This timelapse video captures the dynamics of the Sidi Salem Dam in Tunisia, showing how its water surface extent changed month by month between January 2018 and April 2023, based on data from Earth Observations (EO). EO could reproduce the measured water volume, reflecting the power of EO in environmental monitoring. The Sidi Salem Dam, located on the transboundary Medjerda river, is an important source of water for domestic use, irrigation as well as energy for the people living in the basin and beyond. Information about surface water dynamics across seasons and over time can help water managers to assess water availability as well as flooding and drought risks.

River Basin Digital Twins (RBDTs) aim to provide a virtual representation of the physical river basin to gain control of the system. RBDTs should connect not only physical, chemical, and biological elements but also incorporate socio-economic components of a water system. As a result, RBDTs are tailored specifically to the physical river basin they represent.

Discover innovative solutions for sustainable water storage and distribution in the Mediterranean region through our PRIMA project, OurMED. In this video, Professor J. Jaime Gómez-Hernández from the technical University of Valencia addresses the challenges that the Mediterranean region faces in water management and explains the objectives of OurMED. Join us for an inspiring exploration of the future of water in one of the world's most iconic regions.

To ensure future-proof water management in a warmer world, cross-sectoral, participatory, and adaptive management of water storage, distribution and use are urgently required. A crucial aspect here is the need to shift to cross-sectoral systemic thinking including new management ethics. We, therefore, see a strong need for knowledge-based, participatory decision-making through the development of a new generation of model-based and monitoring-supported information systems and their structured embedment in management structures. OurMED calls for a transition from a mono-sectoral water management approach based on trade-offs, to equitable multi-sectoral and integrative management that addresses all water bodies’ capabilities and needs towards sustainability. OurMED is a PRIMA funded project started in 2023 for a duration of 3 years. Join us in transforming Mediterranean water management for a sustainable future!