Implementation of the European Water Framework Directive: Integration of hydrological and regional planning at the Segura River Basin, southeast Spain

Grindlay, Alejandro L.; Zamorano, M.; Rodríguez, Mercedes; Molero, E.; Urrea, Maite

doi:10.1016/j.landusepol.2010.06.005

Cited by 82 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 46 publications

(63 reference statements)

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“…Finally, we argue that the environmental costs of flow regulation need to be included in agricultural water policy, especially in the Mediterranean and other water-stressed regions profoundly altered by dams and reservoirs (e.g., Grantham et al 2014;Piqué et al 2016), water competition is among the highest in the world (e.g., Grindlay et al 2011;Pérez-Blanco et al 2015), and pricing faces additional difficulties: there is strong social and political resistance to restricting water allocation to existing irrigation uses for environmental protection (e.g., Grantham et al 2014). …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Environmental Costs of Water Flow Regulation: an Innovative Approach Based on the ‘Polluter Pays’ Principle

Jalón

Tanago

Alonso

et al. 2017

Water Resour Manage

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The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD) explicitly requires the full cost recovery of water services, including the environmental costs incurred from the damage that water uses inflict on the environment. Although flow regulation by river damming is one of the most prominent human impact on fresh water ecosystems its environmental costs are not properly included in water pricing. This paper presents a novel approach to assessing the environmental costs of flow regulation based on the polluter-pays principle. The methodology includes three steps: (i) assessing the admissible range of regulated flow variability, derived from the natural flow regime variability, (ii) estimating the daily environmental impact of regulated flows according to deviations from the admissible range of flow variability, and (iii) calculating the environmental costs of flow regulation. The procedure is applied to four river case studies in Spain, UK and Norway. The advantages over other water cost valuation methods are discussed. The methodology enlarges the current recognition of environmental costs of water use and represents a practical management tool within the WFD context, encouraging transparency and stakeholder communication.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Environmental Costs of Water Flow Regulation: an Innovative Approach Based on the ‘Polluter Pays’ Principle

Jalón

Tanago

Alonso

et al. 2017

Water Resour Manage

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“…This is the case for Southern Spain where the scarcity generates problems in water allocation, mainly for irrigation, and endangers the environmental services that ensure social welfare [1]. Moreover, institutional and governance requirements in the integrated management of water resources (IWRM) aggravate this situation [2]. The Water Framework Directive (WFD; Directive 2000/60/EC) and the Groundwater Directive (Directive2006/118/EC) advocate achieving "good ecological status" for water resources, achieving a balance between abstraction and recharge that will ensure the survival of aquatic ecosystems and setting deadlines in their planning cycles until 2027 [3].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Managed Aquifer Recharge System for Irrigation under Climate Change Conditions in Southern Spain

Rupérez-Moreno

Pérez‐Sánchez

Senent‐Aparicio

et al. 2017

Water

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Droughts and climate change in regions with profitable irrigated agriculture will impact groundwater resources with associated direct and indirect impacts. In the integrated water resource management (IWRM), managed aquifer recharge (MAR) offers efficient solutions to protect, conserve, and ensure survival of aquifers and associated ecosystems, as the Water Framework Directive requires. The purpose of this paper is to analyse the socio-economic feasibility of the MAR system in the overexploited Boquerón aquifer in Hellín (Albacete, Spain) under climate change and varying irrigation demand conditions. To assess, in monetary terms, the profitability of the MAR system, a cost-benefit analysis (CBA) has been carried out. The results for the period 2020-2050 showed that the most favourable situations would be scenarios involving artificial recharge, in which future irrigation demand remains at the present level or falls below 10% of the current irrigation surface, as these scenarios generated an internal rate of return of between 53% and 57%. Additionally, the regeneration of the habitat will take between 5 and 9 years. Thus, the IWRM with artificial recharge will guarantee the sustainability of irrigation of the agricultural lands of Hellín and will achieve water balance even in severe climate change conditions.

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“…However, its agricultural sector is 45 premised on heavy overexploitation of groundwater resources and reliance on the Tagus-46 Segura inter-basin water transfer (IBWT) scheme, which was inaugurated in 1979 (Garrido et 47 al., 2006;Grindlay et al, 2011) and is for 56 ± 15% used for irrigation (CREM, 2011) . The 48 region has become known as a major producer of fruits and vegetables.…”

Section: Introduction 34 35mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The 48 region has become known as a major producer of fruits and vegetables. This is reflected in 49 the importance of agriculture in the economy (8.3% of regional employment and 5.8% of 50 regional gross added value against 4.5% and 2.6% at the national level, respectively), but 51 most significantly by the fact that agricultural exports make up 35.4% of Murcia's total 52 exports (CREM, 2011 demand in the Segura basin has surpassed availability of renewable water resources as a 57 combined effect of increased irrigation (87% of current water demand) and rapid urbanization 58 (7%) (Grindlay et al, 2011). As a result, ironically, the IBWT scheme has only further 59 aggravated the region's chronic water shortage.…”

Section: Introduction 34 35mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Past and present perspectives on the region's water shortage are well-documented by 62 Grindlay et al (2011). Oñate and Peco (2005) address the role policies have played in 63 transforming land management in Murcia over the years, particularly how they are perceived 64 to have driven land degradation processes in the Guadalentín basin, both in irrigated and 65 rainfed areas.…”

Section: Introduction 34 35mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Regional consequences of the way land users respond to future water availability in Murcia, Spain

et al. 2012

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Implementation of the European Water Framework Directive: Integration of hydrological and regional planning at the Segura River Basin, southeast Spain

Cited by 82 publications

References 46 publications

The Environmental Costs of Water Flow Regulation: an Innovative Approach Based on the ‘Polluter Pays’ Principle

The Environmental Costs of Water Flow Regulation: an Innovative Approach Based on the ‘Polluter Pays’ Principle

Cost-Benefit Analysis of the Managed Aquifer Recharge System for Irrigation under Climate Change Conditions in Southern Spain

Regional consequences of the way land users respond to future water availability in Murcia, Spain

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