al. 2013).
In regions, however where radar grid observations are not available and the
meteorological network does not have the density and thus is insufficient and unable to cover
the whole area of study, or when performing a future assessment of the spatial distribution of
the climatic variables and hence there are no available radar grid observations, downscaling
through spatial interpolation is mandatory.
A variety of interpolation methods have been developed for climatological data
mapping. Most of them are based mainly on the similarity and topological relations of nearby
sample points and on the value of the variable to be measured (Beek et al. 1992; Chang et
al. 2005; Gemmer et al. 2004; Maris et al. 2013). Geostatistical interpolation has become an
important tool in applied climatology because it is based on the spatial variability of the
variables of interest and makes it possible to quantify the estimation uncertainty (Gambolati
and Volpi 1979; Chua and Bras 1982; Myers 1982; Bacchi and Kottegoda 1995; MartinezCob 1996; Holawe and Dutter 1999; Paparrizos et al. 2015). In this latter case, the General
Circulation Models, which according to Tolika et al. (2008) although they remain, nowadays,
47

the most appropriate tool for the development of future climate scenarios, nevertheless, they
operate in macro-scale.
The need for regional projections of the changes in extreme meteorological
parameters as well as the mismatch between spatial scale and the climate impact models which operate on the meteorological mesoscale (Schubert and Henderson-Sellers 1997),
lead to a wide development of several downscaling techniques. These downscaling
processes are divided in two regional subcategories:

the dynamical approach, employing regional climate models (RCMs)

the statistical approach, where empirical-statistical relationships are defined

between the independent variables (predictors) and the dependent variables
(predictants)

Although RCMs are considered to be more promising at the evolution of downscaling,

the statistical models present some advantages, which make them useful to the researcher
(Goodess and Palutikof 1998; Timbal et al. 2003).
Thus, in order to begin with the downscaling and spatial interpolation, a variable
needs to be selected first, that will be downscaled and spatially interpolated in a certain study
area. The initial climatological data will be obtained from the climatological stations (point
stations) within or adjacent to the examined area. While mapping a climatological variable in
a certain area, several factors that affect the certain variable need to be taken into account.
In order to depict the relationships of this examined variable with the various factors that
affect it, a multi-linear regression technique needs to be performed including information from
the climatological stations of the study area, using as dependent factor the variable that
needs to be spatially interpolated, and as independent all the factors that affect this specific
variable. Following that procedure, an equation (Eq. 3.02) will be created for this certain
variable and study area:

(3.02)

Where:
x represents the dependent variable at a certain point (climatological variable value)
bo is constant from the multi-linear regression equation
b1...bn represent the coefficients obtained for each independent factor from the multi-linear
regression equation

48

a...m represent the factors that were selected to be used in the multi-linear regression
procedure and affect each time the certain climatological variable (e.g. elevation, longitude,
latitude, slope, aspect, other meteorological variables, distance from a water body, etc.)

During the multi-linear regression and in order to observe the statistical significance of
the examined factors, special attention needs to be given in the output p-value. P-value
indicates the probability of obtaining a test statistic result at least as extreme as the one that
was actually observed, assuming that the null hypothesis is true (Pearson 1900). P-value
also determines which factors will be used in the multi-linear regression in order to eliminate
deficiencies. The preconditions that the output p-value should meet are:

The output p-value should belong each time within the significance level (p 0.05), in
order for a strong presumption to exist against the null hypothesis

In cases where the significance level of the examined factor is less than 95% during
the multi-linear regression analysis, this factor should be eliminated from the
procedure, and the multi-linear regression needs to be re-performed

Table 3.07 presents the categorization of the output p-values that has been made in
accordance with the significance level of 95% (p 0.05).
A noteworthy fact is that the selection of the factors that will be included each time in
the regression procedure is not determined as each climatological variable is influenced by
various factors, thus the selection of the factors that will be used every time lies within the
responsibilities of the researcher and the availability of the data. This constitutes the
statistical approach.
Table 3.07. Categorization of the output p-values at 95% significance level (p 0.05)
p 0.01
0.01 p 0.05
0.05 p 0.1
p > 0.1

very strong presumption against null hypothesis

strong presumption against null hypothesis
low presumption against null hypothesis
no presumption against null hypothesis

The methodology that will be applied to the interpolation from irregularly distributed
surface station data at coordinates xi, yi, zi (where xi = longitude, yi = latitude and zi = altitude
from mean sea level of the i station) to surface gridded points Xj, Yj, Zj (where Xj = longitude,
Yj = latitude and Zj = altitude from mean sea level of the j grid) is based on the Ordinary

49

(spherical variogram) Kriging with the procedure of interpolation for geographic information
systems (Oliver and Webster 1990) through ArcGIS 10.2.1 program.
Subsequently, through ArcGIS 10.2.1, in order to perform the Ordinary Kriging
analysis, automatic points (x) within the basin will be created (through Fishnet option from
the Data Management Toolbox menu) in a 1x1km resolution grid and through the multi-linear
regression equation a value will be given (according to the dependent variable) to every point
by feeding them each time with different values from the independent factors. This
constitutes the dynamical approach of the downscaling technique. Figure 3.11 gives a
schematic representation and it is rather indicative of the procedure that was described
above.

Figure 3.11. Dynamical and statistical downscaling procedure

50

3.6 Trend analysis of climatological data

Trend analysis is the practice of collecting information and attempting to spot a

pattern, or trend, in the information. In some fields of study, the term 'trend analysis' has
more formally defined meanings (Immerwahr 2004). Although trend analysis is often used to
predict future events, it could be used to estimate uncertain events in the past. This
detection, estimation, and prediction of trends and associated statistical and physical
significance are important aspects of climate research (Salmi et al. 2002).
In the current study, trend analysis is performed using the Mann-Kendall test for the
reference years that were defined after the data homogeneity and correlation, and for up to
2100 according to the future periods that were defined. The Mann-Kendall test (Kendall
1938; Mann 1945) is a trend analysis test, suitable for cases where the trend may be
assumed to be monotonic and thus no seasonal or other cycle is present in the data. The
Mann-Kendall test is applicable in cases where the data values xi of a times series can be
assumed to obey the model that has the following form (Eq. 3.03):

(3.03)

Where:
xi represents the data values of a time series that assume to obey the model
f(t) is a continuous monotonic increasing or decreasing function of time
i is the residual that can be assummed to be from the same distribution with zero mean
It is therefore assummed that the variance of the distribution is constant in time. For
time series with less than 10 data points the S test is used, and for time series with 10 or
more data points, the normal approximation is used.
Since in the current study the number of data values that are being tested regarding
their trend sensitivity (mean annual values) are each time 10 or more (n 10), the normal
approximation will be used, and the variance of S will be first computed by the following
equation (Eq. 3.04) which takes into account that ties may be present:

(3.04)

Where:
n is the number of annual values in the studied data series
q is the number of tied groups
tp is the number of data values in the pth group
51

The values of S and VAR(S) are used to compute the test statistic Z as follows (Eq.
3.05):

(Eq. 3.05)

The presence of a statistically significant trend is evaluated using the Z value. A

positive (negative) Z value indicates an upward (downward) trend. The statistic Z value has a
normal distribution.
3.7 Potential Evapotranspiration formulae

The general equipment used to measure ET includes the lysimeter, Bower-ratio

energy balance system, eddy covariance technique (ECT), scintillometers, etc. Nonetheless,
in cases where the necessary equipment for the measurement of ET is not available, ET can
be estimated by theoretical or empirical equations that require simple or analytical data
(Kotsopoulos and Babajimopoulos 1997). Knowledge of PET rates is essential for a variety of
applications including assessment of the hydrological water balance modeling, water
resources planning and management, irrigation scheduling and planning, agricultural water
use, geo-botanical studies, and estimation of sensitive-to-climate change, aridity indices
(Valiantzas 2006).
In the current study 12 Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) formulae are used that
include the approaches of Hargreaves (Hargreaves and Samani 1985; Allen et al. 1998; Xu
and Singh 2002; Oudin et al. 2005), Priestley-Taylor (Priestley and Taylor 1972; Winter et al.
1995; Yao 2009), Hamon version 1 (Lu et al. 2005), Hamon version 2 (Oudin et al. 2005),
Hamon version 3 (Rosenberry et al. 2004), McGuiness (Oudin et al. 2005), Romanenko
(Oudin et al. 2005), Caprio (Caprio 1974), Jensen-Haise (Jensen and Haise 1963;
Rosenberry et al. 2004), Turc (Jacobs and Satti 2001; Lu et al. 2005), Ivanov (Wendling et al.
1984) and the ASCE Penman-Monteith equation (ASCE Task Committee 2005).
The equations are presented in table 3.08, while the input data requirements (and
thus the variables that affect every equation and are analyzed regarding their sensitivity) are
presented in table 3.09. The equations include a wide variety of input parameters thus their
applicability depends each time on the data availability.

52

Table 3.08. Potential Evapotranspiration formulae

Common name

Mathematical equation

Hargreaves

Priestley-Taylor

Hamon 1

Hamon 2

Hamon 3

McGuiness

Romanenko

Caprio

Jensen-Haise

Turc

Ivanov

ASCE
Note: RH = Relative air humidity (%); Tmean = mean air temperature (oC); Tmax = maximum air temperature (oC); Tmin = minimum air
temperature (oC); Tdew = dew point temperature (oC); Rs = total global solar radiation (MJ m-2); Ra = total solar radiation reaching the
atmosphere's surface (MJ m-2); Rn = total net solar radiation (MJ m-2); = latent heat of vaporization (MJ kg-1); = proportionally
coefficient (unitless - set as 1.2 in the current study); SVD = saturated vapour density at mean air temperature (g m-3); = the slope of
saturation vapour pressure curve at air temperature T (kPa oC -1); G = the soil heat flux density at the crop surface (MJ m -2); for daily
periods the value is 0); U2 = the mean wind speed at 2 m height (m s -1); = the psychrometric constant (kPa oC -1); es = the mean
saturation vapour pressure at 1.5-2.5 m height (kPa); ea = the mean actual vapour pressure at 1.5-2.5 m height (kPa); and Cn = a
numerator constant that changes with reference type. Cn takes the value 900 and 1600 (K mm s3 Mg-1) for short and tall crops,
respectively; Cd = a denominator constant that changes with reference type and takes the values of 0.34 (s m -1) and 0.38 (s m-1) for short
and tall crops, respectively; PT = Priestley-Taylor coefficient (unitless - set as 1.26 in the current study); DL = Day Length (hours).

53

Table 3.09. Input data requirements of used PET formulae

Tmean
o

PETHar

Tmin Tmax Tdew

C

RH

U2

DL

Rs

Ra

Rn

m/s

h.

MJ/m2

MJ/m2

MJ/m2

PETPT
PETHam1

PETHam2

PETHam3

PETMcG

PETRom

PETCap

PETJen

PETTur

PETIva

PETASCE

Note: Detailed explanation of the abbreviations of the variables in the current table is given
below Table 3.08.
3.8 Sensitivity analysis

Sensitivity analysis investigates the effect of change of one factor on another

(McGuen 1973). In many cases it is usually the first step towards model calibration because
it answers several questions such as where data collection efforts should focus, what degree
of care should be taken for parameter estimation, and which is the relative importance of
various parameters (Cho and Lee 2001). A sensitivity analysis also identifies the most
sensitive parameters, which ultimately dictates the set of parameters to be used in the
subsequent calibration process. There are different methods available for carrying out and
expressing their results (Lenhart et al. 2002; Van Griensven et al. 2002; 2006). Some
methods use a percentage change in input and respond to corresponding changes in output
variables, while some other methods use an increase or decrease in certain proportion and
record the observed changes (Kannan et al 2007).
In hydrometeorological studies and ecological applications, a number of sensitivity
coefficients have been defined depending on the purpose of the analyses (Coleman and
DeCoursey 1976; Beven 1979; Beres and Hawkins 2001; Anderton et al. 2002). Literature
reviews of previous studies revealed that there is no standard or common procedure for
computing sensitivity coefficients for climate variables (Irmak et al. 2006; Estevez et al.
54

2009). In the current study, sensitivity analysis is performed using a new coefficient proposed
by Ampas (2010), and is presented in equation 3.06:

(3.06)

Where:
Ksp is the new coefficient
p is the examined independent variable or parameter
M is the modelled value
p is the standard deviation of the meteorological variable's data series
The current equation presents several advantages compared to other approached, which are
the following (Ampas and Baltas 2012):

Standard deviation cannot be zero

The coefficient is not influenced by the units

The minimum value depends on the magnitude of the time series

The range width depends on both minimum and maximum values

Some meteorological parameters like Relative Humidity and Wind Speed are limited,
with RH from 0 - 100%, while U2 is positive (> 0 m s-1)

This sensitivity coefficient shows the alteration caused to the model by the usual
change of the parameter

3.9 Aridity Index

Aridity is a term that most people conceptually understand, and it evokes images of
dry, desert lands with sparse natural surface-water bodies and rainfall, and commonly only
scant vegetation, which is adapted to a paucity of water (Maliva and Missimer 2012). Aridity,
as defined by the shortage of moisture, is essentially a climatic phenomenon that is based on
average climatic conditions over a region (Agnew and Anderson 1992). A fundamental
distinction exists between aridity, which is a long-term climatic phenomenon and droughts,
which are a temporary phenomenon (water deficit).
55

In the current study, Aridity Index (AI) which is delivered from the United Nations
Environment Program (UNEP 1992) and constitutes a numerical indicator of the degree of
dryness of a climate at a given location is selected to estimate the aridity conditions
prevailing in the study areas. Aridity Index (AI) uses precipitation and potential
evapotranspiration data, and it is given from the following equation (Eq. 3.07):

(3.07)

Where:
P is the average annual precipitation (mm)
PET is the average annual potential evapotranspiration (mm)

The boundaries that define various degrees of aridity are involved as shown in table
3.10 (FAO 1993).

Table 3.10. Classification of Aridity Index categories

Classification

Aridity Index (AI)

Hyper-arid

AI 0.05

Arid

0.05 AI < 0.20

Semi-arid

0.20 AI < 0.50

Dry sub-humid

0.50 AI < 0.65

Sub-humid

0.65 AI < 0.80

Humid

0.80 AI < 1.5

Very humid

1.5 AI

3.10 Standardized Precipitation Index

Determination of drought concept has always been a brake on monitoring and

analysis of the phenomenon. Additionally, more that 150 definitions have been attributed to
drought in literature (Nastos et al. 2013a), and although there is no specific definition for
drought, it is clear that it relates to periods of abnormally low water availability. These levels
occur from the reduction of the frequency and the periods of rainfall (Bates et al. 2008).
Decreased

land

precipitation

and

increased

air

temperature,

which

enhance

evapotranspiration and reduce soil moisture, are important factors that have contributed to
more regions experiencing droughts (Dai et al. 2004; Paparrizos et al. 2016e).
56

There are very few direct estimations of drought related variables, such as soil
moisture, so drought proxies and hydrological drought proxies are often used to assess
drought conditions. One of the major drought indices is the Standardized Precipitation Index
(SPI), which is based on the probability of precipitation for any time scale. The SPI
developed by McKee et al. (1993; 1995) is used in order to estimate the drought conditions
prevailing in the study areas. SPI is an index that uses only precipitation data, it is based on
the probability of precipitation for a number of consecutive months, and its main objective is
to represent the deficit of precipitation over an area on multiple time scales relative to its
climatology. Although SPI is not a drought prediction tool, the SPI methodology has been
used to identify dryness and wetness conditions, and to evaluate their impact on water
resources management. SPI can be computed in different running time intervals, i.e. 1-, 3-,
6-, 12-, and 24-months, but the index is flexible with respect to the chosen period
(Vasileiades et al. 2009). This powerful feature can provide an overwhelming amount of
information, unless researchers have a clear idea of the desired intervals (Karavitis et al.
2011).
Mathematically, the SPI is based on the cumulative probability of a given rainfall
event occurring at a station. The historic rainfall data of the station is fitted to a gamma
distribution, as the gamma distribution has been found to fit the precipitation distribution quite
well. This is done through a process of maximum likelihood estimation of the gamma
distribution parameters, a and . In simple terms, this process allows rainfall distribution at
the station to be effectively represented by a mathematical cumulative probability function.
Therefore, based on the historic rainfall data, the analyst can tell what is the
probability of the rainfall being less than or equal to a certain amount. More information on
the mathematical background of the SPI can be found in Edwards and McKee (1997). The
classification scale for the SPI values is depicted in table 3.11.

Table 3.11. Classification scale for the SPI values

SPI value

Category

Probability (%)

2.00 or more

Extremely wet

2.3

1.50 to 1.99

Severely wet

4.4

1.00 to 1.49

Moderately wet

9.2

-0.99 to 0.99

Near normal

68.2

-1.49 to -1.00

Moderately Dry

9.2

-1.99 to -1.50

Severely Dry

4.4

-2.00 or less

Extremely Dry

2.3

57

3.11 Runoff assessment using ArcSWAT

Knowledge of the variation of future runoff in comparison with other fundamental

aspects of the hydrological cycle under the prism of agricultural production in areas that
present different climate characteristics is very essential. In that concept, ArcSWAT ArcGIS
extension is used, based on the SWAT model, which is a powerful tool for the assessment of
the water balance under the GIS spectrum. The ArcSWAT ArcGIS extension is a graphical
user interface for the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model (Arnold et al. 1998).
SWAT is a river basin, or watershed, scale model developed to predict the impact of land
management practises on water, sediment, and agricultural chemical yields in large, complex
watersheds with varying soils, land use, and management conditions over long periods of
time. The model is physically based and computationally efficient, uses readily available
inputs and enables users to study long-term impacts (Winchell et al. 2013).
The calibration of ArcSWAT model includes the choice of parameters which each time
play a key role in the natural process of converting rainfall into runoff. In the current study,
the model is calibrated using the observed daily discharge data series that are collected from
the stations that were used in the current study. In order to determine whether there is a
successful calibration/verification of the model, the Coefficient of Efficiency (EF) or otherwise
known as the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient was used, whose equation (Eq. 3.08) has the
following form:

EF 1.0

(O
i 1
n

(O
i 1

Pi ) 2
(3.08)

O)

Where:
Pi are the values of discharge predicted by the model
Oi are the values of observed (historical) discharge
is the average of the historical discharge

EF is considered among the most important statistical indicators (Henriksen et al.

2003) and can take values in the period from - to 1.0, while the optimal value is 1.0. If it
gets a value equal to 1.0 it means that the model describes with the same efficiency as the
average of observed values, while negative values of the coefficient suggest that the
applicability of the model is insufficient and needs to be re-calibrated.

58

Additionally, in an effort to further assess the future hydrological regime and the
variations of the future water resources in comparison with the undergoing simulations of the
current study, yearly data regarding the irrigation water withdrawal in Greece are collected
from the AQUASTAT main data base, provided by the FAO (FAO 2015) for the years 19882012.
The data are further forecasted using the autoregressive integrated moving average
(ARIMA) model method within Mathworks 2014a environment up to year 2100. The
autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model (Box and Jenkins 1976) is one of
the most widely used time series models (Han et al. 2010). The popularity of ARIMA model in
many areas is due to its flexibility and the systematic searching at each stage (identification,
estimation and diagnostic check) for an appropriate model. The ARIMA model approach has
several advantages over others, such as moving average, exponential smoothing, neural
network, and in particular, its forecasting capability and its richer information on time-related
changes (Yurekli et al. 2005).
In order to identify the appropriate ARIMA model, the Box-Jenkins method was used.
Since the current research deals with climate data that follow a non-seasonal cycle, the nonseasonal ARIMA (p,d,q) was used (Hosking 1981). A non-seasonal ARIMA model is
classified as an 'ARIMA (p,d,q)' model, where:

p is the number of autoregressive terms

d is the number of non-seasonal differences needed for stationarity
q is the number of lagged forecast errors in the prediction equation

In the identification step data transformation is often required to make the time series
stationary. Stationarity is a necessary condition in building an ARIMA model used for
forecasting. The original time-series are non-stationary and they are all differenced at lag d =
1. The rest of the model's parameters determined by the autocorrelation function (ACF) and
the partial autocorrelation function (PACF) plots and the fitting models are evaluated by
examining the residuals with ACF, the Ljung-Box test (Ljung and Box 1978), and comparing
the akaike information criteria (AIC) values of each model. Following the above mentioned
steps, the appropriate ARIMA model was determined to be ARIMA (1,1,1). A sample was
used for validation by holding out 30% of the data set (8 years) to check the validity of the
aforementioned model ARIMA (1,1,1). Additionally, Relative Mean Square Error (RMSE) was
estimated in order to quantify the performance of the model, whose equation (Eq. 3.09) has
the following form:

59

RMSE

i 1

( X obs,i X mo del ,i ) 2
(3.09)

Where:
Xobs is observed values
Xmodel is modelled values at time/place i
n is the sample size

3.12 Growing Degree Days

Climate affects practically all the physiological processes that determine plant life
(IPCC 2014). A major challenge and objective in agriculture is to predict the occurrences of
specific physical or biological events. For this reason, flower phenology has been widely
used to study the flowering in plant species of economic interest, and in this concept,
temperature and heat units have been widely accepted as the most important factors
affecting processes leading to flowering. The determination of heat requirements in the first
developing phases of plants has been expressed as Growing Degree Days (GDD).
Determination of GDD is useful for achieving a better understanding of the flowering season
development in several plant species, and for forecasting when flowering will occur (Orlandi
et al. 2005).
Temperature and GDD represent two important spatially-dynamic climatic variables,
as they both play vital roles in influencing forest development by directly affecting plant
functions such as evapotranspiration, photosynthesis, and plant transpiration. Understanding
the variations and the spatial distribution of GDD is crucial to the sustainable agricultural and
forest management, as GDD relates to the integration of growth and provides precise point
estimates (Hasan et al. 2007; Matzarakis et al. 2007; Paparrizos and Matzarakis 2016b).
The canonical form of the equation (Eq. 3.10) that is used to calculate the GDD is:

(3.10)

Where:
Tmax represents the daily maximum temperature (oC)
Tmin represents the daily minimum temperature (oC)
Tbase represents the temperature below which the process of growth does not progress

60

Tbase varies among species and cultivars (Wang 1960; McMaster and Wihelm 1997).
In some cases, in order to simplify the equation 3.10, the quantity (Tmax + Tmin) / 2 is set equal
to Tavg, although this is not permissible and can lead to false estimations (Matzarakis et al.
2007).
Many modifications have been suggested to enhance the biological meaning of Eq.
3.10, such as incorporating an upper temperature threshold (Gilmore and Rogers 1958;
McMaster and Smika 1988), converting to photo thermal units by adding a photoperiod
variable (Masle et al. 1989), using only the maximum or minimum temperature or portion of
the day (Cross and Zuber 1972; Masle et al. 1989), and incorporating functions for other
environmental factors that affect phenology or the process being considered (e.g. water,
nutrients, light quality or quantity, CO2; McMaster et al. 1992; Wilhelm and McMaster, 1995).
Additionally, Cross and Zuber (1972) and Perry et al. (1986) found that the Eq. 3.10 was
used under many different forms and ways and the users were unaware of the significant
errors that they could have emerged by these differences (Matzarakis et al. 2007).
To address this problem, the two most common interpretations of Eq. 3.10 are
mentioned to calculate GDD. In the first approach, (Tmax + Tmin) / 2 < Tbase, the first term of
this inequality takes the form (Tmax + Tmin) / 2 < Tbase. The certain approach is the most
widespread for calculating the GDD particularly in simulation models (Goyne et al. 1977;
Gallagher 1979; Davidson and Campbell 1983; Narwal et al. 1986; Jefferies and Mackerron
1987; McMaster and Smika 1988; Mathan 1989; Masle et al. 1989; Kirby 1995) and it is
mostly used by researchers and practitioners involved in small grain production.
In the second approach, the separate values of Tmax and Tmin are compared
independently with Tbase. If Tmax < Tbase then Tmax = Tbase and if Tmin < Tbase, then Tmin = Tbase.
The current approach is the most commonly used method in calculating GDD for corn, but it
is also used for other crops as well (Tollenaar et al. 1979; Russelle et al. 1984; Baker et al.
1986; Edwardson and Watt 1987; Wilhelm et al. 1987, 1989; Bauer et al. 1988; Cutforth and
Shaykewich 1989; Ketring and Wheless 1989; Masoni et al. 1990; Swanson and Wilhelm
1996).
Data regarding the main cultivations in the study areas are collected by the Hellenic
Statistical Authority2. Table 3.12 depicts these main cultivations and their characteristics in
every study area. An attempt is performed through the literature to estimate the necessary
GDD units that are required for every cultivations to reach its maturity in the study areas,
although these are characterized by different climate conditions and thus the required GDD
units for each cultivation may differ.

www.statistics.gr
61

Table 3.12. Main cultivations and their characteristics

Study area

Ardas River
basin

Main
cultivations

River basin

Geropotamos
River basin

GDD units
to maturity

References

Asparagus

Asparagus officialis

530-660

Morrison et al. (2014)

Sugar Beet

Beta vulgaris

1400-1500

Miller et al. (2001)

Cotton

Gossypium
hirsutum

1700-2100

Miley and Oosterhus

(1990)

Maize

Zea mays

1360-1630

Matzarakis et al. (2007)

Sunflower

Helianthus annuus

2200-2800

Raes et al. (2010)

Cherry

Prunus avium

800+

Miller et al. (2001)

Cotton

Sperchios

Latin name

Gossypium
hirsutum

1700-2100

Miley and Oosterhus

(1990)

Wheat

Triticum aestivum

1550-1680

Matzarakis et al. (2007)

Maize

Zea mays

1360-1630

Matzarakis et al. (2007)

Olive

Olea europea

900+

Miller et al. (2001)

Pistachio

Pistachia vera

2000-2600

Olive

Olea Europea

900+

Miller et al. (2001)

Grape vine

Vitis vinifera

1210-1844

Kse (2014)

1500-2000

Raes et al. (2010)

Tomato

Solanum
lycopersium

62

Allan and Ferguson

(2014)

Chapter 4
Results
4.1 Sensitivity analysis of PET formulae

Figures 4.01 - 4.05 depict the beanplots of the mean daily values of PET for all the
examined formulae in the current study, as well as the 25th, 50th and 75th percentile of the
values. Tables 4.01 - 4.05 present the results of the sensitivity analysis of the PET formulae
for all the study areas. The results of the meteorological variables are measured in terms of
percentage and the Potential Evapotranspiration values in mm.

Figure

4.01.

Beanplots
mean

of

daily

the
PET

(mm) for Orestiada

station

in

Ardas

River basin, based

on

the

PET

formulae examined
in Table 3.08

Figure

4.02.

Beanplots
mean

of

daily

the
PET

(mm) for Metaxades

station

in

Ardas

River basin, based

on the PET formulae
examined in Table
3.08
63

Figure

4.03.

Beanplots

of

the

mean daily PET (mm)

for Lamia station in
Sperchios

River

basin, based on the

PET

formulae

examined

in

Table

3.08

Figure

4.04.

Beanplots
mean

of

daily

the
PET

(mm) for Tympaki

station

in

Geropotamos River
basin, based on the
PET

formulae

examined in Table
3.08

Figure

4.05.

Beanplots

of

mean

daily

(mm)

for

station

the
PET

Zaros
in

Geropotamos River
basin, based on the
PET

formulae

examined in Table
3.08
64

According to the beanplots which constitute a widely used technique for descriptive
statistics (Muthers and Matzarakis 2010), the highest daily PET values are presented in the
Geropotamos River basin, which is located in the southest point of the 3 study areas and it is
characterized purely by Mediterranean conditions (Csa) (Peel et al 2007). On the other hand,
the PET values in the Ardas River basin which is characterized mainly by continental climate
(Dfb), and partly by temperate (Cfb) and humid subtropical climate (Cfa), are lower compared
to the other study areas.
Furthermore, some minor differentiations are observed amongst the examined
stations of the Ardas River basin and the other study areas. Specifically, according to the
figures 4.01 and 4.02, in both stations of the Ardas River basin the values of PET are mainly
concentrated between 1-3mm, while in the Sperchios and Geropotamos River basins the
values present a higher concentration between 2-4mm. This is validated due to the higher
temperatures that exist in the Sperchios and Geropotamos study areas (influenced by the
Mediterranean climate), compared to the temperatures in the Ardas River basin that are
slightly lower (Matzarakis 2006).
Some individual differentiations also appeared firstly in the Ardas River basin for the
PETHar equation, which according to the beanplots presents a high concentration of values
near 6-7mm, while in the other study areas the values for the certain equation are lower.
Secondly, for the 3 versions of Hamon, PETHam1, PETHam2, PETHam3 for the Sperchios and
Geropotamos River basins the higher values present low concentration although their range
in these two study areas is larger than the Ardas River basin. Thirdly, the PET Rom equation
overestimates PET in the Geropotamos River basin for about 200-400mm as opposed to the
other study areas. The reason for this overestimation lies in the fact that PET Rom is a
temperature-based equation which, during the sensitivity analysis showed that it is influenced
by more than 50% from Tmin. According to the preliminary data analysis, Tmin appeared with
great difference that exceeds 4oC between the northern (Ardas River basin) and the southern
(Geropotamos River basin) part of Greece. Lastly, PET ASCE in 'Tympaki' station (from 'Zaros'
station there was no available wind speed data series) is also appeared with differentiations
compared to the other study areas. The values present high concentration between 1-2mm
and this fact makes this examined equation an unreliable one for the Geropotamos River
basin.
For the simplicity and better understanding, all results of the sensitivity analysis were
converted into percentages as depicted in Tables 4.01 - 4.05.

65

Table 4.02. Sensitivity analysis results (%) - Metaxades

Table 4.01. Sensitivity analysis results (%) - Orestiada

Ardas River basin - Orestiada station
PET Eq.

Tmean

Tmin

Tmax

PETHar

26.6

28.8

43.6

PETPT

<0.01

PETHam1

1.1

PETHam2

99.2

PETHam3

5.1

PETMcG

97.8

PETRom

5.7

PETCap

64.8

PETJen

61.4

PETTur

52.7

PETIva

4.9

PETASCE

<0.01

Tdew

RH

Wind speed

DL

Ardas River basin - Metaxades station

Rs

Ra
1.0

36.7

57.4

34.5

1131.7

PETHar

19.2

31.8

48.0

<0.01

<0.01 99.9

Tdew

RH

Wind
speed

DL

Rs

Ra

Rn

1.0

1048.7

0.8

1243.5

PETHam2

97.8

0.8

844.2

PETHam3

4.5

1291.1

PETMcG

95.9

1609.5

PETRom

4.2

35.2

1121.0

PETCap

52.8

47.2

1051.1

38.6

1186.8

PETJen

49.7

50.3

1110.0

1044.1

PETTur

41.8

58.2

955.0

804.7

PETIva

3.5

1176.7

PETASCE

<0.01

<0.01

95.2

15.2

35.7

<0.01

32.3

58.6

1195.6

2.2

1282.1

1.2

844.3
4.1

51.4

35.2

1318.9

9.2

1503.2

96.5
2.1

<0.01

751.6
<0.01

94.9

Tmin

Tmax

PETHar

22.2

30.6

45.3

PETPT

1.1

38.7

59.1

PETHam1

1.2

17.0

31.3

PETHam2

98.4

PETHam3

5.6

37.3

55.4

53.4

34.3

Tdew

RH

Wind speed

DL

1232.8
1209.7

Sperchios River basin - Lamia station

Tmean

2246.0

51.4

1255.3

PET Eq.

PET(mm)

1.1

8.6

<0.01

Tmax

PETHam1

47.3

2.3

Tmin

1195.7

95.1
2.5

Tmean

2336.3

2.2
51.2

PET Eq.

51.3

<0.01

34.2

PET(mm)

PETPT

<0.01 99.9
13.4

Rn

Geropotamos River basin - Tympaki station

Rs

Ra

Rn

PET(mm)

PET Eq.

Tmean

Tmin

Tmax

1086.9

PETHar

21.3

31.0

46.8

2297.1

PETPT

< 0.01

99.3

0.7

50.5

1221.2

PETHam1

0.1

18.4

30.9

1.6

1272.3

PETHam2

99.3

1.7

859.8

PETHam3

5.7

1391.8

PETMcG

97.5

1703.4

PETRom

4.3

1.9
1.1

38.4

55.1

56.4

31.9

Tdew

RH

Wind
speed

DL

Rs

Ra

Rn

0.9

PET(mm)
1185.8

< 0.01

2465.0

50.5

1271.1

0.7

1308.1

0.8

893.5

PETMcG

97.7

PETRom

4.6

PETCap

61.2

38.8

1070.2

PETCap

59.1

40.9

1160.6

PETJen

58.2

41.8

1128.9

PETJen

56.4

43.6

1220.9

PETTur

47.1

52.9

1005.0

PETTur

43.2

56.8

1145.7

PETIva

4.5

851.7

PETIva

4.5

PETASCE

< 0.01

1466.7

PETASCE

< 0.01

2.3
7.7

95.5
2.4

2.6

< 0.01

< 0.01

95

2.5

1874.5

95.5
3.4

1.6

< 0.01

937.2
< 0.01

1262.6

Table 4.03. Sensitivity analysis results (%) - Lamia

66

1510.8

7.4

95

908.6
1361.2

Table 4.04. Sensitivity analysis results (%) - Tympaki

Table 4.05. Sensitivity analysis results (%) - Zaros station

Geropotamos River basin - Zaros station

PET Eq.

Tmean

Tmin

Tmax

PETHar

21.7

30.9

46.6

PETPT

< 0.01

79.6

20.4

PETHam1

1.3

17.8

31.2

PETHam2

99.3

PETHam3

5.5

PETMcG

97.7

PETRom

3.2

PETCap

60.1

39.9

1139.6

PETJen

37.8

Tdew

RH

Wind speed

DL

Rs

Ra

Rn

0.8

1154.1
< 0.01

56.0

30.2

2414.9

49.7

1247.8

0.7

1291.2

0.7

878.8
2.3

58.9

PET(mm)

1480.8

7.7

2075.0

57.3

42.7

1200.7

PETTur

45.1

54.9

1188.9

PETIva

5.2

PETASCE

n.a.

94.8
n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

1037.5
n.a.

n.a.

n.a.
1373.6

In Ardas River basin, the PET equation that describes more satisfactorily the PET
conditions prevailing in the area and is closer to the average results is the PET Ham2 equation.
Noteworthy is the fact that there is a differentiation between 'Orestiada' and 'Metaxades' stations
for the Ardas River basin, as in the 'Metaxades' station the inter-comparison of the PET
equations indicated that the formula that estimates PET with the highest accuracy is the
PETHam1 equation. Regarding the equations that estimated the PET values in the Ardas River
basin with great efficiency, PETJen is the only formula in which the influence of the contributing
variables is almost equal (Tmean and Rs). In all the other equations PETHam1, PETMcG and
PETASCE one of the variables in every equation (In the case of PETHam1, PETMcG the Tmean and in
PETASCE the Rn) is influencing the results almost entirely. Specifically, during PET Jen sensitivity
analysis for the 'Metaxades' station, the results were almost similar for both variables (Tmean =
49.7% and Rs = 50.3%) which indicates that the equation is able to estimate the results very
satisfactorily, while taking into account both variables equally.
During the sensitivity analysis of the PET formulae for the meteorological station of
'Lamia' in the Sperchios River basin, the results indicated that the most suitable PET equations
are PETHam2 and PETHam1. These equations are temperature-based as PETHam2 uses Tmean and
Day Length, while PETHam1 uses Tmin, Tmean, Tmax and Day Length as input data, respectively.
Especially for the PETHam2 equation, the results were almost identical to the average PET
results of all the formulae.
In the Geropotamos River basin, the results from the application of the PET formulae
were very similar to those in the Sperchios River basin. PETHam2 and PETHam1 can estimate PET
67

adequately, although PETJen in 'Tympaki' station which is located near the coastline in a low
altitude, can also be used to estimate PET.
Table 4.06 presents the ranking of the PET formulae, according to the average results.
For better representation and understanding of the ranking, each formula was given a colour.
Since wind speed data weren't available for the 'Zaros' station in the Geropotamos River basin,
PETASCE equation couldn't be applied and it was given a grey colour.
Table 4.06. Ranking of PET formulae according to the average results of each station

Ardas River basin

Sperchios River basin Geropotamos River basin

Orestiada
PET Eq.

Metaxades
PET Eq.

Lamia
PET Eq.

Tympaki
PET Eq.

Zaros
PET Eq.

PETHam2

PETHam1

PETHam2

PETHam2

PETHam2

PETMcG

PETASCE

PETHam1

PETHam1

PETMcG

PETHam1

PETHam2

PETMcG

PETJen

PETHam1

PETJen

PETJen

PETJen

PETMcG

PETJen

PETASCE

PETMcG

PETHar

PETHar

PETTur

PETHar

PETCap

PETCap

PETCap

PETHar

PETCap

PETHar

PETASCE

PETTur

PETCap

PETTur

PETTur

PETTur

PETIva

PETIva

PETRom

PETRom

PETHam3

PETASCE

PETHam3

PETHam3

PETHam3

PETIva

PETHam3

PETRom

PETIva

PETIva

PETRom

PETRom

PETPT

PETPT

PETPT

PETPT

PETPT

PETASCE

Regarding the differentiations that were emerged in every PET formula for each study
area, it is of great interest to mention and analyse first of all the differences at the 'Metaxades'
station during the sensitivity analysis and inter-comparison of PETCap, PETJen and PETTur. All
three mentioned equations are radiation-based equations and during the sensitivity analysis
showed that they are influenced almost equally by air temperature and solar radiation.
Nevertheless, except from PETJen which, according to table 4.06 is very high in the rankings, the
other 2 equations cannot be used to estimate satisfactorily the PET conditions prevailing in the
selected study areas.
PETPT is presented with great heterogeneity in the 3 study areas regarding the sensitivity
analysis and the results of PET present great differentiations compared to the average results. It
constitutes a method that is not suitable for the certain study areas because it greatly
overestimates the results.
68

According to table 4.06, PETHam2 can be used in Sperchios and Geropotamos River
basins. Furthermore, these study areas face the same climatic conditions. Thus, in the ranking
table they do not present great differentiations and sensitivity analysis produced similar results
regarding to which PET method should be used in areas that face Mediterranean conditions. On
the other hand, in the Ardas River basin, the inter-comparison is appeared with differentiations
regarding to which PET formula is the most appropriate to estimate PET. Although the stations
of 'Orestiada' and 'Metaxades' are located very close to each other (distance is approximately
27 km), the different climate conditions that appeared in the certain study area operate as an
inhibitor towards a safe evaluation of the most appropriate PET method. Nonetheless, PET Ham2
can be used for the estimation of potential evapotranspiration in the Ardas River basin.
PETHam2 and PETHam1 equations that according to the results of the current research can
be used for the estimation of PET in all the current study areas are temperature-based
equations. During the estimation of PET using the PET Ham2 method, the results are almost
exclusively affected by Tmean, while applying PETHam1 the results are equally affected by air
temperature (Tmax, Tmin and Tmean, according to the order in which they affect) and Day Length
(DL) as well.
PETIva equation is the only method that apart from air temperature, uses relative
humidity (RH) input data as well. The results indicated that there is a relatively large error
between the estimation of the method results and the mean annual results. Additionally, the
PETIva equation is greatly influenced by relative humidity values (lowest percentage is observed
in 'Zaros' station in the Geropotamos River basin and it is equal to 94.8%, while for the
'Metaxades' station the influence rate of relative humidity in the PETIva equation is 96.5%).
Noteworthy is the fact that although PETASCE is considered the most representative
equation for the estimation of PET and it is widely used in many studies, during its sensitivity
analysis, the equation was found to be influenced very strongly (almost 95%) in every case, by
Rn. On the other hand, Tmean, wind speed and Tdew do not have any significant influence on the
results of the equation (values < 0.01%). Nevertheless, when PETASCE was applied, the results
were very similar to the average values and further indicate that PET ASCE can also be used in
every case for the estimation of PET. Additionally, PET McG according to table 4.06 is ranked as
the 2nd most satisfactorily equation in 'Orestiada' station in Ardas River basin and 'Zaros' station
in Geropotamos River basin.

69

4.2 Integrated analysis of Precipitation

Tables 4.07, 4.08 and 4.09 present the results of the integrated analysis of present and
future precipitation for the selected study areas of the current study. Figures 4.06, 4.07 and 4.08
depict the mapping of the precipitation for the present, as well as for 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
periods under A1B and B1 scenarios, respectively.

Table 4.07. Precipitation analysis results of present and future precipitation conditions in the
study areas

Ardas River basin - Precipitation (mm)

Scenario/Period

A1B

B1

Current

A1B

B1

839.8

2021-2050

499.1

555.3

-40.6%

-33.9%

2071-2100

450.8

468.6

-46.3%

-44.2%

Sperchios River basin - Precipitation (mm)

Scenario/Period

A1B

B1

Current

A1B

B1

792.9

2021-2050

550.5

582.3

-30.6%

-26.6%

2071-2100

475.6

538.5

-40.0%

-32.1%

Geropotamos River basin - Precipitation (mm)

Scenario/Period

A1B

B1

Current

A1B

B1

759.8

2021-2050

418.6

427.2

-44.9%

-43.8%

2071-2100

372.8

391.5

-50.9%

-48.5%

Integrated analysis of precipitation for the Ardas River basin indicated that precipitation
is expected to be reduced for both applied IPCC future scenarios, A1B and B1. The values
mentioned in table 4.07 correspond to the average annual values over the whole domain. In the
1st case for the A1B scenario, precipitation is expected to be reduced by 340.7mm (-40.6%) for
the period 2021-2050 and this reduction will reach the 388.9mm (-46.3%) for the period 20712100. On the other hand, the B1 scenario is more optimistic, although it is also presented with a
reduction, in the 1st period of 2021-2050 by 2021-2050 by 284.5 (-33.9%) and in the 2nd period
of 2071-2100 by 371.2mm (-44.2%).

70

Regarding the integrated analysis of future precipitation responses in the Sperchios

River basin, the results indicated that future precipitation is expected to be reduced as well by
242.4mm (-30.6%) for the period 2021-2050 and by 371.3mm for the period 2071-2100, under
the A1B scenario. Especially for the 2nd examined period of 2071-2100, the results indicated
that the amount of precipitation is expected to be reduced by 40% compared with the reference
periods' data. For the B1 scenario, the results appeared with more moderate values, but also
reduced by 210.6mm or -26.6% (2021-2050), and 254.4mm or -32.1% (2071-2100),
respectively.
Concerning the Geropotamos River basin, the current study area is presented with the
greatest differentiations, compared with the other examined study areas. Namely, the results
present a mutual agreement and conclude that precipitation is expected to be reduced by
341.2mm, which is about 45% of the current precipitation, reduction that will reach almost
387mm, or 50% of the current values, according to A1B scenario which is presented as the
most pessimistic between the examined scenarios.

Table 4.08. Trend analysis results of present and future precipitation conditions in the study
areas

Study area
Scenario
Z value

Ardas
A1B
B1
-2.05
-1.13

Sperchios
A1B
B1
-2.07
-1.06

Geropotamos
A1B
B1
-2.62
-2.29

Respecting the total trend analysis of precipitation using the Mann-Kendall test that is
depicted in table 4.08, Z values for both applied scenarios showed a downward trend (negative
values) with -2.05 for A1B and -1.13 for the B1 scenario, respectively. On the Sperchios River
basin, the Z values will also follow a downward trend, with -2.07 for A1B scenario and -1.06 for
the B1 scenario, while the application of the Mann-Kendall trend test for the Geropotamos River
basin indicated that a strong downward trend of precipitation values with A1B Z value = -2.62,
and B1 Z value = -2.29 will be presented, which constitutes the highest amongst the examined
study areas.

71

Table 4.09. Seasonal analysis results of present and future precipitation conditions in the study
areas

Current

2021-2050

2071-2100

Current

2021-2050

2071-2100

Current

2021-2050

2071-2100

Ardas River basin - Precipitation (mm)

Winter
287.8
Spring
182.8
Summer
150.3
Autumn
218.9
Scenario/Period
A1B
B1
A1B
B1
mm
%
Winter
-40.8%
-41.2%
170.5
169.3
Spring
-34.5%
-27.4%
119.7
132.6
Summer
-27.9%
-27.2%
108.4
109.4
Autumn
-54.1%
-34.2%
100.5
144.0
Winter
-44.8%
-48.6%
158.9
148.0
Spring
-43.2%
-40.0%
103.8
109.7
Summer
-25.7%
-37.1%
111.6
94.6
Autumn
-65.1%
-46.8%
76.5
116.4
Sperchios River basin - Precipitation (mm)
Winter
237.4
Spring
241.2
Summer
68.9
Autumn
245.4
Scenario/Period
A1B
B1
A1B
mm
%
Winter
-18.5%
193.5
207.4
Spring
-39.5%
145.9
151.5
Summer
-31.5%
47.2
48.7
Autumn
-33.2%
163.9
174.7
Winter
-35.2%
153.9
182.5
Spring
-52.8%
113.9
137.8
Summer
-34.3%
45.2
46.2
Autumn
-33.8%
162.5
172.0

B1
-12.6%
-37.2%
-29.3%
-28.8%
-23.1%
-42.9%
-32.9%
-29.9%

Geropotamos River basin - Precipitation (mm)

Winter
254.5
Spring
257.4
Summer
18.8
Autumn
229.0
Scenario/Period
A1B
B1
A1B
B1
mm
%
Winter
-34.9%
-37.5%
165.6
159.0
Spring
-53.2%
-47.1%
120.5
136.2
Summer
-32.1%
-42.8%
12.7
10.7
Autumn
-47.7%
-47.0%
119.8
121.3
Winter
-39.4%
-40.8%
154.2
150.8
Spring
-58.9%
-51.6%
105.9
124.7
Summer
-32.0%
-64.7%
12.8
6.6
Autumn
-56.4%
-52.2%
99.9
109.4

72

During the seasonal analysis of the future response of precipitation for the Ardas River
basin, all seasons are presented with reduction which is very strong for the winter and autumn,
and more mild for spring and summer. Specifically, in both applied scenarios, winter season
precipitation, under the A1B scenario is expected to be reduced by -40.8% during 2021-2050
and it can reach up to -44.8% for the 2071-2100 period. Under the B1 scenario, a reduction of 41.2% for the years 2021-2050 will be followed by a further reduction of -48.6% for the period
2071-2100. Summer season is presented with very small differentiations regarding the future
response of precipitation over Ardas River basin. Specifically, A1B scenario showed a reduction
of -27.9% (2021-2050) and -25.7% (2071-2100), respectively. B1 scenario though, showed
some differentiations during the simulation periods of precipitation that in worst case scenario
(B1: 2071-2100) could reach 55.7mm. A noteworthy fact is that winter is the only season that B1
scenario simulation values for both future periods appeared more decreased than A1B values.
Seasonal analysis of future precipitation in the Sperchios River basin resulted that during
the application of A1B scenario, spring season will face the greatest reduction by -39.5% for the
examined period of 2021-2050, percentage that will reach -52.8% for the examined period of
2071-2100. Additionally, according to B1 scenario, spring season will also face the greatest
reduction during the year, compared with the other seasons. Generally, although the future
precipitation Sperchios River basin will be decreased as occurred by the analysis of the results,
it will face the least reductions, compared with the other study areas.
Respecting the seasonal analysis of precipitation for the Geropotamos River basin, all
seasons are presented with high reduction in precipitation for every scenario and every
examined future period.

73

Figure 4.06. Precipitation analysis of the Ardas River basin, based on the A1B and B1 scenarios
for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
74

Figure 4.07. Precipitation analysis of the Sperchios River basin, based on the A1B and B1
scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
75

Figure 4.08. Precipitation analysis of the Geropotamos River basin, based on the A1B and B1
scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
76

During the spatial interpolation of the present and future precipitation in the Ardas River
basin it is evident that in the worst case scenario (B1: 2071-2100) annual precipitation in some
cases is expected to be less than 400mm in the Ardas valley, and it will not exceed 600mm in
the biggest part of the mountainous areas. Nonetheless, for the 1st examined period of B1
scenario, annual precipitation levels will reach almost 800mm in a considerable part of the
basin.
Spatial interpolation of precipitation in the Sperchios River basin indicated that according
to the worst-case scenario (A1B: 2071-2100), precipitation will be reduced by more than 600mm
and it will not exceed 400mm. Nevertheless, according to B1 scenario for the period 2021-2050,
a sizable part of the Sperchios River basin will still receive up to 800mm in the near future,
amount very crucial for the agriculture production.
For the 1st examined period of 2021-2050 in the Geropotamos River basin, during the
spatial interpolation of precipitation both applied scenarios resulted almost similar values that
range from 0-400mm in the Messara valley and up to 800mm in a very small area located in the
North side near mount Psiloreitis. During the simulation of the 2nd future period for the years
2071-2100, spatial distribution of both scenarios is also presented with similarities but at this
case, precipitation values will be further reduced and will not exceed 600mm.

4.3 Present and future responses of runoff

All the necessary data were given as inputs into the model and several simulations were
run for the reference, 2021-2050, 2071-2100 periods, for A1B & B1 scenarios in every study
area.
Figure 4.09 gives a schematic representation between the observed and the simulated
discharge for the calibrated (reference) period for the study areas, respectively.
Table 4.10 presents the results of the simulations for the study areas as well as the coefficient
of efficiency (EF) values. The major contributors -apart from runoff- of the hydrological cycle i.e.
Actual Evapotranspiration (AET), was resulted as an output through the model simulation, while
mean annual precipitation (PREC) values for the same reference as well as future periods were
given as inputs from the results of the integrated precipitation analysis. In order to depict the
complete concept of the procedures that are taking place in the hydrological cycle, table 4.10
was enriched with information regarding the water that it is stored in the soil (SW) as well as S
which represents the change in storage which means a change in the water volume in any
number of 'buckets' in ArcSWAT namely: shallow aquifer, deep aquifer, soil moisture, and
impoundments when exist (reservoirs, ponds, wetlands, and potholes). The volume in these
'buckets' can go up or down depending on input versus output, which changes over the model
runs. Moreover, regarding the S as it was resulted as an output from the model, it is referred in
77

the amount of water (mm) that occurred by the interactions amongst the 'buckets' by the end of
a specific analysis period.
Figure 4.10 and table 4.11 depict the trends analysis results for the years 2000-2100
divided in 10-year intervals that also display max and min values for better representation and
understanding of the results. Table 4.12 presents the average irrigation water withdrawals and
the agricultural water withdrawals versus total water withdrawals for Greece during 1988-2012
as well as the forecasted outputs from the ARIMA model for the periods 2021-2050 and 20712100.

Figure 4.09. Observed and simulated discharge (m /s) for examined reference periods in

the study areas

78

Table 4.10. ArcSWAT simulation results (the brackets depict the difference between the reference period's and the future periods' values in
terms of percentage)
SW (mm)

S (mm)

(mm)

(mm)

(mm)

(mm)

223.5

839.8

420.1

166.8

29.5

48.0

162.6 (-6.4%)

499.1 (-40.6%)

190.3 (-54.7%)

122.8 (-26.4%)

-23.1

50.4

175.7 (-1.8%)

555.3 (-33.9%)

193.6 (-53.9%)

130.2 (-21.9%)

12.0

A1B

40.3

120.4 (-21.5%)

450.8 (-46.3%)

194.5 (-53.7%)

110.7 (-33.6%)

-29.8

B1

42.6

133.0 (-16.9%)

468.6 (-44.2%)

197.5(-53.0%)

106.9 (-35.9%)

-21.4

AET (mm)

SW (mm)

S (mm)

Reference period
A1B
2021-2050
B1
2071-2100

Ardas River basin

Discharge Q (Simulated)
PREC

AET (mm)

Discharge Q (Observed)
3

(m /s)

(m /s)

(mm)

54.7

51.3

EF = 0.93
Discharge Q (Observed)
3

(m /s)

(m /s)

(mm)

(mm)

(mm)

(mm)

(mm)

15.5

17.6

250.1

792.9

424.5

127.4

-9.1

14.3

203.2 (-18.6%)

550.5 (-30.6%)

251.5 (-40.8%)

91.3 (-28.3%)

4.5

15.0

213.1 (-14.7%)

582.3 (-26.6%)

260.1 (-38.7%)

102.5 (-19.5%)

6.6

A1B

12.0

170.5 (-32.0%)

475.6 (-40.0%)

250.7 (-40.9%)

74.2 (-41.8%)

-19.8

B1

13.8

196.1 (-21.4%)

538.5 (-32.1%)

268.9 (-36.7%)

90.7 (-28.8%)

-17.2

Reference period
A1B
2021-2050
B1
2071-2100

Sperchios River basin

Discharge Q (Simulated)
PREC

EF = 0.91
AET (mm)

SW (mm)

S (mm)

(m /s)

(m /s)

(mm)

(mm)

(mm)

(mm)

(mm)

10.6

12.9

176.7

759.8

421.6

136.6

24.9

12.0

164.3 (-7.1%)

418.6 (-44.9%)

191.0 (-54.7%)

77.9 (-43.0%)

-14.6

11.2

153.4 (-11.2%)

427.2 (-43.8%)

190.8 (-54.8%)

84.5 (-38.1%)

-1.5

A1B

10.6

145.2 (-18.3%)

372.8(-50.9%)

196.5 (-53.4%)

67.5 (-50.6%)

-36.4

B1

11.0

150.7 (-14.5%)

391.5 (-48.5%)

195.5 (-53.6%)

69.8 (-48.9%)

-24.5

Discharge Q (Observed)
Reference period
A1B
2021-2050
B1
2071-2100

Geropotamos River basin

Discharge Q (Simulated)
PREC

EF = 0.64
Note: PREC=Precipitation (mm); AET=Actual Evapotranspiration (mm); SW=Amount of water stored in soil profile in watershed (mm); S=change in storage (mm)

79

During the calibration process of the model, special emphasis was given on the
successful representation of the annual discharge. The main initial objective of the calibration
procedure was the reproduction of realistic and acceptable values of the observed
streamflow data series. As a first remark, the EF coefficient shows great effectiveness for the
examined study areas and especially for the Ardas and the Sperchios River basins. These
values were very close to the optimal value of 1.0, and imply that the model was able to
simulate the streamflow almost with the same efficiency as the observed values. Figure 4.09
depicts the observed and the simulated streamflow (m3/s) for the study areas. ArcSWAT was
able to simulate with great efficiency (EF = 0.93) the streamflow procedure in the Ardas River
basin, while in the Sperchios River basin EF was equal to 0.91, and 0.64 in the Geropotamos
River basin, respectively.
Regarding the streamflow, for the simulated period of 2021-2050, it is expected to be
reduced in every study area for both applied scenarios. The greatest reduction will be
observed in the Sperchios River basin, followed by the Geropotamos and the Ardas River
basins, accordingly. For the period of 2071-2100, streamflow is expected to further decrease,
and in the Sperchios River basin this reduction will reach up to -32% of the initial simulated
values for the A1B scenario. During the 2nd calibration period of 2071-2100, the Ardas River
basin is appeared also with critical reductions that will reach up to -21.5%, while in the
Geropotamos River basin the streamflow will be reduced by more than -18%.
Regarding the Actual Evapotranspiration that was also exported from the simulations
of the model, for the first period of 2021-2050, it is expected to decrease in all the study
areas compared with the reference period analysis. Nevertheless, during the years 20712100, the AET is expected to increase for both scenarios.

