Mapping and analysis of pressures on water resources from agriculture to target water and agriculture policies

A recent work carried out by CREA (ex INEA) compared spatial analysis of the main problems concerning the use of water resources for irrigation in Italian River basin districts (RBD) with the policy measures for water resources and agriculture, in order to verify the relevance of planning to address specific regional sensitivities. The bases for the policy analysis was River basin management plans (RBMPs), in updating, and proposal of Regulation for rural development, not yet approved at the time. The spatial and statistical analysis was done, for each Italian RBD, through cluster analysis method using specific indicators, calculated using quantifiable and comparable public database (ISTAT, ISPRA, SIGRIAN) and representing qualitative and quantitative pressures on waters and environmental constraint. The aim of this work is the updating of spatial analysis, with reference to recently approved RBMPs and new regional RDPs 2014-2020, based on the Regulation for rural development 1305/2013. The update of the work involves the use of additional indicators through the analysis of new data made available by the updating of RBMPs such as, for example, the qualitative and quantitative status of water bodies. Moreover, it is now possible to know the real measures put in place by each RDP, instead of possible measures to activate, and so to verify the real match between policies. Finally, the cluster analysis was conducted at national level instead of at RBD level, so that the magnitude of indicators is the same for all RBD and, then, comparable. The preliminary results of the updating, show a different variability of clusters trough national territory, with lower variability in Central and Southern Italy and higher variability in Northern Italy.