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PAPER PRESENTED IN THE PROJECT:
“The environmental impact of maize cultivation in the
European Union: practical options for the improvement of the
environmental impact”.
(Contract. nº B4-3040/98/000796/MAR/D1).
PART II: WATER QUANTITY AND QUALITY, LIMITING FACTORS
AND SURVIVAL ELEMENTS OF THE LAS TABLAS DE DAIMIEL
AND GUADIANA RIVER HIGH BASIN.
.
Autores:
José Arturo de Juan Valero. Doctor Ingeniero Agrónomo
José María Tarjuelo Martín-Benito. Doctor Ingeniero Agrónomo.
José Fernando Ortega Álvarez. Ingeniero Agrónomo
Mª Isabel Casanova Martínez. Ingeniero Técnico Agrícola
Albacete, 12th August 1999
UNIVERSIDAD DE CASTILLA – LA MANCHA
Telf. +34 – (9) 67 599200 Fax +34 – (9) – 599233
CAMPUS UNIVERSITARIO DE ALBACETE
E02071 – ALBACETE (España)
,1'(;
1.-THE GUADIANA RIVER HIGH BASIN ............................................................................3
2.-THE WEST MANCHA HYDROLOGIC SYSTEM ............................................................ 7
3.-THE WEST MANCHA 23 AQUIFER ............................................................................... 10
4.- CAMPO DE MONTIEL HYDROGEOLOGIC SYSTEM ................................................16
5.-THE CAMPO DE MONTIEL 24 AQUIFER..................................................................... 18
6.-THE “HUMEDALES” IN THE WET MANCHA ..............................................................20
7.- LAS LAGUNAS DE RUIDERA NATURAL PARK........................................................ 22
8.- LAS TABLAS DE DAIMIEL NATIONAL PARK........................................................... 25
9.- THE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND THE CROPPING UTILISATION SYSTEM
DEVELOPED IN THE WEST LLANURA MANCHEGA. EVOLUTION AND
PRESENT PROBLEMS ..........................................................................................................38
10.-IDEAS FOR AN AGRICULTURE OF THE XXI CENTURY IN THE WEST
MANCHA AND CAMPO DE MONTIEL AQUIFERS ZONES ...........................................54
2
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Guadiana River and its influents run in Castilla-La Mancha, Extremadura, Andalucía
and Portugal. The Spanish area of the Guadiana basin covers 60256 km2, whereas the
Portuguese zone occupies about 11600 km2.
The Guadiana head, called High Basin, covers 16037 km2 of the South Castellana
Plateau. This area extends between Montes de Toledo, Sierra de Altomira to the North;
Albacete Llanos and the Sistema Ibérico to the East; and Sierra Morena and Sierra de
Alcaráz to the South flowing in an East-to-West direction towards Extremadura. This area
is situated in Castilla-La Mancha Community, distributed among Ciudad Real, Toledo,
Cuenca and Albacete provinces, taking the water from Guadiana River and its influents
from its rise to the El Vicario dam, near Ciudad Real (Figure 1). Since a planning point of
view, the Guadiana Hydrographical Confederation (CHG) divides the High Basin into 7
subzones:
Œ Subzone 1.1: High Guadiana to Peñarroya dam (1950 km2). It covers the
Campo de Montiel sector, which drains toward the Guadiana Alto- Lagunas
de Ruidera.
ΠSubzone 1.2: Llanura Manchega (10713 km2). It occupies the central part of
the High Basin, including Los Ojos del Guadiana and Las Tablas de Daimiel.
ΠSubzone 1.3: Azuer to Vallehermosa dam (524 km2). Azuer River rises from
a drainage in a South sector of Campo de Montiel, near Villahermosa. It
flows into this district to Villahermosa dam, after it introduces itself into the
Llanura Manchega.
ΠSubzone 1.4: Riansares (1355 km2). Riansares river rises in Sierra de
Altomira (Cuenca), meeting the Cigüela near Quero (Toledo).
Œ Subzone 1.5: Cigüela (1685 km2). This river emerges in Altos de Cabrejas
(Cuenca), linking to the Guadiana in Las Tablas de Daimiel.
Œ Subzone 1.6: High Záncara to Torrebuceit dam (144 km2). The Záncara rises
very near the Cigüela, meeting the Guadiana in Las Tablas de Daimiel.
Œ Subzone 1.7: Bañuelos (687 km2). The Bañuelos River rises from the South
offset in Montes de Toledo, emptying into Vicario dam.
The average altitude of the Guadiana High Basin is about 800 meters. Geologically,
it is formed by permeable materials -chalks over a marl and clay impermeable base. The
scare basin relief, the absence of a well defined drainage network and the abundance of
aquifer formations cause the existence of several lagoons with different sizes, genesis and
hydraulic working forming the “Wet Mancha”.
3
.
)LJXUH. The Guadiana River High Basin
4
Since the hydrogeologic point of view, four aquifers systems can be defined. They
form five hydrogeologic units, taking into account the Public Works Geologic Service
terminology – Spanish Technologic Geo-mining Institute (Fig.2):
Œ Sierra de Altomira Acuifer System (nº 19): 04.01 Hidrogeologic Unit. It has
an approximate area of 2600 km2. Lithologically, this Aquifer System is
constituted by Jurassic and Cretacic chalks and bitter spars separated by marls
and lime marls levels. The wall is represented by the Keuper (Triassic) clay
facies. The total power of these carbonated materials can reach 1100 m. On
this carbonated serie, continental arborescent-evaporite materials (clays,
arenytes, puddingstones and gypsums), which can have a thickness of over
300 m, are deposited. This system works as a free aquifer in the chalk and
marl outburst and as a confined or semi-confined aquifer in the rest, when
they were covered by the Tertiary existing among the alignings. The Jurassic
materials form the main aquifer.
Œ Mancha de Toledo Aquifer System (nº 20): 04.02 Hidrogeologic Unit (LilloQuintanar) and 04.03 Hidrogeologic Unit (Consuegra-Villacañas). This
aquifer covers 3550 km2. It has a difficult lithology due to the fact that it
includes small outbursts of Cambrian chalks, arenytes, Triassic
puddingstones, chalks and Tertiary arenytes separated by clay, marl and
gypsum levels. Depending on the materials geologic characteristics, the main
permeable spans are formed by the Cambrian chalks, the arenytes of the
Triassic base, the marl-calcareous assemblage rich in Tertiary gypsums and
the wilderness chalks. Besides, these Palaeozoic, Triassic and Tertiary
formations, which are the most significant aquifers, other Pliocene materials
and Quaternary sediments are also considered as permeable spans. But due to
their variable and scare thickness, they would not form important aquifers.