80

Figure 4.10. Schematic representation of trend analysis results regarding the variation of
runoff in the upcoming years in the study areas

Table 4.11. Trend analysis results of present and future runoff conditions in the study areas

Study area
Scenario
Z value

Ardas
A1B
B1
-1.68 -1.61

Sperchios
A1B
B1
-1.15 -0.98

Geropotamos
A1B
B1
-0.65 -0.61

Trend analysis indicated that the Ardas River basin will face the strongest downward
trend, followed by the Sperchios and the Geropotamos River basins, respectively. Moreover,
the Ardas River basin is appeared with the greatest variations which are very abrupt in many
cases for both scenarios, while the variations in the Geropotamos and the Sperchios River
basins will be smoother in the upcoming years, as it was depicted in Figure 4.10.

81

Table 4.12. Average irrigation water withdrawal in Greece and agricultural water withdrawal
versus total water withdrawal

Irrigation water withdrawal

Agricultural water withdrawal

(109 m3/year)

Vs total water withdrawal (%)

1988-2012

8.0

90.1

2021-2050

8.8

73.9

2071-2100

10.0

50.1

In order to further understand how these variations of the aspects of the hydrological
cycle and specifically streamflow will impact the following years the sustainable development
of the environment as well as the society, data regarding the irrigated water withdrawal were
collected by FAO for the period of 1988-2012, and using the ARIMA (p, d, q) model were
forecasted up to 2100. Initially, the RMSE was estimated for the irrigation water withdrawal
(RMSEiww) and the agricultural water withdrawal (RMSEaww). The RMSEiww = 0.68, while the
RMSEaww = 13.05, which indicates that for the years that the validation was performed, the
model was able to perform a satisfactory prediction regarding the comparison of observed
and simulated values.
To better understand the future variations of the aspects of the hydrological cycle,
table 4.13 was created, based on the percentage changes of table 4.10, presenting the study
areas, the variables of the hydrological cycle and their classification, regarding the severity of
the future climate change that will prevail amongst these study areas. The numbers
represent the classification having 1 as the most severe, 2 as moderate severe, and 3 as the
least severe regarding to future climate change.

Table 4.13. Classification of the study areas regarding the severity of future climate change

Study area

Discharge

PREC

AET

SW

Total

Ardas (North)

Sperchios (Central)

Geropotamos (South)

Note: 1: most severe; 2: moderate severe; 3: least severe

From the results of table 4.13 it is evident that areas located in lower altitudes will be
more vulnerable to future climate change regarding the variations of streamflow in
comparison with the other aspects of the hydrological cycle than areas located in higher
altitudes.
82

4.4 Integrated analysis of Growing Degree Days

Table 4.14 depicts the validation results between the reference and the future periods'
data. Tables 4.15 and 4.16 present the results of the integrated analysis of present and
future GDD. The results were performed for an annual scale, as well as for three different
periods within the year starting from April, since the goal of the current study was to imprint
the GDD for the warm season in Greece. Figures 4.11, 4.12 and 4.13 depict the mapping of
GDD for the present, 2021-2050 and 2071-2100 periods for the months from April to October
under A1B and B1 scenarios, respectively.

Table 4.14. Reference (observed) and future (RCMs) simulations periods' data validation

Tmax
EF

Ardas

Sperchios

Geropotamos

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

0.86

0.81

0.80

0.85

0.90

0.91

std - (reference period) (mm)

0.7

0.3

0.4

std (2001-2100) (mm)

0.8

0.3

0.6

0.4

0.3

0.5

Difference (mm)

0.1

-0.4

0.3

0.1

-0.1

0.1

Tmin
EF

Ardas

Sperchios

Geropotamos

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

0.85

0.79

0.70

0.76

0.83

0.88

std - (reference period) (mm)

0.7

0.2

0.4

std (2001-2100) (mm)

0.6

0.2

0.4

0.4

0.2

0.3

Difference (mm)

-0.1

-0.5

0.2

0.2

-0.2

-0.1

Note: std is the standard deviation

As a first remark, the coefficient of Efficiency shows great efficient for all the study
areas as the values were very close to the optimal value of 1.0 and imply also in this certain
case that the RCMs output simulation values that were adopted and used in the current
study for maximum and minimum air temperature can describe with great efficiency the
observed values. This is also validated by the standard deviation values which they do not
present significant variations.

83

Table 4.15. Accumulated mean yearly GDD (oC) for reference, 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
periods
2021-2050

GDD

Study area

2071-2100

Current

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

Ardas River basin

1322.4

2022.7

2088.4

2241.0

2120.6

Sperchios River basin

1816.2

2506.6

2430.8

3043.2

2782.7

Geropotamos River basin

2763.8

2949.0

2915.9

3436.1

3225.0

Table 4.16. Accumulated mean GDD (oC) for reference (April-October), 2021-2050 and
2071-2100 periods

Study area

GDD Current
(Apr-Oct)

2021-2050
Apr-Sep

Apr-Oct

Apr-Nov

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

Ardas River basin

1102.6

1775.5

1648.8

1934.4

1817.9

1991.3

1865.7

Sperchios River basin

1783.4

2061.5

2012.0

2248.3

2205.1

2335.3

2287.7

Geropotamos River basin

2496.6

2146.9

2139.9

2268.9

2260.4

2487.7

2478.7

Study area

GDD Current
(Apr-Oct)

2071-2100
Apr-Sep

Apr-Oct

Apr-Nov

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

Ardas River basin

1102.6

1870.9

1670.3

2041.3

1996.7

2127.6

2062.7

Sperchios River basin

1783.4

2179.9

2196.7

2693.8

2490.2

2798.2

2583.3

Geropotamos River basin

2496.6

2230.5

2226.3

2703.0

2576.4

2856.8

2708.0

The analysis of the GDD in the study areas indicated that the growing degree units
are expected to increase for both applied scenarios in every study area. Specifically, in the
Ardas River basin according to table 4.15 the mean annual GDD will greatly increase in both
examined periods and scenarios and will reach more than 2000 units. Additionally, for the
examined sub-periods during the year a comparison between the GDD requirements for the
main cultivations and the results showed that the future conditions will be more agreeable in
the upcoming years.
Regarding the Sperchios River basin, the Growing Degree Days units are expected to
increase critically and they will reach up to 3000 units according to A1B scenario for the
2071-2100 period. During the sub-period analysis and specifically for the April-October
period which constitutes the main period for agriculture activities in Greece, the GDD will
exceed the 2200 units by 2021-2050, and will reach up to 2500-2600 units by the end of the
84

century. This implies that with the exception of the Pistachio cultivation that requires 20002600 units, all the rest cultivations can find highly favourable conditions.
Concerning the Geropotamos River basin, the present and the future analysis of GDD
is presented with differentiations. Specifically, in the 1st examined period of 2021-2050 the
GDD are expected to be reduced. Nevertheless, this is observed only during the sub-periods'
analysis and not during the mean-inter-annual analysis. The reduction of the Growing
Degree Days units in the Geropotamos River basin does not necessarily mean that that the
existing cultivations will face problems in the future but in addition to the other study areas,
the main cultivations in the Geropotamos River basin will not have the opportunity until the
mid-century for further expansion and their extent will stay in the present levels. From this
point and forward, the analysis illustrated that for the 2071-2100 period, the sub-period of
April-October will present significant differentiations with very high GDD that will reach more
than 2700 units, under the A1B scenario. The other examined sub-periods will not display
great differentiations, although their GDD will increase.

85

Figure 4.11. Growing Degree Days analysis of the Ardas River basin, based on the A1B and
B1 scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
86

Figure 4.12. Growing Degree Days analysis of the Sperchios River basin, based on the A1B
and B1 scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
87

Figure 4.13. Growing Degree Days analysis of the Geropotamos River basin, based on the
A1B and B1 scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
88

The results of the spatial distribution of the GDD in the Ardas River basin indicated
that in the upcoming years, the Ardas valley were the all agriculture productivity takes place
will be a suitable place all the existing cultivations in the study area. Additionally, the
favourable conditions will be expanded also in the highlands of the basin, with an exception
on the northern part, were the Rhodope Mount is located and the climate classification
becomes humid continental (Dfb).
Concerning the spatial analysis for the Sperchios River basin, a prolonged part of the basin
in the south side which according to the reference period's analysis is facing very low GDD
values, will continue facing not favourable conditions for any cultivations. Nevertheless,
almost the entire Sperchios valley is expected to reach more than 2500 units in the future,
which constitutes the conditions on the certain study area very favourable for the existing
cultivations.
The future distribution of the GDD in the Geropotamos River basin will initially face
some minor reductions and in the 'Messara' valley where the main agricultural production
takes place, the conditions by the period of 2021-2050 will not be very favourable for all the
existing cultivations. Nevertheless, by the end of the century, the GDD are expected to
increase and the biggest part of the valley will be dominated by more than 2500 GDD units,
and thus favourable conditions for all the existing cultivations.

4.5 Integrated analysis of Aridity

Table 4.17 depicts the average results for the total Aridity Index (AI) estimation,
seasonal analysis and trend for the examined study areas. Subsequently, figures 4.14, 4.15
and 4.16 depict the spatial interpolation of the aridity index analysis (total analysis, seasonal
analysis and trend) for the selected study areas.

Table 4.17. Aridity index analysis results for the selected Greek areas

Study area

AI Analysis

Winter Spring Summer Autumn

Trend (Z values)

Ardas

0.94

1.31

0.68

0.25

1.05

-0.97

Sperchios

0.93

1.80

0.65

0.24

2.11

0.04

Geropotamos

1.09

1.72

0.41

0.14

1.61

-0.64

Note: mean values

As shown in table 4.17, the total Aridity Index analysis indicated that all the examined
study areas face humid conditions during the year. The complex topography with the
89

presence of prolonged mountainous areas with high and moderate altitudes validates the
results. Total Aridity Index analysis for the Geropotamos River basin resulted an AI = 1.09,
which is the highest among the examined areas, although it is located in the southern part of
the three study areas and constitutes a part of Crete Island which, through the examined
literature above is an Island that faces drought conditions. Seasonal Aridity Index analysis
indicated that winter is the most humid season, followed by autumn, spring and summer,
respectively. The winter and autumn seasons face humid conditions, while spring faces
semi-arid conditions. Summer season faces arid conditions with an AI = 0.14. The total
analysis of the AI also indicated that the trend results follow a downward trend.
Concerning the Ardas River basin, the total analysis of the Aridity Index indicated that
the conditions are humid with an AI = 0.94. Seasonal analysis indicated that winter and
autumn seasons face humid conditions, spring sub-humid and summer semi-arid conditions.
At this case, the trend analysis showed a downward trend (Z value = -0.96), which is
considered very significant as, according to the analysis, the aridity conditions tend to
increase.
Respecting the Sperchios River basin, the total Aridity Index is on the same level as
the Ardas River basin, with AI = 0.93. Implementing the Mann-Kendal test, a Z value of 0.04
was estimated, which shows a minor upward trend of the aridity conditions prevailing in the
Sperchios River basin.

90

Figure 4.14. Aridity Index analysis maps for Ardas River basin a)Total Analysis b) Spring c)
Summer d) Autumn e) Winter
91

Figure 4.15. Aridity Index analysis maps for Sperchios River basin a)Total Analysis b) Spring
c) Summer d) Autumn e) Winter
92

Figure 4.16. Aridity Index analysis maps for Geropotamos River basin a)Total Analysis b)
Spring c) Summer d) Autumn e) Winter
93

Figure 4.14 depicts the aridity conditions analysis for the Ardas River basin. The
analysis indicated that during the spatial interpolation of the AI, the mountainous areas
present humid conditions, while the areas with moderate altitude display drier conditions
during the year. These areas are located mainly in the Greek part of the study area, where all
the agriculture activity takes place.
Respecting the Sperchios River basin, the results of the AI analysis indicated that the
aridity conditions prevailing in the study area range from very humid in the upper areas of the
basin, to arid near the coastline. In the areas where the main part of Sperchios valley lies,
the conditions are semi-arid. Seasonal AI mapping showed that during the spring and
summer seasons the biggest part of the Sperchios valley faces semi-arid and arid conditions.
In the Geropotamos River basin, the largest part of the basin including the 'Messara'
valley where all the agricultural activity takes place faces humid conditions. Some minor
differentiations appear in the mouth of the Geropotamos River near the coastline where subhumid or dry sub-humid conditions exist during the year. On the other hand, a prolonged part
in the northern side of the basin where 'Psiloritis' Mount is located, presents very humid
conditions.
4.6 Integrated analysis of Drought

Table 4.18 presents the validation between the reference and the future periods'
precipitation data. Table 4.19 depicts the average results of the present and future analysis
regarding the drought conditions, while table 4.20 shows the trend analysis results prevailing
in each study area. Figures 4.17, 4.18 and 4.19 depict the mapping of SPI values according
to the reference periods' data analysis, as well as for the periods 2021-2050 and 2071-2100,
under the A1B and B1 scenarios, respectively. The depicting of the future results of the
drought analysis was performed by using the mean average values of all the ENSEMBLES
RCMs (ensemble mean). The mapping of the reference period was conducted by using the
actual observations that were collected from the meteorological stations of the study areas,
by following the same downscaling technique. Since in the current areas agriculture is the
main economic activity and thus irrigation constitutes a considerable factor and depends
greatly on annual reservoirs stage, the 12-month SPI was selected to be used, in order to
represent and map the results.

94

Table 4.18. Reference (observed) and future (RCMs simulations) periods' data validation

Ardas

EF

Sperchios

Geropotamos

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

0.73

0.82

0.78

0.86

0.85

0.88

std - (reference period) (mm)

71.8

81.6

70.5

std (2001-2100) (mm)

82.7

84.1

93.4

92.0

64.6

74.6

Difference (mm)

-10.9

-12.3

-11.8

-10.4

5.9

4.1

Note: std is the Standard Deviation

A first remark as reported by table 4.18 is that the Coefficient of Efficiency shows
great effectiveness for the study areas and especially for the Geropotamos and Sperchios
River basins. These values were very close to the optimal value of 1.0 and suggest that the
RCMs simulated future precipitation values that were used in the current study were almost
as efficient as the observed values. Regarding the examination of the standard deviations,
the results indicate that the reference and the future periods' data do not present significant
variations between each other.

Table 4.19. Drought analysis results occurred by the average means of the examined RCMs

Ardas River basin

Scenario/Period

A1B

Sperchios River basin

B1

Scenario/Period

A1B

Geropotamos River basin

B1

Scenario/Period

A1B

B1

Current

1.14

Current

0.59

Current

0.95

2021-2050

0.52 0.57

2021-2050

-0.12 -0.14

2021-2050

0.26 0.30

2071-2100

0.32 0.47

2071-2100

-0.79 -0.62

2071-2100

0.19 0.20

According to table 4.19, the first fact that can be derived from the 12-month SPI
drought analysis is that the drought conditions in all the examined study areas will be more
intense in the upcoming years. Namely, in the Ardas River basin, the reference periods' data
analysis showed that the area faces 'Moderately Wet' conditions which in the future years will
still keep presenting a positive balance. Specifically, during the first examined period of 20212050, the 12-month SPI values will be 0.52 for the A1B and 0.57 for the B1 scenario,
respectively. Additionally, for both A1B and B1 scenarios, the Ardas River basin will face the
least reductions, in terms of SPI values. Regarding the 2nd examined period of 2071-2100,
the 12-month SPI values will keep reducing but the balance will have positive values which
are categorized according to the classification scale for the SPI values in table 3.08 as 'Near
normal'. B1 scenario shows smaller differentiations from the reference periods' data, while
95

A1B 12-month SPI values especially during the 2nd future period analysis will face harsher
reduction.
Respecting the Sperchios River basin, the reference periods' data analysis produced
a positive 12-month SPI value which can be categorized as 'Near normal'. Nevertheless, the
future assessment of drought conditions showed that the Sperchios River basin will face the
most intense reduction. Starting from the 1st simulated period, the 12-month SPI values will
present a negative balance, but still in 'Near normal' conditions, for both simulated scenarios.
Noteworthy is the fact that it is the only case (Sperchios River basin: 2021-2050 SPI drought
analysis), where B1 scenario is presented with lower values than A1B scenario. For the 2nd
simulated period of 2071-2100, SPI values will continue to decline with the same rate as will
happen between the reference periods' data and the 1st simulated period of 2021-2050. In
this latter case, B1 scenario reduction will be moderated, compared to A1B scenario which
will continue to decrease and it will reach -0.79 in SPI values. This value, although it belongs
to the 'Near normal' categorization class, it approaches the limits of the 'Moderately Dry'
class. Additionally, for every simulated period and scenario in the Sperchios River basin, the
12-month SPI values will present a negative balance, in terms of drought conditions.
Concerning the study area of Geropotamos River basin the 12-month SPI analysis
using the reference periods' data produced a value of 0.95 (SPI units). This value belongs to
the 'Near normal' class, very close to the limits with 'Moderately Wet' class. Nonetheless,
although in both future periods and scenarios the 12-months analysis SPI values are
reducing, they still remain in positive values. Regarding the future scenarios of 12-month
SPI, a considerable reduction is observed by the 1st examined period, followed by a further but not so acute- reduction during the 2nd simulation period of 2071-2100.

Table 4.20. Trend analysis results of present and future drought conditions in the study areas

Study area

Ardas

Sperchios

Geropotamos

Scenario

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

A1B

B1

Z value

-0.42

-0.28

-0.54

-0.50

-0.39

-0.33

Mann-Kendall trend analysis for the Ardas River basin for the period 1985-2100
indicated that A1B is following a stronger downward trend than B1 and this is clearly affected
by the results of the 12-month SPI for the 2071-2100 period, where the decline of 12-month
SPI values for A1B will be more vigorous than B1 by the end of the century.
According to the trend analysis that was conducted for the Sperchios River basin
regarding the drought conditions, it will face the strongest downward trend amongst the study
areas. A1B values will have a negative trend of -0.54, while B1 values will face a negative
96

trend of -0.50. Nevertheless, their negative trend will not be very strong but rather moderate,
with the A1B scenario values to be slightly more intense, compared to the B1 values.
Mann-Kendall trend analysis for the Geropotamos River basin showed a downward
trend. Nevertheless, and in contrast with the Sperchios River basin that faces similar climate
conditions in the biggest part of the basin and was presented with the highest downward
trends in both applied scenarios, in this certain case the trends analysis results were more
temperate than the other study areas. A1B scenario is appeared with the lowest downward
trend among the study areas with -0.39, while during the application of the B1 scenario trend
analysis, the values were -0.33 which is very close to the values presented for the Ardas
River basin that faces continental climate conditions.
Subsequently, figures 4.17, 4.18 and 4.19 depict the spatial interpolation of the 12month SPI drought analysis for the selected study areas. For better understanding, the class
'Near normal' that is mentioned in table 3.08, during the spatial interpolation and the creation
of the maps was divided into 2 classes. Values ranging from -0.99 to 0 were given the name
'Dry-Near normal' and values ranging from 0 to 0.99 were categorized as 'Wet-Near normal'.

