Sustainability, Vol. 12, Pages 632: Fuzzy Techniques for Artificial Snow Cover Optimization in the Ski Areas. Case Study: Obârsia Lotrului (Southern Carpathians, Romania) (Sustainability)

This paper focuses on the environmental conflicts induced by insufficient continuous snow cover on the ski areas in Romania. The case study aims envisions the area of Southern Carpathians, Latoritei Mountains, belonging to the group of Parâng Mountains. The area chosen to develop and improve the artificial snow system was conducted for in the proposed ski area, Obârsia Lotrului. This fulfilled a necessary condition (geomorphological and climatic) for the development of the ski domain. The methodology focuses on two main stages phases. In the first stage phase, based on the GIS, the areas that have shown problems in terms of continuity of the snow layer and its thickness were identified, while the second phase, there is a supposed optimization based on Fuzzy logic for the installation of artificial snow. The corresponding thickness of snow for a longer period of time can lead to a higher socio-economic efficiency, as well as the increase of the use duration of the respective ski area, and also a prevention mechanism to environmental conflicts that may arise. The proposed study supports civil society by optimizing artificial snow machines through a positive impact on water resources allocated to a ski area in order to maintain a continuous snow cover.