Perspectiva general del papel y gestión de las aguas subterráneas en el Área de Doñana, Sudoeste de España

Resumen

The Doñana Area is the space of the geographical territory around the Natural Space of Doñana and its surroundings, which is the main natural reserve of Western Europe. It is placed in the provinces of Huelva and Sevilla, and extents from the Atlantic Ocean to the south up to around the Tinto River to the north, and from the mouth of the Guadalquivir River to the east up to that of the Tinto and Odiel Rivers to the west. Out of these boundary rivers, and excluding the Guadiamar River, which is currently derived to discharge into the Guadalquivir, before its mouth, there is no external contribution of surface water. There is a large marsh and an extended area of sands, which contains an important aquifer. A large part of water manifestations (ravines, lagoons, discharges in ecotones, phreatophyte areas, sustained flows to the marsh) are or were related with groundwater. There is also an important groundwater draft to supply intensive irrigation fields and, with less intensity, town and touristic demands. This arises a conflict between Nature conservation and human demand supply, which has appeared in the last 30 years. This must be changed to achieve complementarity. Institutions and active participation of citizens are needed. Water management evolves in this direction, but knowledge barriers have to be abated, the interest of civil society and politicians has to be attracted, and confidence among the partners has to be achieved.