Application of the DPSIR analytical framework in a complex delta system: evaluation of the Thermaikos Gulf (Greece) coastal zone

changes during 100 years of human interventions

Aristomenis P. Karageorgis, Vassilios Kapsimalis, Areti Kontogianni, Michalis Skourtos, Kerry Turner and Wim Salomons

6th ELOISE Conference, Portoroz, Slovenia, 15-18 November 2004

Thermaikos Gulf catchment area

Catchment area: 40,000 km2 FYROM Axios R.

GREECE
Loudias R. Aliakmon R.

Gallikos R. Thessaloniki Thermaikos Gulf

Historical times

Today

Evolution of the Thessaloniki deltaic plain since 500 BC (Struck, 1908)

Satellite image of the coastal zone of Thermaikos Gulf (1997)

Major historical events

1430 1821 22-5-1829 1870-1913 Occupation of Thessaloniki by Murat II Greek revolution against the Ottoman rule Creation of the modern Greek state Russia, Austria, Bulgaria and Serbia claim Macedonia from the Turks 1912-1913 1st and 2nd Balkan War 10-8-1913 The treaty of Bucharest

1913-Stable borderline
The New Greece Colour lithograph depicting the New Greece [upon] the newly liberated lands, crowning the Greek armed forces, 1913, Athens, National Historical Museum.

Socioeconomic drivers evolution

end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century-Ottoman Empire

Greek rebels fighting for liberation malaria-typhus floods

The Balkans after the First Balkan War Swamps of Yiannitsa

Socioeconomic drivers evolution

end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century-Ottoman Empire

Hut in the marshes of Yiannitsa

View of Yiannitsa

First plans to drain the swamps

Socioeconomic drivers evolution

1910-1920
1920
THESSALONIKI
I AX R. OS
F

E TH

RM

O K I A

UL G

Albanakis et al., 1993

The river was naturally diverted to the east and the new river mouth was located at 6.5 km west of the Thessaloniki port-threat of blocking the port

U LO A DI SR .

Socioeconomic drivers evolution

1922 The catastrophe of the Greeks in Asia Minor brought a wave of 800,000 refugees

Needs for economic support

Socioeconomic drivers evolution

1890-2000
POLITICAL REASONS HUMAN HEALTH/FLOODS POPULATION GROWTH ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TRANSPORT PORT SILTATION

Year

1900

1950

2000

Diachronic pressures evolution

1930-1936

In the 1930s the Greek state had to face the growing demands for new agricultural areas, flood control, improvement in public health, increased standard of living, reduction of unemployment, and transport improvements

Diachronic pressures evolution

1930-2000

Realignment of the river route to its present position; this work resolved the siltation problem of the Thessaloniki port entrance The Loudias Lake and the swamps were drained Development of a huge irrigation and road network Development of agriculture (e.g. rice production up to 60% of the Greek total, wheat, maize, barley, cotton, tobacco)

Diachronic pressures evolution

1890-2000
REFUGEES REHABILITATION DRAINING AXIOS R. DIVERSION ARABLE LAND WATER DEMAND DAMMING CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AQUACULTURE

Year

1900

1950

2000

Environmental State of the coastal zone

(indicator: coastline configuration)
1935

1945

1970

1989

Albanakis et al., 1993

Environmental State of the coastal zone

(indicator: submarine erosion-accretion)

erosion

accretion

Environmental State of the coastal zone

PERIODS
I II III

Time

1850-1920

1920-1952

1952-2000

Human Implication

No
Accretion

Low
High Accretion

High
Erosion

Status

Net Sedimentation Rate (10 6 m3/yr)

+ 6.5

+ 18.0

2.5

Impacts on the coastal zone

REDUCTION OF RIVER LOADS SUBSIDENCE AQUIFER AND SOILSALINIZATION COASTLINE RETREAT

REDUCTION OF WETLANDS
BIODIVERSITY LOSS

Years

1900

1950

2000

Responses
First plans for draining Draining by Foundation Co. Axios R. Diversion Establishment of local authorities Master Plan for Thessaloniki RAMSAR Convention NATURA Network Master Plan for Axios/Vardar

Year

1900

1950

2000

Assessment of human activities POSITIVE EFFECTS

Economic development Disappearance of diseases Rehabilitation of refugees Termination of the siltation threat for the port of Thessaloniki Dense network of land transports and navigation

Assessment of human activities NEGATIVE EFFECTS

Erosion of the coastline Subsidence of urban and industrial areas Reduction of wetlands Biodiversity loss Drastic decrease of water resources Salinization of deltaic aquifers

Suggested actions
Partly replacement of the highly water consuming cultivations in the deltaic plain for the increase of water discharge in the lower part of the rivers Restriction of the ground water over-pumping from the deltaic aquifers Enlargement of the protected areas by the Ramsar Convention and the NATURA 2000 Network Legislation of hard and fast rules for the illegal sand extraction Strengthening of seawalls and construction of new ones from both sides of the Gallikos R. mouth

Photo-mosaic of the Axios River delta This work has been submitted for publication to Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science and was rejected. Some of the referees comments were: non-scientific, were are the data, .