They would be different aquifer units, connected among them by means of
less permeable materials.
Œ West Mancha Aquifer System (nº 23): 04.04 Hidrogeologic Unit. This aquifer
system covers an area of 5500 km2 and it is an essential part of the Guadiana
River Basin. It is a morphoestructural hollow, where over a Palaeozoic
baseboard (shales and quartzites) and Mesozoic (detrited and carbonated
materials), Tertiary continental and Quaternary materials have been deposited
on the baseboard and present a general narrowness to the East. Two aquifers
separated by an intermediate detrited level are shown in this Hydrogeologic
Unit:
2
• Top Aquifer, 3000 km , constituted by chalks and marly chalk from the
Superior Miocene and from Plioquaternary detrited materials. It has an
average thickness of 35 m and maximum powers of 200 m in the centre
of the Basin. It is a free aquifer.
• Intermediate detrited level. It has two spans with different lithology: 1)
the top one clay-sandy with gypsums and 2) the bottom one with
puddingstones. As a whole, it is an aquitard, which presents locally
detrited levels working as aquifers. These materials belong to the
Inferior Miocene.
5
•
Bottom Aquifer. It is represented in the East sector of the 04.04
Hidrogeologic Unit. It is formed by the infralaying Mesozoic permeable
levels to the Tertiary assemblage. Three levels form it; the top one is
form by Cretacic chalks and has a power from 10 to 30 m. The
intermediate level is formed by oolite chalks of 50-60 m thickness. The
bottom level has Inferior Jurassic dolomite-chalk materials with a
thickness of 60-90 m. It is a confined or semi-confined aquifer by the
detrited unit of the Inferior Miocene.
)LJXUH. General map of the Guadiana High Basin. Hydrogeologic Units.
6
Œ Campo de Montiel Aquifer System (nº 24): 04.06 Hidrogeologic Unit. It has
an approximate area of 2600 km2. It shows a basement of Primary materials
formed by Ordovician quartzites and Siluric shales on which the Mesozoic
assemblage of Campo de Montiel was unconformably deposited. Triassic
chops up in great areas in the South and West of the aquifer. It is formed by
three formations, presenting usual lateral facies changes and thickness
variations, from 150 m to 0 m around the Palaeozoic primaryforms. The
bottom span is detrited, the middle one carbonated and the top one is formed
by a clay, marl and gypsum assemblage belonging to the Keuper facies, and
act as an impermeable base of the aquifer. The mean power of the main
aquifer is from 75 to 100 m, although 300 m can be reached. It is a free
aquifer.
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The West Mancha is situated in the Southwest of the natural Mancha region. It
extends all over 10000 km2, and over townships of Ciudad Real, Cuenca and Albacete. Its
altitude varies between 600 and 700 m, bending smoothly in an East-to-West direction.
The climate is Mediterranean-Continental type, characterised by extreme thermic
conditions. In winter, there can be temperatures of –12ºC and in summer 43ºC can be
reached. The mean temperature of January is 5ºC and the mean temperature of July is
24ºC. It is one of the most extreme zones in Spain.
This area has an average annual precipitation of 417 mm, varying among 439 mm in
Puerto Lápice, 378 mm in Las Tablas de Daimiel, 367 mm in Manzanares and 361 mm in
Alameda de Cervera. The intense solar radiation, which impinges over the zone, and the
elevate number of sun hours make the annual evaporative demand of the atmosphere
increase, from 700 to 900 mm according to Thornthwaite’s method, and from 1059 to 1339
mm according to Pennman’s modified by FAO method. The water deficit is prolonged and
intense, starting in early March and ending in the last days of September.
Considering the accumulated precipitation deviations with respect to the mean of the
1935-1995 climatic serie, it can be deduced the existence of two dry periods and three wet
periods:
ΠA severe drought during the 1979-1980 until 1986-1987 period, with an
average rainfall values 55 mm lower than the mean of the serie.
ΠA dryness period of 17 years between 1941-1942 and 1957-1958 with an
average rainfall values 44 mm lower than the mean of the serie.
ΠA six humid years sequence between 1935-1936 and 1940-1941 with 60 mm
more than the mean.
ΠA 21 years humid period, between 1958-1959 and 1978-1979 with an average
rainfall of 41 mm more than the mean.
ΠThe 1987-1988 to 1989-1990 period had a precipitation of 59 mm more than
the mean of the serie.
Besides, it is important to highlight the following aspects:
ΠThe dry series are usually longer than the wet ones.
7
ΠThe difference between the maximum and minimum deviation can be the
triple of the mean value.
Œ There is evidence that dry series such as the one occurred in the 80’s are usual
nowadays (1990-1995 and 1999).
ΠThe drought periods are distributed in the Basin in an irregular way, with
different intensity depending on the zone.
Precipitation has an irregular effect on the aquifer recharge. It is estimated that the
recharge is nearly zero in years with precipitation less than 300 mm. The recharge is more
than 50 mm when precipitation is more than 450 mm. It is variable in years with
intermediate rainfall, depending on its distribution along the year.
The rivers belonging to this basin have had a great relationship with the aquifers,
being winner or loser in different spans of the same river and modifying its behaviour if
there is a dry or wet period. So, this situation is not static, it is affected by climatic and
anthropic changes. The main rivers that supply flow to the Guadiana in its High Basin are
the Cigüela, Záncara and the Guadiana itself (100 Mm3 year-1, each one). The Cigüela and
the Záncara (but in a lesser extent) have in general, little permeable basins with very
irregular flows corresponding with the precipitation regime. On the contrary, the Alto
Guadiana rises in Campo de Montiel from a Karstic aquifer.
The Guadiana River High Basin net discharge at the level of El Vicario has been
estimated in about 400 Mm3 year-1 of which an average of 300 Mm3 year-1 are supplied as
base flow by the aquifers although with great variability depending on the year, varying
between 68 and 864 Mm3 year-1. Even in the same year, there is also a great seasonal
variability.
Tables nº 1, 2 and 3 show the hydrologic balance in the Llanura Manchega during the
1931-1971, 1974-1981 and 1984-1995 periods, respectively before and after the beginning
of the groundwater overexploitation.
,QFRPLQJ
Runoff
Rain infiltration
Underground supply
TOTAL
KP
340
180
50
570
2XWJRLQJ
Runoff
Evaporation
Irrigation (surface+underground)
TOTAL
KP
400
50
120
570
7DEOH. General hydrologic balance in Llanura Manchega. Average year of the 1931-1971
period.
