Description of the application

The measures include the temporary installation of structures utilizing locally available timber in order to increase water retention. The installation of the timber structures has been fixed parallel to the contours of the hills slopes in order to retain water. They were constructed from the cutting trunks of burned Aleppo Pine (Pinus helepensis) and Cypress (Supressus semprervirens) and they were secured on wooden stakes without any metal supports.

Lessons learned

This construction method was selected to avoid major landscape intervention and to preserve the ecological balance of the ecosystem. Their distances were determined according to log characteristics and also to topographic and hydro-meteorological conditions of each site they secure. They were also placed in a "mosaic design" consisting from single or double in high logs according to the gradient of the slopes. Additionally, the occurrence of soil erosion and overland flow contributed to severe flooding problems. These measures retained a total of 7.5 mm of fertile soil and the total soil material that was retained is estimated about 2.500 m3/30 ha. The flood events mainly affected the archaeological sites and the surrounding areas. An additional intervention refers to targeted planting of forests in mountain areas that can help stabilize hill slopes, thereby reduce erosion and potentially leading to greater water retention in the mountain areas. Afforestation may have beneficial impact on the hydrograph by reducing peak flows and enabling the maintenance of base flows. The potential for water retention must be balanced against the increased ET and pollutant trapping that may be associated with forests.

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Last modified: Sept. 12, 2016, 7:05 a.m.