SMART Control: Smart framework for risk reduction in sustainable groundwater management techniques

Managed aquifer recharge is a nature-based, worldwide successful process for sustainable water resource management. By storing temporarily excess water in geologically suitable subsoils, groundwater-dependent ecosystem services can be restored such as the production of fresh water, prevention of saltwater intrusions and improvement of water quality. This contributes significantly to increasing the security of water supply. However, the lack of detailed and real-time data continues to hinder reliable monitoring as well as forecasting and avoidance of risks in aquifer recharge processes.

SMART Control reduced these risks in the application of sustainable groundwater management techniques, in particular managed aquifer recharge techniques, by developing an innovative web-based real-time monitoring and control system in combination with risk assessment and management tools. The approach was tested at a total of six pilot sites in Brazil, Cyprus, France and Germany under different environmental and operating conditions. State-of-the-art online sensor technology was used to collect real-time hydraulic parameters and water quality data on a web-based platform and to interpret them using a variety of modelling approaches.

In SMART Control, adelphi conducted workshops with local stakeholders on the use of the SMART-Control software and the associated adequate risk management at the pilot sites in Brazil and Cyprus. Furthermore, adelphi contributed to the development of technology transfer concepts and cost-benefit analyses with the aim to sensibilise stakeholders and decision makers from politics and economy for the benefits of the SMART Control approach and nature-based managed aquifer recharge techniques.

SMART Control was funded under the Water JPI 2017 Joint Call on Water Resource Management in support of the United Nations for Sustainable Development.