8
,QFRPLQJ
Runoff
Rain infiltration
Underground supply
TOTAL
Reserve extractions
TOTAL
KP
290
180
50
520
90
610
2XWJRLQJ
Runoff
Evaporation
Irrigation (surface+underground)
KP
220
50
340
TOTAL
610
7DEOH. General hydrologic balance in the Llanura Manchega. Average year of the 19741981 period.
,QFRPLQJ
Runoff
Rain infiltration
Underground supply
TOTAL
Reserve extractions
TOTAL
KP
100
50
150
330
480
2XWJRLQJ
Runoff
Evaporation
Irrigation (surface+underground)
KP
10
470
TOTAL
480
7DEOH. General hydrologic balance in the Llanura Manchega. Average year of the 19841995 period.
The hydrologic budget in the Llanura Manchega has suffered a great change since its
historic behaviour to the present dynamic. The runoff incomings have disappeared due to
the regulation works in the Alto Guadiana (Peñarroya dam), Azuer (Villarhermosa dam),
Jabalón (Cabezuela dam) and Záncara (Muleteros dam). In the Cigüela in some spans of its
channel leadings and deepenings have taken place as well as tappings to supply water to
some cynegetic private lagoons existing in its borders.
The rain infiltration is the only input, which can be considered on the average
constant, although the severe drought existing in the last years has affected lowing its value
and worsen the water balance. The underground supply coming from the Campo de
Montiel aquifer has been kept. The runoff outgoing disappear (Los Ojos del Guadiana and
Las Tablas de Daimiel), when decreasing the incoming and increasing the pumpings. The
evaporation of the surface water has decreased because of the disappearing of the surface
hydrology. All the Outgoing have been taken by the pumpings, higher than the recharge
and producing an average drawing of over 300 hm3 year-1 in the last years. So the extracted
reserves since 1974 until nowadays are about 4000-4500 hm3, i.e. 40-80% of the total,
depending on considering the storage capacity of the aquifer in 10000 or 5000 hm3,
respectively.
9
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This aquifer system is the most important of all the aquifers constituting the
Guadiana High Basin, because controls its total discharge (Fig. 3). The rest of the systems
discharge to the West Mancha, by means of the rivers or by means of underground
transference. The importance of this aquifer is from both hydrogeologic and socioeconomic point of view.
)LJXUH. West Mancha Aquifer.
The 04.04 Hidrogeologic Unit of the Guadiana, in the Southwest of the natural
Mancha region, has an extension of about 5500 km2, 4000 km2 of them are susceptible to
behave as recharge zone. It has a great storage capacity, although there are discrepancies
about it. Several authors and hydrogeogist affirm that it is between 10000 and 12000 hm3
of water that the aquifer initially had. Its resources come from the rainfall infiltration, from
the rivers flowing over its area and from the connections with other bordering aquifers,
such as the East Mancha 18 Aquifer (the Júcar river basin), Sierra de Altomira 19 aquifer
and Campo de Montiel 24 aquifer. In the natural regime, water flows predominantly in an
East-to-West direction, towards its drainage by overflowing in Los Ojos del Guadiana and
Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park, both with serious problems since many years ago.
Figure nº 4 shows the longitudinal section (SW-NE) of the West Mancha Aquifer Systems,
representative of a “non perturbed” stage, which stayed until 1974. This streamflow
general scheme is kept until the beginning of the 80’s (Fig. 5).
10
)LJXUH . Longitudinal section (SW-NE) of the West Mancha Aquifer System (04.04
Hydrogeologic Unit, 23 Aquifer).
)LJXUH . Isopieces of the West Mancha Aquifer System (04.04 Hydrogeologic Unit, 23
Aquifer) in October 1980.
11
In 1973, the general decreases of the piezometer heads, which were occurring, were
detected. The groundwater extractions for supply and especially for irrigation usage were
already very usual in that date, with an annual volume of 150 Mm3, increasing in a
disproportionate way to nearly 600 Mm3 in 1988. In the natural regime, the estimated
renewable resources are about 315 hm3 year-1. The net pumpings (extraction minus returns
to the aquifer) are approximately 500 hm3 year-1. This difference is the results of an
important part of the aquifer reservoir extraction and a continuous decrease of the watertable.
Tables nº 4, 5 and 6 show the water balance of the subsystem corresponding to the
West Mancha Aquifer, in the natural regime and in the 1974-1981 and 1982-1995 periods.
,QFRPLQJ
River infiltration
Rain infiltration
Underground supply
TOTAL
KP
85
180
50
315
2XWJRLQJ
Aquifer drainage (rivers+ Tablas de Daimiel)
Evapotranspiration
KP
305
10
TOTAL
315
7DEOH. Hydrologic balance in the West Mancha Aquifer. Average year. Natural regime.
,QFRPLQJ
River infiltration
Rain infiltration
Underground supply
Returns,
surface
water uses
TOTAL
Reserve extractions
TOTAL
KP
56
195
50
20
321
104
425
2XWJRLQJ
Aquifer drainage (rivers+ Tablas de Daimiel)
Net pumpings
Evapotranspiration
KP
125
290
10
TOTAL
425
7DEOH . Hydrologic balance in the West Mancha Aquifer. Average year. 1974-1981
period.
,QFRPLQJ
River infiltration
Rain infiltration
Underground supply
Returns,
surface
water uses
TOTAL
Reserve extractions
TOTAL
KP
1
100
50
-
151
327
478
2XWJRLQJ
Aquifer drainage (rivers+ Tablas de Daimiel)
Net pumpings
Evapotranspiration
KP
18
450
10
TOTAL
478
7DEOH . Hydrologic balance in the West Mancha Aquifer. Average year. 1982-1995
period.
12
The comparison between Incoming and Outgoing present an average negative
balance (extractions or aquifer reservoir lost) of 104 hm3 year-1 in the 1974-1981 period
and of 327 hm3 year-1 between 1982 and 1995. The main cause of the lack of balance
suffered by the aquifer is the great increase of the pumpings with agriculture objectives. As
a consequence of all these facts, the drainage natural zones of the aquifer have been dried.
Besides, the disappearing of the surface hydrology has caused the elimination of the
contribution to the aquifer: the elimination of the rivers’ infiltration, which flow over its
area.
