AQUIFER OVEREXPLOITATION AND DESERTIFICATION DYNAMICS IN THE GUADALENTIN BASIN. A MODEL SIMULATION APPROACH

In: http://hdl.handle.net/10261/74388

Open Access

Abstract

The Guadalentín basin is located in South East Spain; the climate is semiarid, being one of the driest areas of Europe, with high inter-annual variability in rainfall and constant aridity. Under these conditions, water becomes a key factor. Socioeconomic and natural systems have strong links that interact and influence each other. The way in which socioeconomic systems have evolved has been closely related to environmental factors, but also in response to political and technological changes. Land use historical changes are related with climate and the exploitation of water resources. The model proposed has three submodels: socioeconomic, groundwater, and surface water. Such submodels are connected by demand (use of water) and supply (water resources). Water supply is modelled in groundwater and surface water submodels; water demand in the socioeconomic submodel. A DSS (Decision Support System) application has been developed to make it easier to manage the model. Qualitative and quantitative indicators are used to reflect the dynamic behaviour of significant magnitudes such as soil quality and depth, population, employment, rural incomes, water quality and quantity (groundwater and surface water) and water consumption. ; This work is part of the Project "Procedimiento de Alerta y Seguimiento de la Desertificación en España", REN2000-1507-CO3-01 y 03/GLO, funded by CICYT. We are grateful for that funding. ; Peer reviewed