Proper use of irrigation water is an important priority for the Institute of Olive, Subtropical Plants & Viticulture, due to the fact that the development of the agricultural sector is interrelated with the effective management of water resources, as well as because agriculture is the most important water consumer in Greece with trends of increasing irrigation needs and pollution load in the oncoming years.
Using new geoinformatics / precision agriculture technologies, the main mission of this research field is the implementation of applied research projects and studies to solve problems related to the effective management of irrigation water in tree crops, to manage/ predict environmental hazards in agriculture as well as the effective adaptation of tree crops to the climate-water effects.
The research sector of Irrigation and Water Resources Management, based in Chania, includes the following researchers: N. Kourgialas (Head), G. Psarras, K. Tzerakis, G. Koubouris, V. Ziogas, T.T. Τzatzani.
Morianou, G., Kourgialas N.N., Pisinaras V., Psarras, G., Arampatzis, G. 2021 Assessing desertification sensitivity map under climate change and agricultural practices scenarios: the island of Crete case study Water Supply, ws2021132.
Morianou, G., Ziogas V., Kourgialas N.N., Karatzas, G., 2021 Effect of irrigation practices upon yield and fruit quality of four grapefruit (Citrus paradisi Mac.) cultivars Water Supply, ws2021113
Kourgialas, N.N., Dokou, Z., 2021 Water management and salinity adaptation approaches of Avocado trees: A review for hot-summer Mediterranean climate Agricultural Water Management, 252, ,106923
Kourgialas, N. N. 2021 Hydroclimatic impact on Mediterranean tree crops area – mapping hydrological extremes (drought/flood) prone parcels Journal of Hydrology, 596, 125684
Kourgialas, N. N. 2021 A critical review of water resources in Greece: the key role of agricultural adaptation to climate-water effects Science of the Total Environment, 775, 145857
Kourgialas N.N. 2021 Could advances in geoinformatics, irrigation management and climate adaptive agronomic practices ensure the sustainability of water supply in agriculture? Water Supply , 21 (6): v–vii
Michalopoulos, G., Kasapi, K.A., Koubouris, G., Psarras, G., Arampatzis, G., Hatzigiannakis, E., Kavvadias, V., Xiloyannis, C., Montanaro, G., Malliaraki, S., Angelaki, A., Manolaraki, C., Giakoumaki, G., Reppas, S., Kourgialas, N., Kokkinos, G. 2020 Adaptation of Mediterranean olive groves to climate change through sustainable cultivation practices Climate, 8
Kourgialas, N.N., Koubouris, G.C., Dokou, Z. 2019 Optimal irrigation planning for addressing current or future water scarcity in Mediterranean tree crops Science of the Total Environment, 654, 616-632.
Giatrakis, G., Kourgialas, N.N., Tsouchlaraki, A., Maria, E.A., Dokou, Z. 2019 Could Photovoltaic Parks be More Profitable as an Investment Compared to Tree Crops in Mediterranean Water Scarce Regions? Scientific Review, 5(7), 124-131.
Srivastava, K. P., Petropoulos, P. G., Kourgialas, N. N., Pandey, V. 2019 GIS and Remote Sensing Aided Information for Soil Moisture Estimation: A Comparative Study of Interpolation Techniques Resources, 8(2)70
Silva Fuzzo D. F., Carlson T.N., Kourgialas N.N., Petropoulos G.P. 2019 Coupling Remote Sensing with a Water Balance Model for Soybean Yield Predictions Over Large Areas Earth Science Informatics Earth Science Informatics , 13(2), 345-359.
Morianou, G.G., Kourgialas, N.N., Psarras, G., Koubouris, G.C. 2018 Mapping sensitivity to desertification in Crete (Greece), the risk for agricultural areas Journal of Water and Climate Change, 9, 691-702.
Arampatzis, G., Hatzigiannakis, E., Pisinaras, V., Kourgialas, N., Psarras, G., Kinigopoulou, V., Panagopoulos, A., Koubouris, G. 2018 Soil water content and olive tree yield responses to soil management, irrigation, and precipitation in a hilly mediterranean area Journal of Water and Climate Change, 9, 672-678.
Arampatzis, G., Hatzigiannakis, E., Kourgialas, N., Psarras, G., Kinigopoulou, V., Panagopoulos, A., Koubouris, G. 2018 Seasonal variation and implications of soil water content in the cultivation of olive trees Acta Horticulturae, 1199, 339-343.
Kourgialas, N.N., Karatzas, G.P., Dokou, Z., Kokorogiannis, A. 2018 Groundwater footprint methodology as policy tool for balancing water needs (agriculture & tourism) in water scarce islands – The case of Crete, Greece Science of the Total Environment, 615, 381-389.
