Towards a Sustainable and Adaptive Groundwater Management: Lessons from the Benalup Aquifer (Southern Spain)

Mercedes Vélez-Nicolás, Santiago García-López, Verónica Ruiz-Ortiz and Ángel Sánchez-Bellón
Additional contact information
Mercedes Vélez-Nicolás: Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cádiz, 11519 Puerto Real, Spain
Santiago García-López: Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cádiz, 11519 Puerto Real, Spain
Verónica Ruiz-Ortiz: Department of Industrial and Civil Engineering, Higher Polytechnic School of Algeciras, University of Cádiz, 11202 Algeciras, Spain
Ángel Sánchez-Bellón: Department of Earth Sciences, Faculty of Marine and Environmental Sciences, University of Cádiz, 11519 Puerto Real, Spain

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 12, 1-28

Abstract: Reversing the chemical and quantitative impacts derived from human activity on aquifers demands a multidisciplinary approach. This requires, firstly, to update the hydrogeological knowledge of the groundwater systems, which is pivotal for the sustainable use of this resource, and secondly, to integrate the social, economic and administrative reality of the region. The present work focuses on the Benalup aquifer, whose exploitation plays a major role in the economy of the area, based mainly on irrigated agriculture. This activity has had negative consequences for the aquifer in quantitative and chemical terms, leading to its declaration as in poor condition. The study presented here shows the results obtained from the application of hydrogeological techniques, remote sensing and citizen participation tools, which have allowed us to deepen and improve the current knowledge of the system’s hydrogeological, geometric, administrative and social aspects. Additionally, the lessons learned from this case study are analyzed. The deficiencies detected are discussed, and alternatives aimed at the sustainable use of groundwater are proposed, such as the possibility of a joint use of surface and groundwater resources, the creation of a Water User Association responsible for the management of groundwater and the need for greater efforts aimed at educating and raising awareness of water conservation among citizens.

Keywords: aquifer management; water governance; irrigation; unauthorized use; barbate river basin; biocalcarenites; remote sensing; citizen surveys; groundwater (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/12/5215/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/12/12/5215/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:12:p:5215-:d:376639

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().