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Aquatic Ecosystems Services

Ecological Water Quality

Under the scope of the Water Framework Directive (WFD), ecological quality assessment is performed in surface waters (rivers, lakes, transitional and coastal waters) and encompasses biological elements (diatoms, phytoplankton, macroinvertebrates, fishes and macrophytes), as well as chemical, physicochemical and hydromorphological indicators. Quality classes are assigned considering the deviation that each relevant component of the aquatic environment shows in relation to its reference conditions. BIOTA has been involved in many projects requiring the assessment of water quality and can assist you in the characterization of the distinct quality elements in any type of water categories.

Environmental Flows

Environmental flows are an important tool in the management of aquatic infrastructures aiming to sustain downstream freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods that depend on them. BIOTA is experienced in the determination of environmental flows, using simple hydrological or more complex methods, like habitat modelling and holistic approaches (e.g., IFIM) that consider relevant ecological and social factors, and in the assessment of the efficacy of already implemented environmental flow regimes. Whatever are the project specifications, BIOTA assures the adequate expertise.

Hydromorphological Characterization

BIOTA carries out the characterization of hydromorphological features in rivers to provide information on habitat diversity, availability, and its degree of alteration. These can be performed at various scales, from the river reach to river basin, depending on the established objectives. Among other goals, this assessment is commonly performed to evaluate river ecological quality, identify critical sections for fluvial continuity, choose restoration sites or collect additional data for the study of the biological communities.

Projects

Location: Angola

BIOTA's Client: COBA – Consultores em Engenharia e Ambiente, S.A.

Final Client: Angola Government

Start Date: 2012

Completion Date: November 2015

Description of the project: For each hydrographic region of Angola, the potential ecological values concerning fauna and flora were identified, as well as its ecological sensitivity. A valuation scale of ecological richness was then applied within each hydrographic region. Environmental flows were estimated for each hydrographic region using the curve displacement method. Angola’s national water plan is in force since 2017.

Location: Guarda

BIOTA's Client: EDP Labelec

Final Client: EDP – Gestão da Produção de Energia, S.A

Start Date: 2009

Completion Date: 2022

Components: Freshwater fish, macroinvertebrates, macrophytes and hydromorphology.

Description of the project: The monitoring programme included annual sampling of macroinvertebrates and fish fauna, as well as the characterisation of macrophyte communities and hydromorphological condition every 5 to 7 years. The data collected provided an integrated assessment of biological, hydromorphological and ecological quality, enabling the evaluation of the effectiveness of ecological flows.

Location: Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro

BIOTA's Client: Hydrotua

Final Client: Hydrotua

Start Date: September 2012

Completion Date: July 2013

Description of the project: Estimation of the ecological flow regime for hydropower projects based on IFIM methods. The project involved hydraulic characterisation of river stretches downstream of the project dams, as well as habitat modelling for potentially suitable habitats for target species of fish and freshwater mussels, taking into account their ecological requirements and different flow regime scenarios.

Location: Northern Region (municipalities of Vila Nova de Gaia, Gondomar, Cinfães, Peso da Régua, São João da Pesqueira, and Vila Nova de Foz Côa)

BIOTA's Client: EDP Produção

Final Client: EDP Produção

Start Date: 2021

Completion Date: Ongoing

Description of the project: Monitoring programme of the Borland locks at the Crestuma-Lever, Carrapatelo, Régua, Valeira and Pocinho dams. The project aims to assess the effectiveness of these locks by analysing their use by fish fauna and to propose measures to optimise their operation.

Location: Northern Region (municipalities of Póvoa de Lanhoso and Vieira do Minho)

BIOTA's Client: EDP Labelec

Final Client: EDP Produção

Start Date: 2025

Completion Date: Ongoing

Description of the project: Water Quality Monitoring of the Guilhofrei, Ermal, Ponte de Esperança and Senhora do Porto Hydropower Developments. The project specifically covers the development of monitoring activities for biological quality elements - fish fauna, benthic macroinvertebrates, macrophytes and phytobenthos (diatoms) - and hydromorphological elements (RHS).

Location: Northern Region (municipalities of Póvoa de Lanhoso, Vieira do Minho, Montalegre, and Amares)

BIOTA's Client: EDP Labelec

Final Client: EDP Produção

Start Date: 2025

Completion Date: Ongoing

Description of the project: The project specifically covers the development of monitoring activities for biological quality elements - fish fauna and benthic macroinvertebrates - and the characterisation of river habitats, morphological conditions and constraints, as well as the monitoring of the biological element macrophytes and the application of the River Habitat Survey.