Impacts of sea-level rise on the Ebro Delta: a first approach

Global climatic change is taking place and it will likely affect Mediterranean deltas and other low-lying coastal regions in terms of sea-level rise, salinity increase and changes in temperature and weather patterns. This will have serious implications because these deltas are very valuable in terms of natural resources and related economic activities. This study focuses on one of the northwestern Mediterranean deltas, namely that of the Ebro river. There is an enormous lack of information about and understanding of the integral functioning of this type of system. The objective of this ongoing study is to determine the vulnerability and response of this deltaic system to climate change, such that informed decision-making can be made. In order to do this it is proposed to make combined use of existing and new field measurements (sedimentation, soil formation and coastal fringe response) and an integrated (physical/ecological) conceptual model of deltaic behaviour. Using these tools, organized in relation to the interaction with socio-economic components, a number of intervention scenarios, aiming to cope with the effects of climate change, will be examined in a later stage of the research project. It is expected that these results will provide valuable information for integrated, comprehensive approaches to determine whether management plans are sustainable.