Morianou, G. G., Kourgialas, N. N., Karatzas, G. P., Nikolaidis, N. P. 2018 Assessing hydro-morphological changes in Mediterranean stream using curvilinear grid modeling approach- climate change impacts Earth Science Informatics , 11(2), 205-216.
Kourgialas, N.N., Anyfanti, I., Karatzas, G.P., Dokou, Z., 2018 An integrated method for assessing drought prone areas – water efficiency practices for a climate resilient Mediterranean agriculture Science of the Total Environment, 625, 1290–1300.
Koubouris, G.C., Kourgialas, N.N., Kavvadias, V., Digalaki, N., Psarras, G. 2017 Sustainable Agricultural Practices for Improving Soil Carbon and Nitrogen Content in Relation to Water Availability–An Adapted Approach to Mediterranean Olive Groves Communications in Soil Science and Plant Analysis, 48, 2687-2700.
Kourgialas, N.N., Doupis, G., Psarras, G., Sergentani, C., Digalaki, N., Koubouris, G.C. 2017 Soil management and compost effects on salinity and seasonal water storage in a mediterranean drought-affected olive tree area Desalination and Water Treatment, 99, 42-48.
Kourgialas, N.N., Karatzas, G.P., Koubouris, G.C. 2017 A GIS policy approach for assessing the effect of fertilizers on the quality of drinking and irrigation water and wellhead protection zones (Crete, Greece) Journal of Environmental Management, 189, 150-159.
Kourgialas, N. N., Karatzas, G. P. 2017 A national scale flood hazard mapping methodology: The case of Greece – protection and adaptation policy approaches. Science of the Total Environment, 601–602, 441–452.
Morianou, G. G., Kourgialas, N. N., Karatzas, G. P., Nikolaidis, N. P. 2017 River flow and sediment transport simulation based on a curvilinear and rectilinear grid modelling approach-a comparison study Water Science and Technology , ws2017031
Goumas, C., Dokou, Z., Morianou, G.G., Kourgialas, N.N. and Karatzas, G.P 2017 Using groundwater flow simulation of the Chania Plain area to propose a proper irrigation plan European Water, 57, 467-473.
Kourgialas, N.N., Koubouris, G.C., Karatzas, G.P., Metzidakis, I. 2016 Assessing water erosion in Mediterranean tree crops using GIS techniques and field measurements: the effect of climate change Natural Hazards, 83, 65-81.
Kourgialas, N., Doupis, G., Papafilippaki, A., Psarras, G., Koubouris, G. 2016 Seasonal Variation of Soil Moisture in Irrigated Olive Trees Procedia Engineering, 162, 471-475.
Daliakopoulos I.N., Tsanis, I.K., Koutroulis, A., Kourgialas, N.N., Varouchakis,E., Karatzas, G.P., Ritsema, C.J. 2016 The threat of soil salinity: A European scale review Science of the Total Environment, 573, 727 - 739.
Kourgialas, N.N., Dokou Z., Karatzas G.P., Panagopoulos G., Soupios, P., Vafidis, A, Manoutsoglou E., Schafmeister M. 2016 Saltwater intrusion in an irrigated agricultural area: combining density-dependent modeling and geophysical methods Environmental Earth Science, 75(1), 1–13, 15.
Morianou, G. G., Kourgialas, N. N., Karatzas, G. P., 2016 Comparison between curvilinear and rectilinear grid based hydraulic models for river flow simulation. Procedia Engineering, 162, 463–470.
Apostolakis, A., Wagner, K., Daliakopoulos, I.N., Kourgialas, N.N., Tsanis, I.K., 2016 Greenhouse Soil Moisture Deficit under Saline Irrigation and Climate Change Procedia Engineering, 162, 537–544.
Morianou, G. G., Kourgialas, N. N., Karatzas, G. P., Nikolaidis, N. P., 2016 Hydraulic and sediment transport simulation of Koiliaris River using the MIKE 21C model Procedia Engineering, 162C, 463-470.
Kourgialas, N.N., Karatzas, G.P., 2016 A flood risk decision making approach for Mediterranean tree crops using GIS; climate change effects and flood-tolerant species Environmental Science and Policy, 63, 132-142.
Koubouris, G.C., Tzortzakis, N., Kourgialas, N.N., Darioti, M., Metzidakis, I. 2015 Growth, photosynthesis and pollen performance in saline water treated olive plants under high temperature International Journal of Plant Biology, 6
Kourgialas, N.N., Dokou, Z. and Karatzas, G.P., 2015 Statistical Analysis and ANN Modeling for Predicting Hydrological Extremes under Climate Change Scenarios. The example of a small Mediterranean Agro-watershed Journal of Environmental Management , 154, 86-101.