In 1974, the water-table was generally ver near to the surface in the discharge zones
and in most of the cases there were a hydraulic connection among the aquifer, the rivers
and the “humedales” (zones with surface flooding). In 1984 the aquifer’s isopieces showed
already the formation of pumping cones in zones with many extractions. In this first
decade the most important pumpings were located in the zone of Daimiel and in the North
of Manzanares, and the level decreased 20 m in some cases. In the East part of the aquifer,
the level decreases were lower, being not higher than 5-6 m. The aquifer overexploitation
and the low precipitation in the area produced an average level reduction of 7 m between
1981 and 1984, whereas in the 1974-1981 period the level reduction was 2.3 m. In 1990
the pumping cones extended considerably. In this time, great groundwater extractions were
made, maximum in 1988. The tracking of the piezometer aquifer levels since 1974 to 1993
show that the average decreases were about 21 m (1.1 m year-1), higher in the 1981-1984
(2 m year-1) and 1984-1987 period (1.7 m year-1). As from 1988, when the bigger
groundwater extractions were made, the piezometer heads continued decreasing but in a
lower rhythm. In a general way, it can be said that the average decrease was 2 m year-1in
the central part of the aquifer and 1 m year-1 in the East zone. The situation with the lowest
levels existed at the end of 1995, becoming the increases of even 50 m in some areas. The
copious rainfall amounts, which occurred in the following months and continued in the two
following years, have produced an average recovery of about 5m as a mean for all the
aquifer. If we take as a hypothesis that during these last 10 years the difference between
the annual recharge of the aquifer and the extractions has been 300-400 hm3 year-1, the
West Mancha Aquifer has life duration of 5-15 years.
Other aspect to consider is that the decrease aquifer rhythms vary from one place to
another, probably in relation with the importance of the near pumpings and with the zone
transmissivity. The aquifer has not behaved as a unitary impounding, where the levels of
the more elevate part would compensate the extractions in the lowest zones. However, the
piezometer level oscillations in a definite point are conditioned by the hidrologic working
of the system assemblage and not only by what occurs in the immediate zone (pumping,
transmissivity, and recharge). These local oscillations of the piezometer levels are now
described:
ΠIn the East part of the aquifer, between Argamasilla de Alba and
Villarrobledo, the decrease level in 1984 were uniform and were not higher
than 5-6 m. In 1991, with respect to the 1988 data, increased between 5 and
15 m. Between 1991 and 1993 the decreases were of 4 m. In a general way, in
the East part of the zone the levels have been kept in all that period, in the
Socuéllamos zone have fallen about 20 m, achieving 30 m in Argamasilla de
Alba and Tomelloso.
ΠFrom 1980 to 1993, Daimiel environment suffered a level reduction of 30m.
13
ΠIn the West part, the piezometer area has been kept plain since 1984 to 1993.
Then, the main discharge of the aquifer did not happened in this area; Los
Ojos del Guadiana were already dried.
ΠFrom 1980 to 1993, the aquifer water-table in Las Tablas de Daimiel felt
about 5 m. This fact and the pumping cone, generated in the central part of
the aquifer (Tomelloso-Manzanares-Llanos-Daimiel), have caused the
disconnection between the aquifer and its humid zones. The connection of
these two subsystems behaved as a natural self-regulation mechanism.
ΠBetween 1974 and 1991, the greater level reductions were in the zone of
Villarta de San Juan (40 m), in Los Llanos (35 m), to the Northwest of
Bolaños de Calatrava (35 m) and to the North of Manzanares (30 m).
ΠThe situation of the lowest levels was registered at the end of 1995, with
decreases higher than 50 m between Villarta and Tomelloso, whereas in the
East zone the most usual decreases were between 10 and 15 m.
The pumping cone generated in the central part of the aquifer, where the better
quality water exists, have been fed with the water that should flow towards the drainage
zones, causing decreases in the piezometer levels and altering the secular gradient of the
aquifer. The direction of the hydraulic subsurface flow has not the East-West orientation
yet. In the last days, it has other preferences (Fig. 6): Southeast, coming from the North
border of the aquifer and Northeast coming from the South border.
)LJXUH . Isopieces of the West Mancha Aquifer System (04.04 Hidrogeologic Unit, 23
Aquifer), in February 1997.
14
However, the problem of the 23 Aquifer is not only the quantity of water, but also its
quality. Whereas the rivers and streams are been turned into sewers, where the wastewater
flows to their infiltration in the aquifer, the groundwater is rich in salts and nitrates.
There are two pollution sources in the surface water:
Œ The high salinization of the Cigüela, Záncara and Riansares River, which
cross gypsum territories and are loaded with sulphates (above 1000 g l-1) and
clorides. The first one improves its quality when incorporates water from the
Tajo-Segura Aqueduct to use its channel and conduct the water to the Las
Tablas de Daimiel National Park. However the electrical conductivity of the
water of the Cigüela River varies from 1000 and 2000 µS cm-1.
ΠThe increase of the urban-industrial spills. In many cases, the communities
and the agriculture industries have not got a mechanism to filter water before
discharging to the nearest rivers. The main pollution sources come from:
• Urban spills. Villages of the Cigüela River channel.
• Cheese industry spills located in Alcázar de San Juan and Urda.
• Oil-feet from oil mills located in the olive zones of Villarrubia de los Ojos
and Urda.
• Liquid manure from the pig farms. This activity is mainly situated in
Consuegra and Madridejos.
• Alcohol industries vinasses. This industries are in Villarta de San Juan,
Madridejos and Las Labores.
• Other industries, which spill metals. They are located in Alcázar de San
Juan, Herencia and Villarta de San Juan.
The scare flow of the rivers and the disappearing of some surface watercourses have
increased the problem of pollution, mainly in the 80’s decade. The nitrate content does not
come exclusively from the fertilisers applied in the agriculture of the area but the
municipal urban spill collectors also contribute.
With regard to groundwater, its chemical quality is variable and depends on the type
of material that comes through (Table 7). Generally, the water is hard or extremely hard,
rich in bicarbonate and calcic and magnesium sulphates, in some concrete cases the water
has also chlorides. The chemical composition of the groundwater of the top aquifer is
especially rich in calcic bicarbonates. Water rich in calcic sulphate related with the
presence of gypsum can appear in the centre of the basin. The groundwater of the
Mesozoic bottom aquifer uses to be of better quality, able for human consumption and for
irrigation. The water is rich in calcic bicarbonates with an electrical conductivity from 700
to 2000 µS cm-1.
15
&KDUDFWHULVWLFV
A) Little salinised water:
Œ Electrical conductivity < 1000 µS cm-1
ΠHardness < 500 ppm of whiting
ΠSulphates < 100 ppm
B) Medium salinised water:
Œ Electrical conductivity, between 1000 and 2000 µS cm-1
ΠHardness, between 500 and 1000 ppm of whiting
ΠSulphates, between 100 and 500 ppm
C) High salinised water:
Œ Electrical conductivity, between 2000 and 4000 µS cm-1
ΠHardness, between 1000 and 2000 ppm of whiting
ΠSulphates, between 500 and 1000 ppm
=RQH
The most extensive zone of the aquifer,
East-West direction from Villarrobledo to
the South of Daimiel.
