EVOLUTIONARY OPTIMIZATION FOR REGIONAL-SCALE MANAGEMENT
COASTAL AQUIFERS
A model for sustainable use of coastal water resources
Júlio F. FERREIRA da SILVA
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal
juliofs@civil.uminho.pt
Naim HAIE
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Minho, Guimarães, Portugal
naim@civil.uminho.pt
An evolutionary optimization model has been developed for planning and managing saltwaterintruded coastal aquifers systems. In this paper we apply this model, which use the simulation /
optimization approach, for managing water resources in coastal areas within regional-scale
systems. The optimization model incorporates two conflicting objectives: minimization of
present value benefits and costs of meeting water demands and the control of saltwater intrusion.
The model is designed as a nonlinearly constrained problem with nonlinear objective function.
Evolutionary Optimization models require intensive computational efforts. We use analytical
solutions in a first stage to reduce the number of forward numeric simulations required.
The model provides a set of policies that optimally define the groundwater extraction and keep
under control the saltwater intrusion in the aquifer.