Samothraki is an island with significant water resources considering its area (Skoulikidis et al. 2014). However, as a result of unsustainable water management, some settlements and crops suffer from water scarcity during the summer period and a number of streams face artificial desiccation with adverse ecological consequences. Also, the island is vulnerable to floods since flood forecasting and respective abatement measures are missing. Currently, water management is carried out in old-fashioned, add hock and, frequently, individualistic ways that are often inadequate to satisfy the needs. Especially during extreme events, like flood sand prolonged draughts. In addition, the River Basin Management Plan of Eastern Macedonia & Thrace (2012) and its first revision (2017) marginally refers to concrete water resources management actions or measures for the island.
Recently, a Water Metabolism and Water Management Study has been assigned to the Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (HCMR – Institute of Marine Biological Resources & Inland Waters) by the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna in order to illustrate the existing water management system, estimate the available water resources, water uses and demands and propose a preliminary water resources management plan for the island.
Results of this study are presented bellow: