Tirso River Basin,
Sardinia, Italy

The Tirso River Basin supports around 20,000 hectares of irrigated agriculture and a population of about 700,000 residents, facing water competition between agriculture, domestic use, and tourism, especially in the dry summer months. Current water availability meets only 45% of the total demand, with the remaining demand posing significant challenges.

ACQUAOUNT has developed a Living Lab since 2023, involving 5 farms—two specializing in citrus orchards and three in corn-silo cultivation. 8 fields are under monitoring with soil moisture sensors, water meters, TreeTalker Cyber devices (24 installed), and meteorological stations. At the basin level, three wells are being monitored for groundwater levels and quality, integrated in collaboration with ARPAS, and the reservoir monitoring data from ENAS is being connected to ACQUAOUNT’s Decision Support Tool.

Notable advancements include real-time data collection and dashboarding at both farm and basin scales. Farmers are receiving tailored irrigation advice, and initial trials have demonstrated better irrigation efficiency and enhanced crop water productivity. On the management side, dynamic scenario modelling is enabling authorities to explore alternative water allocation strategies under climate change, supporting long-term resilience planning.