Zone delimited to the Nort by the Záncara
River channel, from its confluence with
the Cigüela River to the Las Tablas de
Daimiel and to the South by the
Manzanares- Bolaños de Calatrava sector.
North and Northwest aquifers’ borders,
corresponding to the El Provencio-Villarta
de San Juan- Puerto Lápice and
Manzanares sectors.
7DEOH. Groundwater quality of the West Mancha Aquifer. 1981-1993 period.
The nitrates concentration in the 1981-1993 period were lower than 60 mg l-1,
between 20 and 60 mg l-1, so it can be said that there is a starting pollution. Nitrates
concentration of 400 mg l-1 and even of 2000 mg l-1 can be found in definite points where
industrial, urban spills and an intense agriculture fertilisation exist. Nitrites appear
eventually, but they reach high values with a distribution similar to the nitrates one. In
more present times concentrations lower than 10 mg l-1 have been found near Daimiel,
whereas in the Southwest and Northwest of the aquifer these values have been higher than
20 mg l-1. The highest values of pollution by nitrates, 40 mg l-1, were measured in Bolaños
de Calatrava immediacies.
&$032'(0217,(/+<'52*(2/2*,&6<67(0
The Campo de Montiel district has the Aquifer system of the same name (04.06
Hidrogeologic Unit, 24 Aquifer). The territory extends over an area of 2300 km2, to the
Southeast of the Mancha natural region, between Albacete and Ciudad Real provinces. Its
altitude is about 1000 m to the Southeast, in the Guadiana, Júcar and Guadalquivir basins
height of land and about 800 m to the North, where it links to the Llanura Manchega.
The mean annual temperature of the zone is 14ºC, 34ºC is the maximum mean
temperature in July (absolute maximum temperatures of 43ºC) and –1ºC is the minimum
mean temperature in January (absolute minimum temperatures of –15ºC). The annual
rainfall is variable depending on the year and it is distributed in an irregular way along the
year. The maximum rainfall values occur in spring and autumn. This annual precipitation
varies from 500 mm in the South to 400 mm in the Northeast (Peñarroya dam). As well as
in the West Mancha, the evaporative atmosphere demand (climatic ETP) is high, with
values from 700 to 800 mm year-1 (according to the Thornthwaite empirical method). The
alternation of wet and dry sequences for a climatic serie from 1940 to 1995 is the
following:
ΠBetween 1940-1941 and 1957-1958 there were the most prolonged driest
period, with rainfall values of 67 mm lower than the mean.
ΠSince 1979-1980 until nowadays there is another dry period, with average
precipitation from 62 to 75 mm lower than the mean.
16
ΠDuring the 1992-1993 to 1994-1995 period, the annual rainfall has been
decreased until dangerous figures; they were only 367, 250 and 245 mm,
respectively.
ΠThe wettest sequence occurred in the 1967-1968 to 1978-1979 period, with
overage precipitation of 80 mm more than the climatic serie mean.
ΠThere have been other wet sequences, but they have never been longer than 6
years.
It is a free aquifer, where the only natural incoming in the rainfall recharge and
whose discharge goes nearly globally to the Llanura Manchega aquifer. The several
authors, who have studied the infiltration do not agree in the percentages so in the recharge
aquifer values. Depending on the considered value (between 6% and 35%) the recharge
varies between 100 and 350 hm3 year-1. Some authors do not believe that the recharge is
higher than 170 hm3 year-1. The infiltration is higher in those areas where there are chalks
and lower if there are marl clays, Triassic gypsums and other little permeable rocks.
Campo de Montiel extends over three hydrographical basin: Guadiana, Guadalquivir
and Júcar, although the greatest area is on the Guadiana Basin. It is not a homogeneous
area and there are different sectors with independent hydrologic working. The geology and
the rainfall regime have produced a little developed hydrographical network with more or
less seasonal rivers with reduced streamflows. In Campo de Montiel, the Azuer,
Cañamares, Jabalón, Córcoles and Sotúelamos Rivers rise in the Guadiana Basin. It is
important to highlight the Guadiana Alto (or Guadiana Viejo or Pinilla), in whose stream
the Laguras de Ruidera are. Before this river was controlled by Peñarrroya dam and
canalized, its channel disappeared in the Llanura Manchega, mainly by infiltration in
permeable soil of the 23 Aquifer. Nowadays its water supplies the towns of Argamasilla de
Alba and Tomelloso and irrigates more than 7000 ha in the West Mancha territory.
The Jabalón River has its eyes near Montiel Township and inflows the Guadiana
downstream Ciudad Real. Azuer River rises in the immediacies of Villahermosa and the
Cañamares links to it before Vallermoso dam. The Córcoles River rises in the North
watershed of Campo de Montiel, flows between Villarrobledo and Socuéllamos
incorporates to the Sotuélamos River and comes in the Záncara. The subbasin of
Villanueva de la Fuente discharges by the same name streams. The North and Northwest
subbasins, in the border of the Llanura Manchega, have no drainage streams so its
discharge (between 50 and 60 hm3 year-1) is underground towards the 23 Aquifer.
The uses of the hydric resources of Campo de Montiel at the end of the 80’s decade
were:
Π32 hm3 of groundwater: 30 hm3 for summer irrigation, 1 hm3 for spring
irrigation and 1 hm3 for urban supply.
Œ With a capacity of Peñarroya dam of 47 hm3, it is established an annual
consumption of 42 hm3, 40 hm3 of them are for summer irrigation and 2 hm3
for urban consumption. The average supply to the impounding, in the absence
of extractions, is about 75 hm3 (24 come from surface water and 51 are
underground, via drainage by the Guadiana Alto River). In winter and spring
months the dam, because of its scare capacity, spills water on the overflows,
which filter into the Llanura Manchega.
17
7+(&$032'(0217,(/$48,)(5
The Aquifer discharge is estimated in 170 hm3 year-1 in natural regime (Table 8). The
discharge is produced towards the watershed rivers to the Guadiana (77 hm3 year-1), the
Llanura Manchega Aquifer (50 hm3 year-1), the Jucar basin (28 hm3 year-1), the
Guadalquivir basin (10 hm3 year-1) and the traditional irrigation in the plains and urban
supply (5 hm3 year-1). However, during the 80’s decade, the increasing pumpings with
agriculture purposes had reached 35 hm3 (Table 9). The usage of water in this district is a
use to distribute among big irrigated farms in one hand, and small traditional irrigated
lands, natural evironments (Lagunas de Ruidera) and urban supplies on the other hand
(Fig.7).