Kourgialas, N.N., Karatzas, G.P., 2015 A modeling approach for agricultural water management in citrus orchards: Cost-effective irrigation scheduling and agrochemical transport simulation Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187(7), 4655.
Dokou, Z., Kourgialas, N.N. and Karatzas, G.P., 2015 Assessing groundwater quality in Greece based on spatial and temporal analysis Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, 187: 774
Kourgialas, N.N. and Karatzas, G.P., 2014 Groundwater contamination risk assessment in Crete, Greece using numerical tools within a GIS framework. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 60, 111-123.
Kourgialas, N.N. and Karatzas, G.P., 2014 A hydro-sedimentary modelling system for flash flood propagation and hazard estimation under different agricultural practices Natural Hazards and Earth System Science, 14, 625-634.
Giannakis, G., Kourgialas, N.N., Paranychianakis N.V., Nikolaidis, N.P., Kalogerakis N., 2014 Effects of municipal solid waste compost on soil properties and vegetables growth Compost Science and Utilization, 22, 1–16.
Kourgialas, Ν.Ν, Karatzas, G.P. and Morianou, G. 2014 Water management plan for olive orchards in a semi-mountainous area of Crete, Greece Global Nest Journal, 17(1), 72-81.
Kourgialas, N.N. and Karatzas, G.P., 2013 A hydro-economic modeling framework for flood damage estimation and the role of riparian vegetation Hydrological Processes, 27 (4), 15-531.
Seferou, E., Soupios, P., Kourgialas, N.N., Dokou, Z., Karatzas, G.P., Papadopoulos, N., Candasayar, E., Sarris, A., Sauter, M., 2013 Olive oil mill wastewater transport in unsaturated and saturated laboratory conditions using geophysical techniques and the FEFLOW model. Hydrogeology Journal, 21(6), 1219-1234.
Kourgialas, N.N., Karatzas, G.P. and Nikolaidis, N.P., 2012 Development of a thresholds methodology for real-time flash flood prediction in complex geomorphological river basins Hydrological Processes, 26(10), 1478-1494.
Vozinaki, A.-E.K., Kourgialas N.N. and Karatzas G.P., 2012 Estimation of agricultural flood loss in the Koiliaris River Basin in Crete, Greece European Water, 39 , 53-63.
Kourgialas, N.N. and Karatzas, G.P., 2011 Flood management and a GIS modeling method to assess flood hazardous areas – A case study Hydrological Sciences Journal, 56(2), 212-225. .
Kourgialas, N.N., Karatzas, G.P. and Nikolaidis, N.P., 2010 An integrated framework for the hydrologic simulation of a complex geomorphological river basin Journal of Hydrology, 381, 308-321.
- Actions for the successful establishment of subtropical species in the Peloponnese regionProject Category:Direct AssignmentProject duration:5 YEARSScientfic Responsible:Thiresia-Teresa TzatzaniFunding Agency:Peloponnese Region, Peloponnese Regional Development FundProject website:
- Weekly Irrigation Bulletins for the Water District of Crete / Εβδομαδιαία δελτία άρδευσης για όλες τις Π.Ε. ΚρήτηςProject Category:Direct AssignmentProject duration:2018- 2021Scientfic Responsible:Kourgialas NektariosFunding Agency:Regional of CreteProject website:
- Optimization of irrigation systems – TOEB Prefecture of ChaniaProject Category:Direct AssignmentProject duration:2019- 2020Scientfic Responsible:Kourgialas NektariosFunding Agency:Regional of CreteProject website:
- Water resources management for Amari River Dam in Crete and irrigation network optimization for tee cropsProject Category:Direct AssignmentProject duration:2018- 2019Scientfic Responsible:Kourgialas NektariosFunding Agency:Regional of CreteProject website:
- Horizon 2020 – Developing Earth Observation (EO)-powered services to promote soil carbon sequestration through regenerative agriculture ‘AgriCapture’ / Earth Observation & Water efficiency in semi-arid agricultureProject Category:InternationalProject duration:2021-2024Scientfic Responsible:Κουργιαλάς Νεκτάριος (Συντονιστής πιλοτικών περιοχών)Funding Agency:Horizon 2020 - European CommissionProject website:
- Integrated decision-making system for crop irrigation in Crete using innovative technologies - DE.F.I.C.I.T. with OPS code (MIS: 5028242) / Decision system For Irrigation in Crete based on Innovative TechnologiesProject Category:NationalProject duration:2019-2022Scientfic Responsible:Kourgialas Nektarios (Project Coordinator)Funding Agency:ESPAProject website:
- LIFE AgroClimaWater (LIFE14CCA/GR.00389). Promoting efficient water use and supporting the transition to climate-resilient agriculture in Mediterranean countriesProject Category:InternationalProject duration:2015-2020Scientfic Responsible:Kourgialas NektariosFunding Agency:EUProject website: