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Easier Said Than Done? The Establishment of Baseline Groundwater Conditions for the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Spain

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  • Lucia De Stefano
  • Pedro Martínez-Santos
  • Fermín Villarroya
  • Daniel Chico
  • Luis Martínez-Cortina

Abstract

The European Union (EU) Water Framework Directive (WFD) requires EU countries to achieve good status of all their waters by 2015. This should be achieved through the implementation of river basin management plans (RBMPs), which in turn are based on water resources baseline data. While it is too soon to assess the WFD effectiveness, the planning process has contributed to identify possible pitfalls of the WFD design and has provided an opportunity to enhance the knowledge of European water resources. Groundwater plays a strategic role in Spain’s economy and also in the maintenance of its aquatic ecosystems, making that country an excellent testing ground for getting an insight into the definition of baseline groundwater under the WFD mandate. This paper presents the results of compiling the information produced for the RBMPs to attain an overall picture at a national scale. In doing so, it examines some of the methodological and technical choices involved in the definition of a baseline for groundwater, assessing their practical consequences on groundwater management. This paper argues that having baseline figures for the RBMPs required compromises or shortcuts to be taken. Undoubtedly, the process leading to the first WFD Plans has been an extremely enriching learning process, but it leaves questions unanswered. The periodic (6 year) RBMP revision should become an opportunity to revisit and better tune the baseline conditions established during this first planning cycle. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Lucia De Stefano & Pedro Martínez-Santos & Fermín Villarroya & Daniel Chico & Luis Martínez-Cortina, 2013. "Easier Said Than Done? The Establishment of Baseline Groundwater Conditions for the Implementation of the Water Framework Directive in Spain," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(7), pages 2691-2707, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:waterr:v:27:y:2013:i:7:p:2691-2707
    DOI: 10.1007/s11269-013-0311-6
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jose-Luis Molina & Sergio Martos-Rosillo & Crisanto Martín-Montañés & Suzanne Pierce, 2012. "The Social Sustainable Aquifer Yield: An Indicator for the Analysis and Assessment of the Integrated Aquifers Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 26(10), pages 2951-2971, August.
    2. Adrian Werner & Qi Zhang & Lijuan Xue & Brian Smerdon & Xianghu Li & Xinjun Zhu & Lei Yu & Ling Li, 2013. "An Initial Inventory and Indexation of Groundwater Mega-Depletion Cases," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 27(2), pages 507-533, January.
    3. Wojciech Rejman, 2007. "EU Water Framework Directive versus Real Needs of Groundwater Management," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 21(8), pages 1363-1372, August.
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    1. Closas, Alvar & Molle, François & Hernández-Mora, Nuria, 2017. "Sticks and carrots to manage groundwater over-abstraction in La Mancha, Spain," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 194(C), pages 113-124.

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