,QFRPLQJ
River infiltration
KP
-
Rain infiltration
Underground supply
170
-
Irrigation returns
TOTAL
-
170
2XWJRLQJ
Surface drainage towards the Guadiana High
Basin, Guadiana Alto, Azuer, Córcoles and
Jabalón
Surface drainage towards the Júcar River Basin
Surface drainage towards the Guadalquivir
Basin-Villanueva de la Fuente
Underground drainage towards the 23 Aquifer
Traditional irrigation in the plain and urban
supply
TOTAL
KP
77
28
10
50
5
170
7DEOH . Hydrologic balance of the Campo de Montiel Aquifer. Average year. Natural
regime.
,QFRPLQJ
River infiltration
KP
-
Rain infiltration
Underground supply
170
-
Irrigation returns
TOTAL
-
170
2XWJRLQJ
Surface drainage towards the Guadiana High
Basin, Guadiana Alto, Azuer, Córcoles and
Jabalón
Surface drainage towards the Júcar River Basin
Surface drainage towards the Guadalquivir
Basin-Villanueva de la Fuente
Underground drainage towards the 23 Aquifer
Traditional irrigation in the plain and urban
supply
TOTAL
KP
52
28
5
50
35
170
7DEOH. Hydrologic balance of the Campo de Montiel Aquifer. Average year. 80’s decade.
The greater transmissivities appear in the Lagunas de Ruidera heads and in the
Southeast of Campo de Montiel, with values from 500 to 2000 m2 day-1, although 60007000 m2 day-1 can be reached. In the North, West and Southwest zones of the Aquifer the
transmissivities are from 10 to 100 m2 day-1. The value of the storage coefficient estimated
for the free Campo de Montiel Aquifer is from 1% to 5%.
18
)LJXUH. Campo de Montiel Aquifer.
It is very possible that this Aquifer has very little storage capacity, with an important
influence of the precipitation regime in the variation of the piezometer levels. The
conjunction in the last years of the pumpings and the scare precipitation emptied the
aquifer, some high lagoons of the Lagunas de Ruidera got dried and the supplies to
Peñarroya dam decreased. The precipitation occurred in 1995, which were not excessive,
filled the aquifer, which was empty, recovering very fast the levels of the Lagunas de
Ruidera. Much water does not fit in this sector of the aquifer. The piezometer levels in the
Lagunas de Ruidera heads show important variations, the greater the nearest the irrigated
zone.
The groundwater, which flows over the Campo de Montiel Aquifer System, presents
a calcic-bicarbonated and/or calcic-sulphate-bicarbonated or magnesium-calcic chemical
composition. The total dissolved solids vary from 200 to 3500 mgl-1. In 1988
concentrations from 30 to 60 mg l-1 of nitrates were found in the wells of the cultivated
areas, decreasing to 40 mgl-1 in the first lagoons of the Lagunas de Ruidera, and to 30 mgl-1
in the middle lagoons. In the humid years this nitrate concentrations diminish to 1-5 mg l-1.
The concentrations increase downstream the Ruidera Township, as a consequence of the
urbanisation spills. The maximum concentrations have been detected in spring when the
soil is just fertilised. In the main irrigated lands (Lagunas-Viveros heads and El Ballestero)
nitrates values between 53 and 87 mg l-1 were found in the 1991-1994 period.
19
7+(³+80('$/(6´,17+(:(70$1&+$
The geologic and hydrogeologic characteristics of the Llanura Manchega determine
the existence of vast zones where the shallow water-tables generate the surface flooding,
originating several wet areas enclosed in the “Wet Mancha Biosphere Reservoir
“Humedales” (Fig. 8). They extend over a territory situated in the Guadiana High Basin
with an area of 25000 ha, forming lagoons when they are flooded with fold zones and net
different limits or “tablas” when they are vast flooded plains. There are a total of 113
“humedales” in this area, most of them are temporal and only a few are permanent.
)LJXUH. “Humedales” distribution of the West Mancha in the Guadiana High Basin.
20
The high “humedales” density in this hydrologic basin head, with semi-arid climate
and with precipitation values lower than 450 mm year-1, is due to the interrelation existing
between the surface water and groundwater, as a consequence of the abundance of aquifer
soils, representing 80-95% of its area and its smooth relief.
The following characteristics make different one “humedales” from another:
ΠGeologic. The materials lithology constituting the fold affects the persistence
of the water layer, depending on the permeability, porosity, etc.
characteristics.
Œ Geomorphologic. The material behaviour, which forms the “humedal”
substrate, in relation with the external agents, generates “humedales” with
different morphogenetic typologies. The Karstic “humedales”, formed in
collapse dolines with small clay decalcified cover waterproofing the pot, are
usual.
Œ Hydrologic. Many “humedales” are related with fluvial channels and the
water from the rivers constituting their main source. Their hydric behaviour is
very associated to the rivers’ regime, especially in the “humedales” situated
in the plains or in the flood plateaus.
ΠHydrogeologic. The fluvial channel association with the groundwater form
another persistence genetic factor of these “humedales”. The “humedal”aquifer connection conditions are different in each case.
Taking into account these criteria, it is usual sorted the “humedales” out in the
following plugs:
Œ Daimiel plug, where the “Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park” is situated.
Œ Campo de Montiel plug, where the “Lagunas de Ruidera Natural Park” is.
Œ The Záncara plug, where the “humedales” of the West Mancha Northeast
border are, around the Saona-Záncara rivers meeting.
Œ The Cigüela plug, where the “humedales” of the 04.02 (Llillo-Quintanar) and
04.03 (Consuegra-Villacañas) Hydrogeologic Units are. They are situated in a
zone with brackish water, not very able for irrigation use.
In the last one or two decades, the Wet Mancha “humedales” have suffered great
changes. It is supposed, in the first half of the century there were hardly anthropic changes
in the “humedales” of the Guadiana High Basin. The main causes of the disappearing and
degradation of these Castellano “humedales” are:
ΠThe dry climatic sequence of the 1980-1995 period.
ΠThe alterations in the hydrologic regime because of an inadequate handling of
the surface water (drainage works, readjustment or deepen in the Záncara,
Cigüela and Guadiana River with the respective drains) and the groundwater
(intensive exploitation of the aquifers to expand the irrigated area).
ΠThe fold alterations because of dryness and/or colmation.
ΠThe water quality alterations due to the nitrogen fertilisation in the irrigated
plots and the liquid and industrial residues spills.