97

Figure 4.17. Drought analysis of the Ardas River basin, based on the A1B and B1 scenarios
for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
98

Figure 4.18. Drought analysis of the Sperchios River basin, based on the A1B and B1
scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
99

Figure 4.19. Drought analysis of the Geropotamos River basin, based on the A1B and B1
scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
100

According to the reference periods' analysis, the SPI values in the Ardas River basin
range from 'Dry-Near normal' to 'Extremely Wet'. During the mapping of the 2021-2050
period, almost the entire Ardas River basin will face 'Wet-Near normal' conditions. Regarding
the 2nd future period of 2071-2100, the differentiations will be minor, and the spatial
distribution of the 12-month SPI values will stay almost in the same levels. Nevertheless,
future drought conditions in the Ardas valley will not face drought problems in the upcoming
years.
During the analysis for the years 2021-2050, the values will be concentrated into 2
categories and the mountainous areas will face 'Wet-Near normal' conditions, while in the
lowlands 'Dry-Near normal' conditions will prevail. On the other hand, by the end of the
century (period 2071-2100), drought conditions will be intense and the basin will face 'DryNear normal' to 'Severely Dry' conditions, for both examined scenarios. Differentiations also
appeared during the spatial interpolation of the SPI values between the North and South part
of the basin.
Drought analysis values range from 'Dry-Near Wet' to 'Severely Wet'. By the 1st period
of 2021-2050 the extension of 'Dry-Near normal' conditions will remain the same for both
scenarios, while the 'Severely Wet' conditions that prevail in the mountainous areas will
considerably decrease. During the 2nd period of 2071-2100, the largest part of the basin will
face 'Dry-Near normal' conditions. Some, minor differentiations will appear in the
mountainous areas where a prolonged part of the basin will face 'Wet-Near normal'
conditions.

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Chapter 5
Discussion
5.1 Selection of the appropriate PET formula

In general, the formulae that can be adopted for the estimation of PET in the Ardas
River basin are PETHam2 and PETHam1, while for the Sperchios and Geropotamos River basin
the most appropriate method for the estimation of PET is PET Ham2. Furthermore, through the
analysis and the results of the current study, air temperature and solar radiation are the most
important factors that affect the results of PET. On the other hand, the effect of wind speed in
all the study areas was negligible. According to Allen et al. (1998), the drier the atmosphere,
the larger the effect on ET. Additionally, for humid conditions, the wind can only replace
saturated air with slightly less saturated air and remove heat energy. Consequently, the wind
speed affects the evapotranspiration rate to a far lesser extent than under arid conditions
where small variations in wind speed may result in larger variations in the evapotranspiration
rate.
At this point, an important fact that should be mentioned is that since there weren't
any measured PET data from the study areas in order to perform the comparison concerning
which formula estimates better and is closer to the 'real' data, each PET formula was
validated against the average PET for each station examined, and that constitutes a
limitation regarding the methodology that was performed in the current study.
Several studies as well as software (Kostinakis et al. 2010; Xystrakis and Kostinakis
2011; Xystrakis and Matzarakis 2011; Gebhart et al. 2012) have assessed the sensitivity of
the parameters that contribute to the estimation of potential evapotranspiration. The studies
highlighted the relative importance of each variable. Saxton (1975) tested the sensitivity of
the reference evapotranspiration of the standardized FAO56 Penman-Monteith model during
the growing season in northwest China and concluded that shortwave radiation was the most
sensitive variable, followed by air temperature. Coleman and DeCoursey (1976) tested the
sensitivity of six evaporation and evapotranspiration models and they concluded that the
most important parameter at the annual scale is relative humidity (RH), while during summer
both temperature and solar radiation are the most important variables. Additionally, wind
speed had very small importance at the annual scale.
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Similar findings were presented by Babajimopoulos et al. (1992), who tested the
sensitivity of Penman method and also concluded that temperature and solar radiation are
the most important variables during the summer period, whereas the most important
parameter in the winter is relative humidity. Eitzinger et al. (2002) analysed the sensitivity of
several evapotranspiration methods in different crop-weather models in Austria and
concluded that there are many differences between the results, relative sensitivities in the
used methods and crucial parameters for their parameterisation. Gong et al. (2006)
performed a sensitivity analysis of the Penman-Monteith reference evapotranspiration
method in the Changjiang (Yangtze River) basin in China and the results showed that the
response of ETref can be precisely predicted under perturbation of relative humidity or
shortwave radiation by their sensitivity coefficients. Irmak et al. (2006) performed a sensitivity
analysis of the Penman-Monteith method for several regions that are characterized by
different climate types, in the U.S. Results indicated that the vapour pressure deficit (VPD)
was in general the most sensitive parameter to all locations, although it showed significant
variation between the location as well as the period of the year. Additionally, Rs was the
dominant force of the equation at humid locations during the summer months. On the other
hand, wind speed was very sensitive in semi-arid locations. Estevez et al. (2009) tested the
sensitivity of a Penman-Monteith type equation to estimate the reference evapotranspiration
in southern Spain. The results showed a large degree of daily and seasonal variability,
especially for temperature and relative humidity. Borgmann (2011) tested the sensitivity of 18
different potential evapotranspiration models for six climate stations in Germany and resulted
that all investigated PET models were sensitive to significant trends in climate data and
therefore they should be validated in a regional context before they are applied to a certain
region. Regarding the Greek region, the study performed by Ampas and Baltas (2012) for the
wider region of Florina which is located in northern Greece, indicated that the influence of the
variables on evapotranspiration is not the same for each period, and also the order that the
variables influence evapotranspiration is changing. Finally, Paparrizos et al. (2015)
performed a sensitivity analysis of various potential evapotranspiration formulae for Crete
Island in South Greece and they concluded that some formulae can produce more accurate
results than others. Specifically, the PET equation after Jensen-Haise that is based on mean
air temperature and solar radiation and the 1st version of Hamon equation that uses
minimum, maximum and mean air temperature as well as Day Length input data proved to
estimate with great efficiency PET in an area characterised purely by Mediterranean climate
conditions.
In relation to these similar studies a common point was that for each type of climate a
specific PET empirical method is needed for the estimation of potential evapotranspiration.
Furthermore, the results of PET are affected by different parameters amongst various
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climates as well as seasons; and although the Mediterranean climates are mostly affected by
the temperature and radiation based equations, while in temperate climates the 'water'
element is introduced and relative humidity (RH) or vapour pressure deficit (VPD) may affect
the results, further research is needed before reaching to this conclusion.
5.2 Assessment of precipitation responses

From the integrated analysis it is evident that all the study areas are presented with
future decrease in precipitation values. The lowest reduction is observed in the Sperchios
River basin, followed by Ardas and Geropotamos River basins, respectively. The similar
researches that were quoted in the current study showed a general annual reduction of the
precipitation amount that varies from 10-30%, while in the current study results are
apparently higher and range between 25-50% for the different areas, scenarios and
chronological periods.
Many differentiations occurred between the results of the application of A1B and B1
scenarios for Ardas and Sperchios River basins. On the other hand, for the Geropotamos
River basin, both scenarios resulted similar values, regarding the future precipitation
response. Seasonal analysis showed that in Sperchios and Geropotamos River basins that
they are characterized mainly by Mediterranean climate, spring precipitation values will be
most affected in every future simulated period and scenario, while in the Ardas River basin
which is characterized by a variety of climatic conditions, mainly influenced by the continental
conditions, autumn and winter precipitation values will be the most affected. Trend analysis is
presented similar for Ardas and Sperchios River basins while the downward trend is more
intense for the Geropotamos River basin.
Respecting the seasonal analysis, in every case, spring and autumn seasons
precipitation are expected to face the greatest reduction, which is very critical for the
agricultural field. Especially for the spring precipitation which is the main contributor to the
agriculture productivity, a future reduction will create water shortage problems. For this
reason, sustainable measures need to be adopted, towards the effective confrontation of
water deficiencies.
Concerning the changes between the seasonal precipitation over the study areas, the
connection between the seasonal variation of future precipitation changes and the seasonal
variation of the large scale atmospheric factors being responsible for precipitation needs to
be mentioned. In the eastern Mediterranean, the large scale atmospheric mechanisms
associated with precipitation formation are not the same between the cold and the warm
period of the year. The cold period precipitation is caused mainly by the action of frontal
depressions, while in the warm period because of the high static instability associated with
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the presence of cold upper air masses. This is validated by Feidas et al. (2007), during
positive values of the North Atlantic Oscillation Index (NAOI) in winter, Greece becomes
significantly cooler and drier as northerly airflow brings cold and dry continental air into the
Mediterranean sea. On the other hand, during summer, the centres of action of the NAO shift
to the north and the related Azores high extends into central Europe and the Mediterranean
basin. Additionally, North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) plays an important role in the
precipitation regime in Greece and the downward trend in precipitation variability is linked
principally to a rising trend in the hemispheric circulation models of the NAO.
Spatial interpolation of future precipitation is affected by the multivarious background
and the topography of the study areas, and shows a great overall reduction. Specifically, for
the Ardas River basin, by the end of the century, precipitation levels in the lowlands where
the agricultural production takes place will not exceed 400mm. In the Sperchios River basin
and specifically in the western part of the basin where the Sperchios River springs are
located, precipitation levels are expected to be decreased but these changes will not be so
intense compared with the other parts of the basin where precipitation levels will face a much
greater reduction. On the other hand, in the south part of the basin and especially around
Mount 'Oiti' where the highest point of the current study area is located with an altitude of
2152m, according to the analysis, the precipitation in the worst-case scenario (A1B: 20712100) will be reduced by more than 600mm and it will not exceed 400mm. In every case,
precipitation values in the Sperchios valley where the main agricultural production takes
place, according to the reference period values analysis are already presented low (0400mm), and according to the future scenarios, these values are expected to be more
decreased. Nevertheless, according to B1 scenario for the period 2021-2050, a sizable part
of the Sperchios valley will still receive up to 800mm in the near future, amount very crucial
for the agriculture production.
Regarding the spatial interpolation of precipitation for the Geropotamos River basin,
the future analysis of precipitation is presented with major differentiations in comparison with
the current situation in the highlands, and minor differentiations in the lowlands. Particularly,
during the analysis and mapping of precipitation using the existing data, the range of the
values varies and up to 600mm fall in the central part of the basin where 'Messara' valley
exists while more than 1200mm fall in the mountainous part of the basin where Mount
'Psiloreitis' is located.

On the other hand, during the application of the IPCC emission

scenarios for the future years, the precipitation will be dramatically decreased.
Many recent studies have also contributed to the assessment of present and future
precipitation variability over Greece and generally over the Mediterranean region (Repapis
1986; Metaxas et al. 1999; Brunetti et al. 2004; Goubanova and Li 2007; Nastos and Zerefos
2007; 2008; 2009; Nastos et al. 2013a; 2013b; Gocic and Trajkovic 2013; Hertig and
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Jacobeit 2008; 2014). According to the results of these previous studies, the Mediterranean
region has tended towards the decrease of the winter precipitation during the last few
decades, mostly starting in the 1970s and proceeding to an accumulation of dry years in the
1980s and 1990s (Schnwiese et al. 1994; Piervitali et al. 1997). Especially over the eastern
Mediterranean where Greece is located, decreasing precipitation is also evident in large
parts of the sea (Feidas et al. 2007). Schnwiese et al. (1994) reported a pronounced
significant trend towards a drier winter climate over the eastern Mediterranean area, for the
period of 1961-1990. A general drying is also discernible over most of the south-eastern part
of Mediterranean and Greece, which is prominent and statistically significant during the
second half of the 20th century (Feidas et al. 2007).
As indicated from the results, water planning and management must follow very
careful steps. This matter, in combination with the reduced water availability in the certain
study areas due to irrigation purposes can result serious water scarcity problems for the local
population as well as the agriculture productivity in the future. In order to avoid future drought
phenomena due to decreased land precipitation, a general suggestion could be the creation
of a dam in Sperchios River basin, similar to the existing ones in Ardas and Geropotamos
River basins that will serve irrigation purposes and will also cover the water demand,
especially in the summer season where lack of water can create water scarcity problems.
Furthermore, the development of an observation-warning system that will control the levels of
the water resources (reservoirs, ground- and surface waters) in order to cope with any
potential future insufficiencies.
5.3 Assessment of future climate change impacts on the hydrological regime

Initially, after the successful calibration of the model, future meteorological data series
were given as inputs and the streamflow was estimated for each area, chronological period
and scenario. During the simulation of the reference periods' data, the Ardas River basin was
the only study area where the model slightly underestimated the results, compared with the
observed data series. In the Sperchios and the Geropotamos River basins, the model output
values of the streamflow were slightly higher than the observed values. Nevertheless, the
results indicated that in every study area future streamflow will face significant reductions in
the upcoming years. Specifically, the Sperchios River basin is expected to lose more than
1/3 of its streamflow by the end of the century, while the Ardas and the Geropotamos River
basins will lose almost the 1/5 of their current streamflow.
Future decreases in runoff are reflected and confirmed by the decrease in
precipitation amount, as it was resulted in the current study (Paparrizos et al. 2016a).
Additionally, the amount of water that is stored in the soil profile (SW) will also face strong
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decreases due to the overall decrease of the water balance amount, but these reductions will
be stronger in the Geropotamos River basin.
AET plays a very important role in the current study. It is mainly influenced by air
temperature and solar radiation (Ampas and Baltas 2012). When hot conditions exist
(especially in areas characterized by Csa and Csb climate classification), AET can reach
very high levels and this will lead to more amount of uprising moist air, which will be lifted, it
will be cooled and the water vapour will condense to form clouds that will re-cater the water
bodies through precipitation. Increase of hot conditions and thus of the mean air temperature
in the Mediterranean has been reported by the IPCC reports (IPCC 2007), and various
studies (Hertig and Jacobeit 2008; Nastos et al. 2013a).
According to the outputs of the ARIMA model presented in table 4.11, the irrigation
water withdrawal is expected to be raised in the upcoming years, which means that although
the streamflow levels in all the examined study areas that are characterized by different
climate conditions will be reduced in the future, nevertheless the needs regarding the
irrigated water will be increased. On the other hand, the agricultural water withdrawal versus
the total water withdrawal will be critically decreased. The increase of the withdrawal water
for irrigation is significant, but in the future the ratio regarding the agricultural versus (Vs) the
total water withdrawal will follow a downward trend, mainly due to the eventual development
of infrastructures, capable of serving, providing and act as a regulator against the insufficient
available future amount of water.
A comment regarding the implications for the uncertainty associated with ARIMA
forecasts in the current study can be the probable insufficiency of the model due to the small
sample in proportion to the prediction years could lead to significant deviations from the
actual values. Nevertheless, the qualitative characteristics of the model are the same (or
nearly the same), which constitutes it as a very satisfactory solution to predict future time
series.
Summarizing, in order to perform an informative comparison regarding the climate
conditions prevailing in Greece and how these will affect the future variations of the
hydrological cycle, the three study areas were divided into North (that is represented by
Ardas River basin) - Central (Sperchios River basin) - South (Geropotamos River basin)
according to their geographical position.

North: Streamflow will face minor reductions by the mid-21st century that will become
major by the end of the century. These areas will be more resistant to the future
variations of the hydrological cycle, at least up to a certain period of time. AET will
also face significant decrease in areas located in the North. These facts classify the
study areas located in northern Greece as the least vulnerable to future change.
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Central: Streamflow will face the greatest reductions in the upcoming years.
Nevertheless, precipitation is expected to face strong, but compared to the other
study areas, the fewer reductions. This fact classifies the study areas located in
central Greece as very vulnerable to future change.

South: Streamflow will face minor reductions in the 1st half of the century that will
become more intense by the end of the century. Additionally, precipitation and AET
will face the strongest reductions, classifying the certain study area the most
vulnerable in terms of future climate changes regarding the water resources.

Numerous researchers have assessed the future changes and responses of the
streamflow and the hydrological cycle in similar climates in the Mediterranean region.
Indicatively, Arnell (1999) studied the future changes on hydrological regimes in Europe with
a continental perspective and concluded that in continental climates, the snowfall will
become less important due to higher temperatures, and therefore winter runoff will be slightly
increased, while spring runoff will be decreased. Mimikou et al. (2000) performed a
simulation in an agricultural catchment in Central Greece and they resulted that seasonal as
well as annual runoff will be reduced, while the most significant reduction is expected in
mean summer runoff values (May-October). Sanchez-Gomez et al. (2009) studied the future
changes in the Mediterranean water budget by an ensemble of RCMs and concluded that
already significant changes will start to occur for the period 2030-2050 where the runoff is
expected to be decreased by almost 25% that will reach almost 45% by the end of the 21st
century. Voudouris et al. (2012) performed an assessment of runoff in future climate
conditions in an agricultural area in Crete Island in Greece using the output simulations of the
Regional Climate model REMO and establishing a rainfall-runoff model, and resulted drastic
mean runoff reductions by 30%. Kalogeropoulos and Chalkias (2013) simulated the future
runoff using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model in Andros Island that faces
purely Mediterranean conditions and concluded that the future decrease in rainfall will impact
and will cause a significant decrease in mean annual surface runoff. Additionally, a large
number of studies have examined potential trends in measures of river discharge during the
21st century, at scales from river basin to global. Some have detected significant trends in
some indicators of flow, while others have demonstrated statistically significant links with
trends in temperature or precipitation (Milly et al. 2005). Moreover, the majority of these
studies attempt to approach this target by scenario-based analyses, which indicate possible
trends of future climate evolution based on the assumed (scenarios) trends on forcings
(Giorgi et al. 2001; Cayan et al. 2001; Georgakakos 2003; Dettinger et al. 2004). Additionally,
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few studies have also provided quantitative measures of uncertainty (Koutsoyiannis et al.
2007). In summary, according to previous studies runoff will face strong decreases and
downward trends in the upcoming years and decreased land precipitation along with
increases in the mean surface temperature will be responsible for these reductions.
5.4 Assessment of present and future Growing Degree Days for agriculture

