The Melides Lagoon is part of an interior lagoonal system located along the Alentejo’s coastline (south Portugal); this lagoonal system requires complex annual interventions to reconnect it to the sea, since its natural tendency is to isolate itself in lagoonal bays. Alternating between its connection to sea and its lagoonal isolation is what makes this a unique complex system that requires a constant multidisciplinary monitoring and specialized environmental management in order to guarantee controlled transitions between the different physico-chemical and ecological equilibria.
These coastal lagoons also have a high ecological status, which granted it a Nature Reserve position in 2000.
Nemus participated in the integrated study of the Melide’s Lagoon with the purpose of: identifying the potentials, restraints and problems of this complex lagoonal system, so as to set down the necessary actions for rehabilitating and managing the water plane, the temporary connection to sea and also the surrounding land area. This study had a strong mathematic modeling and data analysis component in geographical information systems (GIS), as well as detailed environmental studies.
Between the various proposals, the fight against eutrophication stands out, which projected the installment of aerators, the definition of rules to open the bar, the temporary planning of these activities and the evaluation of the necessary investments.