According to tables 3.09 and the results of the tables 4.15 and 4.16, for the Ardas
River basin, not only will the cultivations of asparagus, sugar beet and cherry not face
problems, but their cultivation can be expanded in areas with higher altitudes. On the other
hand, although the sunflower cultivation requires a high number of GDD until it reaches
maturity which according to the reference periods' data analysis can be found only in some,
limited areas in the lowlands, in the upcoming years as depicted in figure 4.11, it will find
more suitable conditions and its cultivation can be expanded in larger areas. In the upcoming
years, the Ardas valley where all the agriculture production takes place will reach up to 2500
growing degree units which will contribute to the conservation of the existing cultivations, or it
can even lead to the introduction of new, more pretentious cultivations.
The spatial interpolation of the GDD in the Sperchios River basin also indicates that
all the existing main cultivations can reach maturity in a shorter period of time even in areas
with higher altitudes located in the northern side of the basin. A noteworthy fact here is that
although the Sperchios River basin in the springs of Sperchios River on the southern side is
affected by mild-wet winters (Csb) according to Kppen-Geiger classification (Peel et al.
2007), nevertheless the GDD of A1B scenario for the months April-October during 20212050 analysis will be similar to the Geropotamos River basin, which is characterized entirely
by Mediterranean climate (Csa). Additionally, the Pistachio trees cultivation which constitutes
one of the most profitable export products of the current study area can be expanded into
higher altitudes and its harvesting period can be shifted from October to September since
maturity can be achieved within a shorter period of time.
A noteworthy fact during the spatial interpolation of the Geropotamos River basin is
that according to figure 4.13 despite the fact that during the reference periods' analysis the
areas in the northern side of the basin where high altitudes exist are depicted with high GDD,
in the future simulations they are varying between 500-1500 GDD. On the other hand, in
these areas which constitute the highest points of the 'Psiloreitis' Mount and are dominated
by abrupt slopes, there are very few possibilities for cultivations (at least not extensive
cultivations). Lastly, the tomato fields which constitute the most pretentious cultivation in the
Geropotamos River basin could be potentially expanded by the period 2071-2100 on areas

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with higher altitude where the conditions will also be favourable. Nevertheless, harsh
topography that exists on the highlands makes this expansion unaffordable for the farmers.
Since the current research is amongst the first ones that are focused on the future
estimation of GDD under various climate change scenarios and their effect on the local
agricultural production, comparisons can be performed only for the reference periods' data.
According to a previous research of Matzarakis et al. (2007), Greece is characterized by
favourable thermal conditions for the cultivation of high productivity crops. This is validated
by the current research which adds the fact that these favourable thermal conditions will
increase in the future.
Previous similar studies regarding the concept of GDD in the Mediterranean mainly
focused on specific cultivations that are of great economic importance for the Mediterranean
region. Orlandi et al. (2005; 2014) studied the bioclimatic requirements for the olive tree
flowering and the influence of the Olive tree phenology in comparison with the climatic
variations, while Kse (2014) studied the phenology and ripening of grape varieties over the
Mediterranean. Canavar and Ali Kaynak (2010) observed the sunshine radiation effects on
peanut pod yield and growth in combination with the GDD. Matzarakis et al. (2007) made a
first attempt to interpolate the GDD over Greece and link them with the main cultivations that
exist in Greece using data for a 10-year period from 1978-1987. According to the results, the
GDD for the mean growing season in Greece ranges from about 1600 GDD units in the
northern and mountainous areas of the country to more than 2900 GDD units in the
lowlands. These limits exceeded the crop maturity requirements of most crops that exist in
the Greek territory. Koufos et al. (2014) studied the temporal evolution of Growing Degree
Days in the main winegrape regions of Greece and the results indicated an overall
statistically significant positive trend of all indices. Finally, Paparrizos et al. (2016d) used the
Growing Degree Days and precipitation as assessment factors for future responses in
agriculture in Evros region, in Greece. Specifically for the GDD units, these are expected to
be increased in the upcoming years and the cultivation period may be shifted from AprilOctober to April-September. On the other hand, harsh topography will act as an inhibitor
towards the expansion of the existing cultivations onto higher altitudes.
Through the spatial distribution of future GDD in the study areas it is evident that all
the study areas are presented with future increase in GDD values. The biggest increase is
expected in the Sperchios River basin, followed by the Ardas and the Geropotamos River
basins, respectively. Although there were some minor differentiations between the two
applied scenarios, their results were almost identical in most of the cases, which is another
fact that validates the results of the current study. Another noteworthy fact is that during the
sub-period analysis, the Sperchios and the Geropotamos River basins that are characterised
mainly by Mediterranean climate, in both future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100 under
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both applied scenarios presented critical differentiations between April-October and AprilNovember results.
In summary, the main cultivation period in all the study areas will be reduced and
shifted from April-October to April-September, especially in 1-year cultivations. This fact will
directly affect (and reduce) the production costs, which in combination with the new
technologies that occur every day will further decrease the expenses. Furthermore, a part of
the surplus can be invested towards the improvement of the quality as well as the quantity of
the existing crops in order to raise their productivity, under the frame of sustainable
development. Additionally, the reduction of the cultivation period can lead to the mitigation of
the amount of energy required to provide products and services and contribute towards the
efficient energy use.
Moreover, new, more demanding but also more profitable and efficient cultivations
can be introduced in the certain study areas as well as areas characterised by similar climate
conditions in the upcoming years. At this latter case though, regardless the fact that as it was
indicated by the results of the current study that the cultivation range is expected to be
expanded in the upcoming years in all the study areas, the multivarious background and the
complex terrain of the areas act as an inhibitor towards the actualization of the specific
scheme. In other words, although an expansion is possible to be achieved, nevertheless it
would have affected not directly the cultivations but instead the farmers as they would have
needed to perform this expansion in areas with rough topography and so the cultivation costs
would have dramatically increased. Summarizing, all the similar studies indicated that GDD
units are, or will follow a positive trend. On the other hand, topography will act as an inhibitor
towards the expansion, as it was resulted in similar studies regarding the GDD (Paparrizos et
al. 2016d).
5.5 Assessment of aridity conditions

Regarding the integrated analysis of the Aridity Index in the examined study areas,
special attention needs to be given firstly to the Geropotamos River basin. The under
examination study area is characterized by the presence of Mount 'Psiloritis' (2.456m), which
is the highest mountain of Crete Island. Mount 'Psiloritis' is dominated by abrupt slopes, a
phenomenon that exists in the whole territory of Crete Island. Additionally, the Geropotamos
River basin is generally a basin with 'small' distances from the watershed limits to the coast
line (which is the mouth of the water basin), especially in the northwest part where Mount
'Psiloritis' lies. Seasonal analysis in the Geropotamos River basin is also affected by the
topography of the area as in the North part where higher altitudes exist, the AI is presented
with more temperate conditions, compared with the South part of the basin where the
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conditions are more severe and semi-arid or arid conditions appear for the spring and
summer months following the Mediterranean climate conditions. Nonetheless, trend analysis
showed that the part of the northern basin with the high altitudes tends to increase its aridity
conditions.
The map that depicts the fluctuation of AI for the spring season (figure 4.14) is the
most characteristic in order to interpret the aridity conditions prevailing in Ardas River basin.
According to the spatial interpolation of the AI for the spring season, four classes of AI
classification exist with conditions ranging from humid (in the upper mountainous part of the
basin) to semi-arid in the mouth of the basin. Regarding the trend analysis of aridity for the
Ardas River basin, the lower parts present a very high downward trend while the
mountainous west part of the basin where the sources of the Ardas River are located shows
a mighty upward trend. This specificity tends to moderate the aridity conditions prevailing in
the Ardas River basin within the next years.
Concerning the Sperchios River basin, as shown in figure 4.15 in some parts of the
water basin, arid-conditions appeared. Sperchios River basin has a Mediterranean climate
(Csa). Areas with this type of climate receive almost all of their precipitation during the winter,
autumn and spring seasons and may go anywhere from 4 to 6 months during the summer
without having any significant precipitation (Peel et al. 2007). This is verified by the fact that
spring and summer seasons face dry sub-humid and semi-arid conditions respectively, while
autumn is the season that faces the most humid conditions of the year. The low values of the
AI especially on the certain seasons which constitute the main and the most critical face of
the cultivation period point out the sententiousness of the issue and special attention needs
to be given in order to avoid water scarcity problems that will have great impacts on the local
population related with the agriculture activities. Differentiations during the spatial
interpolation of the AI also appeared between the North and South part of the basin. The
South part of the basin is characterized by high altitudes, while in the North part of the basin,
moderate altitudes exist. This specificity affects the analysis as in figure 4.15 the results in
the southern part are more temperate compared with the northern part of the basin.
Generally, all the study areas showed an upward trend regarding the aridity
conditions in the mountainous areas while the trend completely changes and follows a
downward tendency in the lowland areas where all the agriculture activity takes place (plain
areas). It is evident that in this case also, elevation, as well as the geographic position play a
very important role in the creation of the climatic conditions prevailing in the results of the
integrated analysis of aridity in the study areas. Furthermore, in locations with very abrupt
slopes, the trend analysis indicated that the trend follows an upward intense tendency in all
the study areas. A noteworthy fact is that during the trend analysis, all the study areas were
presented with heterogenic trend although their size is characterized as medium.
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Additionally, another noticeable fact is the existence of large dams in Ardas and
Geropotamos River basins that serve irrigation purposes. These dams can eliminate the
difference between water supply and demand, especially in the summer months when the
need for available water for irrigation is increased and the conditions are semi-arid or arid, as
it was resulted from the current research. The water demand in the lower areas is higher
than in other parts of the basin and it is apparent that if there is no rational management of
the available water resources, drought conditions will occur and have great impacts on
agriculture productivity.
Similar studies have been conducted in Greece and generally in the Mediterranean
region towards the assessment of aridity conditions and several indicators and techniques
have been proposed for the estimation and quantification of aridity. All these studies have
used several statistical techniques to analyse spatio-temporal parameters of drought
episodes and assess the conditions regarding the aridity (Nastos and Zerefos 2009). Nastos
et al. (2013a) performed an application of the Aridity Index on a large scale for the whole
Greek territory and Trkes (2003) for Turkey. The results of the above mentioned studies
compared with the results from the current research, are similar, but it must be mentioned
that these studies are different comparing to the current research. Specifically, the accurate
estimation and mapping of aridity must take into account several factors. It is difficult to
estimate the aridity conditions in a sizeable area such as Greece, which presents large and
complex elevation variation, if less data is existing as inputs from the current meteorological
network. Additionally, in relation to all the above mentioned indices and studies, the
technique for the estimation of PET that was followed in the current study that takes into
account multiple variables as inputs (RH, Tmean, Tmax, Tmin, Tdew, PREC, Rs, Rn, Ra, and WS)
constitutes an innovation and validates that results of the current study compared with other
similar studies and also highlights the fact that all future studies should be performed at least
on a mesoscale, using sufficient inputs parameters, in order to produce reliable results.
PET plays a key role in the current study as it affects the fraction of the Aridity Index
and results low values in many cases especially during the spring and summer periods.
During the winter season the exact opposite occurs. In the Ardas River basin where the
climate is continental and the higher amounts of rainfall occur during the summer months,
although PET has high values, the numerator of the fraction has also high values so aridity
conditions are reduced. Same conditions occur during the winter season. At this latter case,
however, there aren't very humid conditions as the levels of the winter precipitation are not
so high.
Therefore the results of the AI are strongly influenced by the behaviour of PET. The
results are confirmed as Crete Island during the data analysis appeared in many cases with
almost zero rainfall from May to October. The use of a different index and method than this of
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the current research it would have gave extremely arid conditions in the Geropotamos River
basin without taking into account various topographical and meteorological variables whose
combination can serve as a regulator and prevent possible aridity and drought conditions.
5.6 Assessment of present and future drought conditions

Generally, all study areas will face relatively severe drought conditions in the
upcoming years. The conditions will be more intense in the lowland areas (plain areas)
where all the agricultural activity takes place. As depicted by the figures, it is evident that
elevation and broadly the topography plays a very important role in the creation of different
climatic conditions and directly affects the spatial analysis of the drought conditions. In any
case, the 12-month SPI drought analysis indicated that the SPI values will follow a downward
trend. As stated in table 4.19, the Sperchios River basin will face the harsher reductions in
SPI values and it constitutes the only study area where the drought balance (in SPI values)
will be negative in the upcoming years.
Additionally, according to table 4.20, trend analysis indicated that the Sperchios River
basin will face the strongest downward trends in both applied scenarios, followed by the
Ardas and lastly the Geropotamos River basins. Especially for the Geropotamos River basin,
although it is characterized by Mediterranean climate and someone could have expected
stronger downward trends, nevertheless the detected trends were clearly influenced by the
complex topography that it is presented in the Geropotamos River basin where the distances
between the mountainous areas and the lowlands are very small and thus this acts as an
inhibitor towards decreased land precipitation, reduced runoff and extent drought conditions.
Hence, special attention needs to be given in the sustainable management of rainfall
and snowfall amount prevailing in the Sperchios River basin. For this reason, the creation of
a water storage dam in the mountainous or the semi-mountainous area on the watershed is
mandatory. Additionally, this dam can contribute towards the reduction of Potential
Evapotranspiration which is very crucial for agriculture, since the water will not be evaporated
or transpirated in the lowlands, as it is currently happening. Instead, it can act as a regulator
and face possible drought conditions that are very likely to appear as it is inferred from the
analysis of the current study.
Many studies have contributed towards the assessment of drought conditions over
Greece and generally the Mediterranean region and several indicators and techniques have
been proposed for the estimation and quantification of drought conditions. However, in recent
years, shortcomings in existing indicators are highlighted and this becomes a quest for the
emergence of new indicators and studies (Tsakiris and Vangelis 2005), as well as software
(Tigkas et al. 2015). Studies implementing various drought indexes such as Palmer Drought
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Severity Index (PSDI) and Reconnaissance Drought Index (RDI) (Vangelis et al. 2013), the
Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) (Tsakiris and Vangelis 2004; Loukas et al. 2008;
Karavitis et al. 2011; Vroxidou et al. 2013) have been conducted. All these studies have used
several statistical techniques to analyze spatio-temporal parameters of drought episodes in
Greece (Nastos and Zerefos 2007; 2008; 2009). Mediterranean climate presents
differentiations between eastern and western regions. Drought conditions are mainly
established at the southern and eastern regions of the Mediterranean basin (Nastos et al.
2013b). In Italy, a drought research indicated that in the last 30 years the drought periods
have become more severe and extreme due to decreased land precipitation, mainly in the
south part of the country (Piccarreta et al. 2004). In Turkey, drought has been a recurrent
phenomenon for the last decades. A warning trend began in the early 1990s and has
continued until recent years. The drought conditions prevailed in over the last 2-3 decades in
Turkey are related to changes in the weather patterns in the Atlantic region, specifically in the
variations in the North Atlantic Oscillation (Komuscu 2001). In Cyprus, droughts are very
frequent events with adverse impacts on many fields such as the economy, the environment
and the agricultural productivity. According to Pashiardis and Michaelides (2008) and
Michaelides and Pashiardis (2009), during the period 1971-2008 Cyprus suffered from nine
drought events resulting in the emptiness of the dams.
In comparison with the present study's results, similar studies that were performed in
various regions of Greece have indicated that the drought conditions in Greece are expected
to be more severe in the following years. A study performed by Vasiliades et al. (2009) for
Lake Karla in Thessaly, central Greece, near Sperchios River basin using the SRES A2 and
B2 scenarios for the future years of 2021-2050 & 2071-2100 reported that drought conditions
will be significantly increased in drought severity. Additionally, a drought analysis that was
performed in Crete Island by Vroxidou et al. (2013) for the years 1973-2099 concluded that
during the period 2035-2099 the drought phenomena will become more intense, as mean
precipitation is projected to decrease, whereas wet conditions are completely absent.
These results point out the sententiousness of the issue and special attention needs
to be given in order to avoid water scarcity problems that will have great impact on the local
population related with agricultural activities. Moreover, water demand in lowlands is higher
than in other parts of the basin, and it is apparent that if there is no rational management of
the available water resources, drought impacts will be disastrous. The emergence of drought
conditions is possible, thus the water resources planning and management must follow very
careful steps.

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5.7 Synthesis report

In an attempt to combine the findings and as the focusing point of the current study
was the hydrological cycle, the various aspects that define it were assessed. The -never
ending- water circulation from the land to the clouds, and back to the land again was
addressed under a complex and comprehensive approach. The study was characterised by
the existence of limited data derived from the network of climatological stations in the study
areas, that constituted the spatial distribution of the examined climatological variables very
challenging. The proposed downscaling technique can be a helping hand when operating in
the mesoscale for various types of climate.
The spatial distribution of the examined variables in the current study (i.e.
precipitation, aridity and drought conditions, GDD) is in every case dominated by the harsh
topography of the study areas. Although the GDD analysis indicated that topography will act
as an inhibitor towards the expansion of the cultivations onto higher altitudes, nevertheless
the spatial distribution also showed that precipitation and drought conditions will not be so
severe onto higher altitudes. On the other hand, although in the lowlands the cultivations will
find more favourable conditions in the future, nevertheless, precipitation will be significantly
decreased and drought conditions will be more severe. The water resources will be
significantly influenced by that fact as they expected to be critically reduced. In general, the
climatic conditions are expected to be more severe in areas with lower latitude, while they
will become less severe as the latitude is increased. Figure 5.01 depicts a synthesis report
graph that includes a summary of the results that were excluded from the current study.

117

Figure 5.01. Synthesis report graph of the results from the current study
118

Chapter 6
Conclusions and Outlook
6.1 Conclusions

The current study was focused on the present as well as the future assessment of the
aspects of the hydrological cycle for three indicative areas widespread in Greece. Initially, a
sensitivity analysis and inter-comparison of PET formulae was performed and the most
effective PET empirical method as well as the meteorological parameters that influence the
estimation of PET in each study area were defined. Afterwards, a present and future
assessment of precipitation responses, aridity and drought conditions, and runoff was
conducted in order to depict the future variations and the changes of the aspects of the
hydrological cycle, and lastly the Growing Degree Days concept was implement in order to
link the changes in the aspects of the hydrological cycle with the agriculture productivity.
Future simulations from the ENSEMBLE project were obtained, then analysed
regarding their statistical significance and applied for the future periods 2021-2050 and 20712100, under the A1B and B1 scenario, accordingly. Topographical data as well as
hydrological data for the calibration of the ArcSWAT model were also obtained and given as
inputs in order to simulate and assess the future response of runoff.
Various maps were created that depict the present and future responses of the
aspects of the hydrological cycle in areas that face different climate conditions, which
visualize and give fundamental ideas about the climate variations in the selected study
areas. Moreover, they constitute a helpful tool for all the stakeholders and they can be
notified free of charge, while their understanding is possible, even for non-expert personnel.
Geostatistical interpolation has become an important tool in applied climatology
because it is based on the spatial variability of the variables of interest and makes it possible
to quantify the estimation uncertainty (Maris et al. 2013). The technique of the spatial
interpolation that was implemented and applied in the current study where a combination of
the Ordinary Kriging method and the multi-linear regression analysis were coupled, allowed
several parameters to be taken into account. The initial default application of the Ordinary
Kriging method through ArcGIS does not take into account any topographic, climatological
119

and generally any additional parameters that affect the examined (or under interpolation)
variable. Especially in areas with limited data like the current study areas, interpolating
climatological variables from point stations is insufficient and most of the times misleading.
Through the creation of a grid of sample points that cover the entire study area from the
lowest to the highest point and by comprehending the multi-linear regression techniques, all
the factors that affected each time the spatial interpolation of the examined variables in the
current study (precipitation, SPI, AI, GDD, etc.) were included, and high-resolution maps
were created.
During the spatial interpolation and downscaling technique that was performed in the
current study, statistical significance was preserved by implementing the p-value. P-value
constitutes a great advantage during statistical analyses particularly for the complex terrain
of Greece, in order to avoid significantly misleading conclusions by using insignificant
parameters.
The effect of topography in the spatial interpolation plays the most significant role and
affects the spatial distribution of the examined variables in the current study. The study areas
are characterized by complex topography, abrupt slopes and high elevation variability.
Rough topography and the complex climate conditions that prevail in the study areas in
combination with diverse social, economic and environmental aspects render the
Mediterranean region as one of the most vulnerable, in terms of climate change.
Additionally, a fact that needs to be mentioned is that although there has been some
improvement in the latest years in the simulation of continental-scale patterns of precipitation
since the 4th assessment report (AR4) that was published in 2007 by the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), at regional scales, precipitation still cannot be simulated
precisely, and the assessment is hampered by observational uncertainties.
Complex topography and observational uncertainties are the main reasons according
to which all the upcoming studies need to focus on a mesoscale and local scale as it was
performed in the current study. The purpose of focusing and working on a regional scale
constitutes a great advantage because it gives the opportunity to the researcher to
implement more detailed components such as topography of the study area, meteorological
observations from a denser meteorological network, etc.. On the other hand, working on a
larger scale requires a large amount of input data in order to produce satisfactory results as
well as a combination of techniques, modes, and various procedures that can often lead to
overestimation or, even worse, to an underestimation of the events. Having in mind all these
facts, in combination with all the recent findings in the literature that have proved that the
effects of the climate change are significant, the researchers are called to undertake crucial
decisions regarding the sustainable development of the environment.

120

Runoff is expected to be greatly reduced in areas where complex climate conditions

exist and are mainly affected by the Mediterranean climate, while areas characterized by
continental climate will be more resistant to future changes. Furthermore, decreased land
precipitation is one of the main reasons that contributes to that fact. On the other hand, due
to future increases in mean air temperature, AET values will not face strong variations and
will partly set against this scheme. Increased mean air temperature will lead to the expansion
of the GDD units as well as their extension as the local cultivations will find favourable
conditions in larger areas and increase their productivity. This can potentially lead to changes
in land use/land cover, but their extensive expansion will governed by the complex
topography and will face difficulties. On the other hand, in the existing cultivations maturity
can be achieved in a shorter period of time and this will further reduced the cultivations costs.
Additionally, the decrease in the cultivation period will have a direct effect on the efficient
energy use as well as the protection, preservation and sustainable development of the
environment, since irrigation dominates and constitutes the main cause of water scarcity
problems in the certain study areas.
Concluding, since the climate in Mediterranean is one of the most vulnerable in terms
of climate change, great caution is needed when making conclusions. as it is highlighted by
the results, the climate changes will be severe in the upcoming years in all the study areas,
regardless the climate conditions prevailing in each area. For this reason, water resources
management must take serious actions in order to avoid future water problems. The
Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament (European Parliament and Council 2000)
clearly states the framework of how all the interesting parties should act. Therefore, a strong
an efficient cooperation is needed towards the water resources management. Moreover,
although the Sperchios River basin will be expected to face the greatest reductions regarding
the streamflow, nevertheless it is the only area without a large reservoir that can act as a
regulator, especially in periods when the streamflow is critically reduced (Dry period). Thus, a
creation of a dam that will serve irrigation purposes is mandatory. Regarding the rest study
areas, it is critical to examine if the existing water volume of the reservoirs is sufficient to
meet the needs of the agricultural production.
6.2 Outlook

Further research can be focused on the present and future seasonal assessment and
analysis of the conditions prevailing in between the PET values, precipitation, drought and
aridity conditions, and runoff, especially during the dry period when the greatest part of the
agriculture productivity takes place in the current study areas. Hence, more comprehensive
explanations regarding the seasonal variation of the aspects of the hydrological cycle can be
121

obtained. Regarding the GDD, a critical point that needs to be further analyzed is the GDD
and their variation in combination with future precipitation changes. Although the current
study indicated that the conditions will be more favourable, nevertheless, the evident
decrease in land precipitation might act as an inhibitor towards the future and sustainable
growth and development of the existing cultivations in the study areas. Additionally, a future
research can focus on each species individually and perform an analysis in relation with the
micro-climate that exists and affects each cultivation. A system can be manufactured that will
receive air temperature data as inputs directly at the same point on real-time conditions, and
it will estimate the GDD units to maturity, giving the opportunity to the agriculture section to
optimize its productivity. Finally, an adequate meteorological network needs to be created;
otherwise all research towards this direction be governed by these deficiencies.
In any case, the findings of the current study must be taken into account as a guide
for future climate conditions. They can be a helping hand for all the farmers and various
stakeholders, as they can obtain significant and accurate information so they can further
adjust their adaptation systems and manage their agriculture procedures towards the rational
management of the agricultural water resources. In order to avoid drought and aridity
conditions, flooding phenomena or water scarcity problems, the science of water resources
management in combination with meteorology and climatology are called to play a major role
in the era of climate change and should design and implement numerous technical projects,
infrastructures, and perform further research which today are more than ever necessary in
order to prevail against the effects of climate change.

122

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142

List of Figures
Figure 2.01. The hydrological cycle........................................................................................25
Figure 2.02. Supply-demand water situation for the 14 water districts in Greece..................35
Figure 3.01. Location and characteristics of the study areas.................................................38
Figure 3.02. Meteorological Stations - Ardas River basin.......................................................39
Figure 3.03. Land Use - Ardas River basin.............................................................................39
Figure 3.04. Meteorological Stations - Sperchios River basin................................................40
Figure 3.05. Land Use - Sperchios River basin......................................................................40
Figure 3.06. Meteorological Stations - Geropotamos River basin..........................................41
Figure 3.07. Land Use - Geropotamos River basin................................................................41
Figure 3.08. Kppen-Geiger classification - Ardas River basin..............................................43
Figure 3.09. Kppen-Geiger classification - Sperchios River basin........................................43
Figure 3.10. Kppen-Geiger classification - Geropotamos River basin..................................43
Figure 3.11. Dynamical and statistical downscaling procedure..............................................50
Figure 4.01. Beanplots of the mean daily PET (mm) for Orestiada station in Ardas River
basin, based on the PET formulae examined in Table 3.08.......................................63
Figure 4.02. Beanplots of the mean daily PET (mm) for Metaxades station in Ardas River
basin, based on the PET formulae examined in Table 3.08.......................................63
Figure 4.03. Beanplots of the mean daily PET (mm) for Lamia station in Sperchios River
basin, based on the PET formulae examined in Table 3.08.......................................64
Figure 4.04. Beanplots of the mean daily PET (mm) for Tympaki station in Geropotamos
River basin, based on the PET formulae examined in Table 3.08..............................64
Figure 4.05. Beanplots of the mean daily PET (mm) for Zaros station in Geropotamos River
basin, based on the PET formulae examined in Table 3.08.......................................64
Figure 4.06. Precipitation analysis of the Ardas River basin, based on the A1B and B1
scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100...................................74
Figure 4.07. Precipitation analysis of the Sperchios River basin, based on the A1B and B1
scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100...................................75
Figure 4.08. Precipitation analysis of the Geropotamos River basin, based on the A1B and
B1 scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100..............................76
3

Figure 4.09. Observed and simulated discharge (m /s) for examined reference periods

in the study areas.....................................................................................................78

Figure 4.10. Schematic representation of trend analysis results regarding the variation of
runoff in the upcoming years in the study areas.........................................................81
Figure 4.11. Growing Degree Days analysis of the Ardas River basin, based on the A1B and
B1 scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100..............................86
143

Figure 4.12. Growing Degree Days analysis of the Sperchios River basin, based on the A1B
and B1 scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100.......................87
Figure 4.13. Growing Degree Days analysis of the Ardas River basin, based on the A1B and
B1 scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100..............................88
Figure 4.14. Aridity Index analysis maps for Ardas River basin a)Total Analysis b) Spring c)
Summer d) Autumn d) Winter.....................................................................................91
Figure 4.15. Aridity Index analysis maps for Sperchios River basin a)Total Analysis b) Spring
c) Summer d) Autumn d) Winter..................................................................................92
Figure 4.16. Aridity Index analysis maps for Geropotamos River basin a)Total Analysis b)
Spring c) Summer d) Autumn d) Winter......................................................................93
Figure 4.17. Drought analysis of the Ardas River basin, based on the A1B and B1 scenarios
for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100....................................................98
Figure 4.18. Drought analysis of the Sperchios River basin, based on the A1B and B1
scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100...................................99
Figure 4.19. Drought analysis of the Geropotamos River basin, based on the A1B and B1
scenarios for the future periods of 2021-2050 and 2071-2100.................................100
Figure 5.01. Synthesis report graph of the results from the current study............................118

144

List of Tables
Table 2.01. Global Water Balance..........................................................................................24
Table 2.02. Distribution of freshwater on Earth .....................................................................24
Table 2.03. Supply-demand water situation for the 14 water districts in Greece....................34
Table 3.01. Characteristics of the study areas.......................................................................37
Table 3.02. Meteorological stations and characteristics - Ardas River basin.........................39
Table 3.03. Meteorological stations and characteristics - Sperchios River basin...................40
Table 3.04. Meteorological stations and characteristics - Geropotamos River basin.............41
Table 3.05. Driving GCMs, Institutes, RCMs, and relevant references of the used
ENSEMBLES simulations...........................................................................................44
Table 3.06. IPCC emission scenarios ....................................................................................45
Table 3.07. Categorization of the output p-values at 95% significance level (p 0.05)..........49
Table 3.08. Potential Evapotranspiration formulae.................................................................53
Table 3.09. Input data requirements of used PET formulae...................................................54
Table 3.10. Classification of Aridity Index categories.............................................................56
Table 3.11. Classification scale for the SPI values.................................................................57
Table 3.12. Main cultivations and their characteristics...........................................................62
Table 4.01. Sensitivity analysis results (%) - Orestiada..........................................................66
Table 4.02. Sensitivity analysis results (%) - Metaxades .......................................................66
Table 4.03. Sensitivity analysis results (%) - Lamia...............................................................66
Table 4.04. Sensitivity analysis results (%) - Tympaki............................................................66
Table 4.05. Sensitivity analysis results (%) - Zaros station....................................................67
Table 4.06. Ranking of PET formulae according to the average results of each station........68
Table 4.07. Precipitation analysis results of present and future precipitation conditions in the
study areas..................................................................................................................70
Table 4.08. Trend analysis results of present and future precipitation conditions in the study
areas...........................................................................................................................71
Table 4.09. Seasonal analysis results of present and future precipitation conditions in the
study areas..................................................................................................................72
Table 4.10. ArcSWAT simulation results................................................................................79
Table 4.11. Trend analysis results of present and future runoff conditions in the study
areas...........................................................................................................................81
Table 4.12. Average irrigation water withdrawal in Greece and agricultural water withdrawal
Versus total water withdrawal.....................................................................................82

145

Table 4.13. Classification of the study areas regarding the severity of future climate
change........................................................................................................................82
Table 4.14. Reference (observed) and future (RCMs) simulations periods' data validation..83
Table 4.15. Accumulated mean yearly GDD (oC) for reference, 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
periods........................................................................................................................84
Table 4.16. Accumulated mean GDD (oC) starting from April for reference, 2021-2050 and
2071-2100 periods......................................................................................................84
Table 4.17. Aridity index analysis results for the selected Greek areas.................................89
Table 4.18. Reference (observed) and future (RCMs simulations) periods' data validation...95
Table 4.19. Drought analysis results occurred by the average means of the examined
RCMs..........................................................................................................................95
Table 4.20. Trend analysis results of present and future drought conditions in the study
areas...........................................................................................................................96

146

List of Symbols and Abbreviations

ACF

Auto-correlation function

AET

Actual Evapotranspiration

AI

Aridity Index

AR4

IPCC 4th Assessment Report

ArcSWAT

ArcGIS extension - Soil and Water Assessment Tool

ARIMA

Auto-regressive integrated moving average

ASCE

American Society of Civil Engineers

BCCR-BCM2
bo
b1...bn

Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research - Bergen Climate Model Version 2

Constant coefficient from the multi-linear regression equation
coefficients obtained for each independent factor from the multi-linear
regression equation
Denominator constant that changes with reference type and takes the

Cd

values of 0.34 (s m-1) and 0.38 (s m-1) for short and tall crops,
respectively

Cn
CNRM-CM3

CNRM-RM4.5

Numerator constant that changes with reference type. Cn takes the

value 900 (K mm s3 Mg-1) for short and tall crops, respectively
Centre National de Recherches Meteorologiques global climate model
version 3
Centre National de Recherches Meteorologiques regional climate
model version 4.5

CO2

Carbon Dioxide

Number of lagged forecast errors in the prediction equation

DistWat

Distance from a body of water or a lake (km)

DL

Day Length (hours)

ea

Mean actual vapour pressure at 1.5-2.5 m height (kPa)

EC

European Commission

ECHAM/MPI-OM1

European Centre Hamburg Model / Max Plank Institute - Ocean

Model version 1

ECT

Eddy-Covariance-Technique

EF

Coefficient of Efficiency (Nash-Sutcliffe)

es

Mean saturation vapour pressure at 1.5-2.5 m height (kPa)

ET

Evapotranspiration
147

ETref
ETHZ-CLM

Reference Evapotranspiration
Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich - Community Land
Model

FAO

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations

f(t)

Continuous monotonic increasing or decreasing function of time

Soil heat flux density at the crop surface (MJ m-2)

GCM

Global Circulation Model

GDD

Growing Degree Days

GIS

Geographic Information Systems

Elevation (m)

Hours

HADCM3C

Hadley Centre Coupled Model version 3C

HADGEM2

Hadley Centre Global Environment Model version 2

HadCMeQ0

Hadley Centre Coupled Model with normal sensitivity

HIRHAM5

High Resolution Limited Area Model version 5

HNMS

Hellenic National Meteorological Service

Inflow volume of water during a given time period

IPCC

Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change

Ksp

New coefficient (Sensitivity analysis)

Lat. (also: Xi, xi)

Geographic Latitude (o)

Long. (also: Yi, yi)

Geographic Longtitude (o)

Modelled value (Sensitivity analysis)

METNO_HIRHAM
METO-HC-HadCM3C
METO-HC-HadGEM2

Regional Atmospheric Climate Model High Resolution Limited Area

Model
Met Office Hadley Centre - Hadley Centre Coupled Model version 3C
Met Office Hadley Centre - Hadley Centre Global Environment Model
version 2

Number of annual values in the studied data series (Trend analysis)

Sample size (RMSE)

Sample size during trend analysis

NAO

North Atlantic Oscillation

NAOI

North Atlantic Oscillation Index

NetCDF

Network Common Data Form File

Outflow volume of water during a given time period

Oi

Values of observed (historical) discharge (EF equation)

Average of the historical discharge

OECD

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development

148

P-value (multi-linear regression output)

Examined independent variable or parameter (Sensitivity analysis)

Number of autoregressive terms (ARIMA)

Pi

Values of Discharge predicted by the model (EF equation)

PACF

Partial Auto-correlation function

PET

Potential Evapotranspiration

PREC

Precipitation (mm)

PSDI

Palmer Drought Severity Index

Number of tied groups (Trend analysis)

Number of non-seasonal differences needed for stationarity (ARIMA)

Discharge (m3/s)

Correlation coefficient between two samples during trend analysis

The radius of Earth

Ra

Total solar radiation reaching the atmosphere's surface (MJ m-2)

RCM

Regional Climate Model

RCP

Representative Concentration Pathways

RDI

Reconnaissance Drought Index

REMO

Regional Climate Model REMO

RH

Relative Humidity (%)

RMSE

Root Mean Square Error

Rn

Total net solar radiation (MJ m-2)

Rs

Total global solar radiation (MJ m-2)

S test (Trend analysis)

slp

Slope (%)

SPI

Standardized Precipitation Index

SRES

Special Report on Emission Scenarios

std

Standard Deviation

SVD

Saturated vapour density at mean air temperature (g m-3)

SW

Amount of water stored in the soil profile of the watershed (mm)

SWAT

Soil and Water Assessment Tool

tp

number of data values in the pth group

Air Temperature (oC)

Tbase

Temperature below which the process of growth does into progress

(oC)

Tdew

Dew point temperature (oC)

Tmean

Mean air temperature (oC)

Tmax

Maximum air temperature (oC)

149

Tmin

Minimum air temperature (oC)

U2

Mean wind speed at 2 m height (m s-1)

UNEP

United Nations Environmental Program

U.S.

United States of America

VAR

Variance

VPD

Vapor pressure deficit

WS

Wind Speed (m s-1)

xi (Trend analysis)

Data values of a time series that assume to obey the model

Xobs

Observed values (RMSE)

Xmodel

Model values (RMSE)

Z value (Trend Analysis)

Zi, zi

Altitude (m)

Proportionally coefficient (unitless - set as 1.2 in the current study)

PT

Priestley-Taylor coefficient (unitless - set as 1.26 in the current study)

Psychrometric constant (kPa oC -1)

S
i

Slope of saturation vapour pressure curve at air temperature T (kPa

o

C -1)

Change in water storage (mm)

Residual that can be assummed to be from the same distribution with
zero mean

Latent heat of vaporization (MJ kg-1)

The ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter (3.14)

Population correlation coefficient

Standard deviation of the meteorological variable's data series

150

Appendix
Appendix A1. Indicative 'read' of the ENSEMBLES plain text data from netCDF File in
MATLAB....................................................................................................................152
Appendix A2. Developed Script in MATLAB for exporting 'netCDF' files that contain the future
simulations from the ENSEMBLES Project...............................................................156
Paper 1 - Extended Abstract.................................................................................................157
Paper 2 - Extended Abstract.................................................................................................158
Paper 3 - Extended Abstract.................................................................................................159
Paper 4 - Extended Abstract.................................................................................................160
Paper 5 - Extended Abstract.................................................................................................161
Paper 6 - Extended Abstract.................................................................................................162
Paper 7 - Extended Abstract.................................................................................................163

151

Appendix A1. Indicative 'read' of the ENSEMBLES plain text data from netCDF File in
MATLAB

% Command: ncdisp('BCM2_SRA1B_1_MM_tas.nc_1-1200');

Format:
classic
Global Attributes:
title

= 'BCCR model output prepared for IPCC Fourth

Assessment Report 720 ppm stabilization experiment
(SRES A1B)'

description

= 'CONTROL RUN ARPEGE - MICOM'

north_pole

= [0 90]

source
ocean

= 'BCM2.0, (2005): atmosphere: ARPEGE V3 T63L31 (cy 22b+);

: NERSC-MICOM V1.0 (based on MICOM V2.8), 35 vertical layers, 1.5(E-W) X

0.5(N-S) deg. res. near equator with gradual transformation to square grid cells away from
equator; sea ice

: NERSC Sea Ice Model (Viscous- plastic + thermodynamic), 4 gridcells

per ocean grid cell; land

history

: ISBA ARPEGE V3 version'

= 'Created from MICOM output using BCM postprocessing tools:sigma2z -> vertical interpolation
(linear) from isopycnic layer coordinates to
standard levels.uvrot -> vector rotation to east,
north directions.gen2reg -> horizontal
interpolation (linear, gaussian weights) from
original curvlinear grid to regular longitude/
latitude grid.'

production

= 'Created from the ARPEGE postprosessing output files using

fortran libnc'
institution

= 'BCCR (Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research)

University of Bergen, Norway (www.bjerknes.uib.no)
NERSC (Nansen Environmental and Remote Sensing
Center, Norway (www.nersc.no)'

Conventions
date
references
comment

= 'CF-1.0'
= '17-Mar-2005'
= 'www.bcm.uib.no'
= 'Experiment was initiated from model year 85 (nominal year 1850)

of the control simulation (with bcm_experiment_name: PC3). The time varying

152

forcing

agents were varied based upon observations and reconstructions for the late 19th and 20th
centuries. Varying forcing agents: CO2,CH4,N2O,

CFC11(including other CFCs and

HFCs),CFC12 and sulfate aerosols (Boucher data, only direct effect). Non-varying forcing
agents: Background aerosols: black carbon,sea salt,desert dust,

stratospheric and

tropospheric ozone, solar irradiance (1368 W/m2) and the distribution of land cover types. No
volcanic aerosols. No heat or fresh water adjustments.'
project_id

= 'IPCC Fourth Assessment'

experiment_id

= '720 ppm stabilization experiment (SRES A1B)'

realization

=1

bcm_experiment_name = 'A1B'
contact

= 'Email: bcm@uib.no, WWW: www.bcm.uib.no'

acknowledgment

= 'Use of BCM data should acknowledge the contribution of the

BCM project and BCM sponsor agencies with the following citation: 'This research uses data
provided by the Bergen Climate Model (BCM) project (www.bcm.uib.no) at the Bjerknes
Centre for Climate Research, largely funded by the Research Council of Norway.'. The
words 'Bergen Climate Model' and 'BCM' should be included as metadata for webpages
referencing work using BCM data or as keywords provided to journal or book publishers of
your manuscripts.'

Dimensions:
lat

= 64

lon

= 128

bounds = 2
time = 1200 (UNLIMITED)
Variables:
land
Size:

128x64

Dimensions: lon,lat
Datatype: int32
Attributes:
long_name = 'land mask'
lat
Size:

64x1

Dimensions: lat
Datatype: double
Attributes:
long_name

= 'latitude'
153

units

= 'degrees_north'

standard_name = 'latitude'
bounds
axis

= 'lat_bnds'
= 'Y'

lat_bnds
Size:

2x64

Dimensions: bounds,lat
Datatype: double
lon
Size:

128x1

Dimensions: lon
Datatype: double
Attributes:
long_name
units

= 'longitude'

= 'degrees_east'

standard_name = 'longitude'
bounds
axis

= 'lon_bnds'
= 'X'

lon_bnds
Size:

2x128

Dimensions: bounds,lon
Datatype: double
tas
Size:

128x64x1200

Dimensions: lon,lat,time
Datatype: single
Attributes:
long_name

= 'Temperature 2m'

standard_name = 'air_temperature'
units

= 'K'

time
Size:

1200x1

Dimensions: time
Datatype: double
Attributes:
long_name

= 'Time'
154

units

= 'days since 1800-01-01 00:0.0'

calendar
delta_t

= 'gregorian'
= '0000-01-00 00:00:00'

avg_period

= '0000-01-00 00:00:00'

prev_avg_period = '0000-00-01 00:00:00'

standard_name = 'time'
axis

= 'T'

bounds

= 'time_bnds'

time_bnds
Size:

2x1200

Dimensions: bounds,time

Datatype: double

155

Appendix A2. Developed Script in MATLAB for exporting 'netCDF' files that contain the future
simulations from the ENSEMBLES Project

156

Paper 1
Paparrizos, S., Maris, F., Matzarakis, A., 2016. Sensitivity analysis and comparison of
various potential evapotranspiration formulae for selected Greek areas with different
climate conditions. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, DOI 10.1007/s00704-151728-z

ABSTRACT
Background: Potential Evapotranspiration (PET) is one of the most critical parameters in the
research on agro-ecological systems. In cases where the necessary equipment for the
measurement of ET is not available, ET can be estimate by theoretical or empirical equations
that require simple or analytical data. The computational methods for the estimation of PET
vary in data demands from very simple (empirically based), requiring only information based
on air temperatures, to complex ones (more physically based) that require data on radiation,
relative humidity, wind speed, etc..
Methods: The current research is focused on 3 study areas in Greece that face different
climatic conditions due to their location. 12 PET formulae were used, analysed and intercompared in terms of their sensitivity regarding their input coefficients for the Ardas River
basin in north-eastern Greece, Sperchios River basin in Central Greece and Geropotamos
River basin in South Greece.
Results: The results indicated that for the areas that face Mediterranean climatic conditions,
the most appropriate method for the estimation of PET was the temperature-based, Hamon's
2nd version (PETHam2). Furthermore, the PETHam2 was able to estimate PET almost similarly to
the average results of the 12 equations. For the Ardas River basin the results indicated that
both PETHam2 and PETHam1 can be used to estimate PET satisfactorily. The temperature-based
equations have proven to produce better results, followed by the radiation-based equations.
Finally, PETASCE which is the most common used PET equation can also be applied
occasionally in order to provide satisfactory results.
Conclusions: The literature regarding the sensitivity analysis of various PET formulae is
insufficient and this is a fact that highlights the importance of the current study. Water
managers who are responsible for planning and adjudicating the distribution of water
resources can obtain a thorough understanding of the evapotranspiration process and
knowledge about the appropriate method to be used every time to estimate the rates of
evapotranspiration.
Keywords: Potential Evapotranspiration; empirical PET method; Sensitivity analysis;
Meteorological variables; Greece

157

Paper 2
Paparrizos, S., Maris, F., Matzarakis, A., 2016. Integrated analysis of present and
future responses of precipitation over selected Greek areas with different climate
conditions. Atmospheric Research, 169: 199-208.

ABSTRACT
Background: Assessment of future precipitation variations prevailing in an area is essential
for the research regarding climate and climate change. The current paper focuses on 3
selected areas in Greece that present different climatic characteristics due to their location and
aims to assess and compare the future variation of annual and seasonal precipitation.
Methods: Future precipitation data from the ENSEMBLES anthropogenic climate-change
(ACC) global simulations and the Climate Local Model (CLM) were obtained and analysed.
The climate simulations were performed for the future periods 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
under the A1B and B1 scenarios. Mann-Kendall test was applied to investigate possible
trends. Spatial distribution of precipitation was performed using a combination of dynamic and
statistical downscaling technique and Kriging method within ArcGIS 10.2.1.
Results: The results indicated that for both scenarios, reference periods and study areas,
precipitation is expected to be critically decreased. Additionally, Mann-Kendall test application
showed a strong downward trend for every study area. Furthermore, the decrease in
precipitation for the Ardas River basin characterised by the continental climate will be
tempered, while in the Sperchios River basin it will be smoother due to the influence of some
minor climatic variations in the basins' springs in the highlands where milder conditions occur.
Precipitation decrease in the Geropotamos River basin which is characterized by
Mediterranean climate will be more vigorous. B1 scenario is appeared more optimistic for the
Ardas and Sperchios River basins, while in the Geropotamos River basin, both applied
scenarios brought similar results, in terms of future precipitation response.
Conclusions: Knowledge of the variations of precipitation over agricultural areas that face
different climate conditions is very essential, as the results indicated that the precipitation
around Mediterranean is expected to be critically decreased. Additionally, complex climatic
conditions and rough topography in combination with diverse social, economic and
environmental aspects render the Mediterranean region one of the most vulnerable, in terms
of climate change.
Keywords: Precipitation; IPCC emission scenarios; climate change; downscaling techniques;
spatial interpolation; Greece

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Paper 3
Paparrizos, S., Matzarakis, A., 2016: Assessment of future climate change impacts on
the hydrological regime of selected Greek areas with different climate conditions.
Hydrology Research, DOI 10.2166/nh.2016.018

ABSTRACT
Background: Assessment of future variations of river streamflow is essential for the research
regarding climate and climate change. The study is focused on 3 agricultural areas
widespread in Greece with different climate conditions and aims to assess the future response
of streamflow and its impacts on the hydrological regime, in combination with other
fundamental aspects of the hydrological cycle.
Methods: ArcSWAT ArcGIS extension was used to simulate the future response of
streamflow. Future meteorological data were obtained from various Regional Climate Models
(RCMs), and analysed for the periods 2021-2050 and 2071-2100. The autoregressive
integrated moving average model (ARIMA) was used for forecasting of the irrigation water
withdrawal. Mann-Kendall test was applied to investigate possible trends.
Results: In all the examined areas, streamflow is expected to be reduced. Areas
characterized by continental climate will face minor reductions by the mid-century that will
become very intense by the end and thus these areas will become more resistant to future
changes. Areas characterized by Mediterranean conditions will be very vulnerable in terms of
future climate change. Specifically, the strongest reduction is expected in the Sperchios River
basin which will lose almost 1/3 of its streamflow, while the Ardas and the Geropotamos River
basin will lose more than 1/3. AET will initially face strong decrease during the first half of the
century, but by the end of the century it will face minor increase.
Conclusions: Areas characterized by Mediterranean climate conditions will be very
vulnerable in terms of future climate change. Reduced precipitation is the main reason for
decreased streamflow. Nevertheless, the high values of Actual Evapotranspiration by the end
of the century due to increases in air temperature will partly equilibrate the water balance.
Since the climate in Mediterranean is one of the most vulnerable in terms of climate change,
great caution is needed when making conclusions, as the climate uncertainties results from
reduced runoff can be one of the major threats in the contemporary water resources
management.
Keywords: ArcSWAT; climate change; Greece; hydrological modelling; IPCC scenarios;
streamflow

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Paper 4
Paparrizos, S., Matzarakis, A., 2016. Present and future assessment of Growing
Degree Days over selected Greek areas with different climate conditions. Meteorology
and Atmospheric Physics, DOI 10.1007/s00703-016-0475-8

ABSTRACT
Background: The determination of heat requirements in the first developing phases of plants
has been expressed as Growing Degree Days (GDD). The current study focuses on three
selected study areas in Greece that are characterised by different climatic conditions due to
their location and aims to assess the future variation and spatial distribution of Growing
Degree Days (GDD) and how these can affect the main cultivations in the study areas.
Methods: Future temperature data were obtained and analysed by the ENSEMBLES project.
The analysis was performed for the future periods 2021-2050 & 2071-2100 with the A1B and
B1 scenarios. Spatial distribution was performed using a combination of dynamical and
statistical downscaling technique through ArcGIS 10.2.1.
Results: The results indicated that for all the future periods and scenarios, the GDD are
expected to increase for both applied scenarios in every study area. The increase in the
Sperchios River basin will be the highest, followed by the Ardas and the Geropotamos River
basins. Moreover, the cultivation period will be shifted from April-October to April-September
which will have social, economic and environmental benefits. Regarding the spatial
interpolation of the GDD, in the upcoming years the GDD units as well as their area will be
expanded and the local cultivations will find more favourable conditions in larger areas and
increase their productivity. During the sub-period analysis, the Sperchios and the
Geropotamos River basins are presented with critical differentiations between April-October
and April-November results.
Conclusions: In the upcoming years the GDD Expansion of the existing cultivation though,
will lead to changes in land use but their extensive expansion will face some difficulties due to
the complex topography. On the other hand, in the existing cultivations the growing maturity
will be achieved in a shorter period of time and this will further reduce the cultivations costs.
Additionally, the decrease of the cultivation period will have a direct effect on the efficient
energy use as well as the protection, preservation and the sustainable development of the
water resources, since irrigation dominates and constitutes the main cause of water scarcity
problems in the certain areas.
Keywords: Agriculture; Growing Degree Days; climate change; downscaling spatial
interpolation; Greece
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Paper 5
Paparrizos, S., Maris, F., Matzarakis, A., 2016. Integrated analysis and mapping of
aridity over Greek areas with different climate conditions. Global NEST Journal, 18(1):
131-145.

ABSTRACT
Background: Assessment of aridity conditions prevailing in a certain area is essential for the
research on climate and climate change. Greece is characterized by a variety of climatic
conditions such as drought conditions or flooding phenomena. The current study focuses on
three selected areas within Greece that present different climatic characteristics due to their
location and aims to analyse and compare the aridity conditions prevailing in these areas.
Methods: Aridity conditions were estimated using the Aridity Index (AI). The analysis was
performed using the reference period data for annual, as well as seasonal periods. MannKendall test was applied to investigate possible trends. Spatial distribution of aridity conditions
was performed using multi-linear regression techniques and Kriging method within ArcGIS
10.2.1.
Results: The results indicated that the study areas face humid conditions, mostly due to the
existence of high altitudes. Furthermore, the various climatic conditions are responsible for
differentiations in seasonal analysis regarding the aridity conditions. The study areas related to
the Mediterranean climate resulted more heterogeneous conditions compared with areas
affected by the continental climate. Nevertheless, the created aridity spatial maps of trend
analysis presented with differentiations, especially in the mountainous areas were an extreme
downward trend is appeared. For the southern investigated area in Crete Island characterized
purely by Mediterranean climate, the results were more moderate in terms of aridity
conditions.
Conclusions: Through the assessment of the aridity conditions, the emerge of drought
conditions to appear is possible so the water resources planning and management must follow
very careful steps. The results indicated that great caution is needed in making conclusions
regarding the climate in the Mediterranean region. The climate of the Mediterranean region is
one of the most vulnerable in terms of climate change with diverse social, economic and
environmental impacts. The complex climatic conditions prevailing in both Greece and thus
the Mediterranean region play a very important role in the creation of drought conditions,
flooding phenomena, etc.. Actions need to be taken in order to prevail against the upcoming
effects of climate change.

Keywords: Aridity; Aridity Index (AI); multi-linear regression; Ordinary Kriging; Greece
161

Paper 6
Paparrizos, S., Maris, F., Weiler, M., Matzarakis, A., 2016. Analysis and mapping of
present and future drought conditions over Greek areas with different climate
conditions. Theoretical and Applied Climatology, DOI 10.1007/s00704016-1964-x

ABSTRACT
Background: Estimation of drought in a certain temporal and spatial scale is essential for
the research on climate and climate change. The current study focuses on 3 selected areas in
Greece, Ardas River basin in North-eastern Greece, Sperchios River basin in Central Greece
and Geropotamos River basin in Crete Island in South Greece that present different climatic
characteristics due to their location and aims to analyse and compare the present and future
variation of drought conditions prevailing in these areas.

Methods: The Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) was used to identify and assess the
present and future drought conditions. Future precipitation data were derived from a number of
Regional Climatic Models (RCMs) from the ENSEMBLES European Project.
The climate simulations were performed for the future periods 2021-2050 and 2071-2100
under the A1B and B1 scenarios. Mann-Kendall test was applied to investigate possible
trends. Spatial distribution of SPI was performed using a combination of dynamic and
statistical downscaling technique and Kriging method within ArcGIS 10.2.1.

Results: The results indicated that for both scenarios, future periods and study areas,
drought conditions are expected to be more severe in the upcoming years. The decrease of
the SPI values in the Sperchios River basin is expected to be the strongest, as it is the only
study area that will show a negative balance (in SPI values), regarding the drought conditions.
For the Ardas and the Geropotamos River basins, a great decrease of the drought conditions
will occur during the 2021-2050 period, while for 2071-2100 period the decrease will continue
but it will be tempered. Nevertheless, the situation in all study areas according to the SPI
classification is characterized as 'Near-normal', in terms of drought conditions.

Conclusions: All study areas will face relatively severe drought conditions in the upcoming
years. The conditions will be more intense in the lowlands (plain areas) where all the
agricultural activity takes place. Elevation and broadly the topography plays a very important
role in the creation of different climatic conditions and directly affects the spatial analysis of the
drought conditions.

Keywords: Drought analysis; Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI); IPCC emission

scenarios; multi-linear regression; spatial interpolation; Greece

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Paper 7
Paparrizos, S., Maris, F., Matzarakis, A., 2016. A downscaling technique for
climatological data in areas with complex topography and limited data. International
Journal of Engineering Research and Development, (Accepted - In press)

ABSTRACT
Background: The current study describes a technique for downscaling climatological data in
areas with limited or no grid data. In cases where grid data are not available and the
researcher is called to operate on a regional or the mesoscale and produce detailed and not
coarse results, this technique can be a helping hand.

Methods: The described technique constitutes a coupling of statistical downscaling through

multi-linear regression techniques with the dynamical downscaling through Geographical
Information Systems and it can be used in order to spatially interpolate with high resolution
various climatological variables starting from a 1x1km grid. During the statistical analysis,
special attention is given to the output p-values, to preserve the statistical significance of the
examined factors.

Results: The application of the described technique was applied to 3 agricultural areas that
present different climate conditions and complex topography. The results indicated that the
current technique delivered very sufficient results as the adjusted coefficient (R2) is appeared
with high values in almost every case. Areas characterized by Mediterranean type of climate
with hot summers (Csa) showed the strongest presumption against null hypothesis, while
areas characterized by a combination of different Mediterranean climate types (Csa and Csb)
used the most coefficients in the multi-linear procedure and produced relatively good results.
Areas facing continental climate conditions delivered satisfactorily results, although most of
the examined coefficients are presented with medium presumption against null hypothesis.

Conclusions: In areas where complex climate and topographic conditions exist, it is rather
difficult to adjust and apply a method that is referred to regional case studies into a larger
area, because the under examination coefficients present high variability and they are affected
by various parameters each time. The described technique is referred and focused on the
mesoscale and it constitutes a simple method, which in combination of statistical analysis and
spatial interpolation technique through GIS programs can produce reliable maps that can be
notified free of charge to farmers, researchers or various stakeholders.

Keywords: Downscaling; Climatological Data; Statistical Analysis; Geographic Information

Systems; Greece

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