The consequence of these climatic and anthropic factors has been the alteration of the
natural connection between the surface water and groundwater, the streamflow scheme
modification in the 23 Aquifer and changes in the position of discharge zones, which are
21
the immediate causes of the degradation or the total dryness of many “humedales”. At this
moment it can be said that most of the rivers and “humedales” are separated from the main
aquifer, except perhaps in the head zones and in the 24 Campo de Montiel Aquifer System.
As it has said before, the stream flow directions in the Aquifer, before the intensive water
extractions for irrigation, were from the recharge zones in the Northwest of the basin to the
discharge zones in the Southwest (Fig. 5). However, nowadays the stream flow is
conditioned by the pumping cones, generating a flow towards the central part of the aquifer
from all its borders (Fig. 6). Presently, the only outgoing of the aquifer is by means of the
pumpings; the traditional discharge zones to the bottom of the Guadiana High Basin have
been substituted by the cultivated fields, mainly located in the central part of the 23
Aquifer.
In the 70’s the flooded area was about 25000 ha, nowadays there are only about 7000
ha, i.e. nearly one third. One fifth of this area corresponds to Las Tablas de Daimiel
National Park. Besides, an important part of the flooded 7000 ha suffer a degradation
progress.
The “humedales” of the Cigüela plug have been damaged by its “cleaning” (deepen
and readjustments of the river channel) during 1986-1988 period owing to the water
transfer from the Tajo River in the “Hydric Regeneration Plan of Las Tablas de Daimiel”.
The “humedales” of the Northeast borders of the 23 Aquifer are also affected by the
water-table decrease due to the pumpings in the 04.04 Aquifer.
The water-table diminishing in the West Mancha Aquifer (nº 23) has produced the
disappearing of nearly all the “humedales” situated over it; nearly the only “humedal”
existing (“humedal of Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park”) acts as an enormous pond
with artificial recharge. It is flooded by the Cigüela River makeup in the wet climatic
sequences or by the artificial derived flows from the Tajo-Segura transfer since 1988, in
some dry years.
However, not all the “humedales” are submitted to the same anthropic impacts. For
example, some “humedales” in Campo de Montiel (24 Aquifer) got dried in the dry
climatic sequence or their extension was reduced in the 1980-1995 period. At first sight,
the reason was an overexploitation by the irrigation; posterior was proved that with
precipitation values higher than the mean (what happened in 1995-1996) all the lagoons of
the Lagunas de Ruidera Natural Park came back to their previous situation.
/$6/$*81$6'(58,'(5$1$785$/3$5.
The Lagunas de Ruidera Natural Park is located in the High Guadiana channel and
extends over the provinces of Albacete and Ciudad Real (Ossa de Montiel, Ruidera,
Argamasilla de Alba, Villahermosa and Tomelloso) forming an assemblage of 15 lagoons
connected by streams, waterfalls, springs or arroyos. The origin of the Guadiana Alto is in
the drainage of the Campo de Montiel Aquifer, whose water form the Lagunas de Ruidera
being posterior detained in Peñarroya dam. The total area of the lagoons is 300 ha, with a
storage capacity of about 25 hm3. The lacustrine complex also receive surface water from
the Alarconcillo stream in San Pedro Lagoon and Sabinar stream, between the Conceja and
Blanca lagoon, in the right side (apart from the water received by the Guadiana Alto). On
the left side it takes water from the Hazadillas stream in the Colgada lagoon. The system
22
regulation is made in Peñarroya dam with a maximum level of 735 m. The lagoons’
bathymetry varies from 7 and 20 m.
The lagoons are located in a stepped way along the longitudinal profile of the wide
Guadiana Alto valley. The reasons of the appearance of each of the lagoons are:
ΠThe waterproofs of the geologic materials (clay, etc), which chop up at the
bottom of the valley and belong to the Superior Triassic (Keuper).
ΠThe presence of a natural barrier of hassok or tufa composition constituted by
the carbonate precipitation provoked by the river water closing as a dam its
channel.
In the high lagoons (upstream the Rey lagoon), the hassok barriers can be observed
when they are overflooded. The Blanca, Conceja and Tomilla lagoons are underground fed
and their level is the same as the aquifer level. When the piezometer heads of the aquifer
low, they are the first ones to be dried. The intermediate lagoons (Tinaja, San Pedro,
Redondilla, Lengua, Salvadora, Morcilla and Batana) have less underground streamflow,
they are only surface supplied when the high lagoons overflood. The Redondilla, whose
bottom is elevated, is the first one in getting dried, in this second step. The Colgada and
Rey lagoons receive important streamflow from the springs of the Hazadillas arroyo
Valley. Regarding with the low lagoons, their sizes are the smallest with the absence of
functi
onal barriers, their shapes are smoother and they are not very deep.
The main values of the Lagunas de Ruidera Natural Park are its flora and fauna and
its geomorphologic and landscape characteristics, defining a beautiful contrast with the
arid line of Campo de Montiel and the Llanura Manchega.
This natural environment has suffered many different aggressions:
ΠIn the XVI century started the first impact of the hydraulic industry: mills and
pickers.
ΠIn the XVII century, the Powder Royal Factory project is developed (but not
totally). In this century, the works to canalise the water to protect the village
of Argamasilla de Alba against the frequent floods began; the result of these
works took the floods to Tomelloso town.
ΠIn 1725, to palliate the lack of water necessary for the Powder Factory, the
people broke the lagoons; since then, the Tinaja lagoon has not recovered the
original physiognomy. Mendizabal’s disentailment favoured treasury stock in
favour of some individuals.
ΠAt the end of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century, the H-E
(with different sizes) stations extended.
Œ In 1915, the construction of Peñarroya dam was decided, but it was built in
1959.
However, the most important ecological aggressions against the Lagunas de Ruidera
Natural Park have been made in the last days:
ΠRuidera Natural environment is characterised by little public territory. It is
surrounded by big cynegetic and agriculture farms. Even the lagoon basins
are private. As a consequence:
• The cynegetic exploitation of the farm bordering the Park has provoked
the extermination of animals, e.g. predators.
23
•
Aquifer overexploitation. The use of water in the head of the lagoons
(Guadiana Alto subbasin) to irrigate maize during the 80’s decade has
reduced the natural circulation that fed the Lagunas de Ruidera.
• The autochthonal vegetation (4XHUFXV URWXQGLIROLD -XQLSHUXV WKXULIHUD
4XHUFXVFRFFLIHUD-XQLSHUXVR[\FHGUXV, etc) has been reduced by means
of the wood breaking to expand the irrigated areas, and to build new
infrastructures to arrive to the Natural Park.
• The decrease of the water levels in the lagoons has eliminated from the
landscape the fantastic falls producing the communication between
lagoons. In some cases, the hassok barriers have been perforated that
confine each lagoon to carry out a minimum hydraulic exploitation in
Peñarroya dam.
• The predominance of the private property and the delay in approving the
Usage and Management Rector Plan (December 1995) has produce illegal
buildings (chalets, hotels, “chiringuitos”, etc) distributed with disorder
damaging and mortgaging the development of a quality tourism, capable
of distributing in an ordered way the dangerous visitor avalanche, who
come in summer and at the weekends.
ΠThe road and filtering of residual water infrastructures have been other
aspects contributing to the damage of Ruidera natural environment.
The Lagunas de Ruidera natural environment has been tried to be protected since
many years ago using different methods, with more or less success:
ΠThe Natural Place of National Interest of the Lagunas de Ruidera was
founded (National Park Committee, 1933).
ΠThe 2610/1979 (13th July 1979) Royal Decree declared the Lagunas de
Ruidera and its surroundings as a Natural Park.
ΠThe territorial Policy Council, of the Castilla-La Mancha Community,
elaborated the Lagunas de Ruidera Protection Special Plan in 1987. This Plan
is only referred to the limits of the Natural Park, i.e. Guadiana Alto Valley
and does not include the activities occurring around it.
ΠThe 393/1988 (22nd April 1988) Royal Decree established the provisional
declaration of overexploited aquifer and halted until the 31st December 1988
the extractions for irrigation in the South. The Decree also limited the
extractions in the Lagoons head taking into account the rainfall. The first
measure has been effective until the present, and the problems in this area
have been solved. However, the limitations in the rest of the aquifer were not
respected in a first moment; after, with subsidies to the owners of the irrigated
farms the restrictions were introduced.
ΠThe 34/1990 (13th March 1990) Decree, reclassified the Lagunas de Ruidera
National Park and its surroundings.
ΠThe Castilla-La Mancha Government Council approved the Usage and
Management Rector Plan of the Lagunas de Ruidera National Park. In the
Plan, different zones depending on their uses (especial, moderate, traditional,
restricted, and urban) also guidelines to manage the natural resources (water,
flora and fauna) and public use (visits, camps and recreate zones) are
established.
24
/$67$%/$6'('$,0,(/1$7,21$/3$5.
The flooding territory in the meeting of the Cigüela and Guadiana Rivers, betweeen
the municipal districts of Daimiel and Villarrubia de los Ojos (Fig. 9) was declared
National Park by the Law of 28 June 1973, with an extension of 1875 ha and with the
name of “Las Tablas de Daimiel”.
)LJXUH Situation of Las Tablas de Daimiel in Ciudad Real province.
This natural environment showed, without any doubt, the maximum representation of
La Mancha Húmeda. In ancient times, Las Tablas de Daimiel were the meeting of the
Gigüela (laden with salts from the soils rich in salts where it went through) and Guadiana
(fresh water coming from Los Ojos) rivers and from the overflow water (underground
blowing) from the 23 Aquifer. The mixture of these kind of waters provided a major
stability to the water layer that were Las Tablas de Daimiel, and on the other hand
favoured the biologic diversity (flora and fauna) making this National Park the most
impact biologic phenomenon of the Mancha “humedales”.
This ecosystem consists on a small hollow over the final span of the Cigüela river
channel originating a fluvial lagoon of 7 km long and between 1 and 2 m wide (Fig. 10).
This lagoon is important as a place for birds in their migratory routes from the Equatorial
Africa to the Arctic, especially as a habitat for waterfowl. Although the maximum area is
25
about 2000 ha, in summer the Las Tablas de Daimiel reduce their extension to 500-700 ha.
The depth of the water layer does not reach more than 1 m.
)LJXUH. Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park.
The Daimiel climate can be considered as a mild climate with dry summers of
mediterranean type, with continental influence: dry and hot summers, cold winters with
scare precipitation. The temperatures are more affected by the continentality than by the
altitude. There are alternations between cold winters and hot summers (with monthly mean
temperatures higher than 20ºC and 50ºC of extreme values). The highest monthly
temperature is 25ºC (in July) and the lowest 4ºC (in January). The annual precipitation is
between 400 and 500 mm.
The soils of the Daimiel district belong in one hand to Calcic brown soils (brown or
calcic-red-brown) in a wide sense and on the other hand to renzina (xerorenzina type) and
alluvial. As a consequence of the sedimentation and the hollow filling profiles have been
developed in the alluvial flooded zones. In these hollows herbaceous vegetation was
developed, generating a peaty formation. The posterior desiccation by means of the
piezometer levels decrease caused the sulphate and chloride accumulation. There are some
local variations in those filling profiles. Many years ago they should have been saline soils,
nowadays transformed by the agriculture activity, with abundance in local fillings (formed
by limes and red clays with sands and calcic fragments).
26
The water supplies to the Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park in natural regime
came from (Fig. 11):
Œ The Riansares-Záncara-Cigüela network with seasonal and salinised (more
than 2000 mg l-1) sulphate-calcic water entering in Las Tablas de Daimiel
from the Northeast. It is a discontinuous supply (from 90 to 120 hm3 year-1),
where alternated strong increases with dry periods of more than three months
in summer.
ΠThe Guadiana River, with permanent and fresh water, a salt content of 500
mg l-1, and with bicarbonated-calcic characteristics. This river crosses Las
Tablas de Daimiel in a South-to-East direction until its meeting with the
Cigüela river, supplying between 100 and 130 hm3 year-1.
ΠAzuer River, until 20 hm3 year-1, with bicarbonated-calcic water, but with an
irregular regime.
ΠThe streams that spill directly in Las Tablas de Daimiel, between 7 and 14
hm3 year-1, with scare mineralisation, but with sulphate-calcic characteristics.
ΠThe underground supplies of the 23 Aquifer, between 15 and 20 hm3 year-1
with bicarbonated-calcic characteristics and with intermediate salinity.
ΠThe precipitation, between 5 and 10 hm3 year-1, without salts.
)LJXUH. Water incoming and outgoing in Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park. 19731974 period.
27
In a whole, in the National Park, there was as an average outgoing of 262 hm3 , 10%
of them are its storage capacity, 5% is evaporated, and 85% run downstream in the
Guadiana River (Table 10).
,QFRPLQJ
Rainfall
Surface supply
Underground supply
TOTAL
+P
7
210
45
262
2XWJRLQJ
Evaporation
Surface outgoing
Direct intake for irrigation
TOTAL
KP
9
242
11
262
7DEOH. Hydrologic balance in Las Tablas de Daimiel. 1973-1974 period.
Without explaining a historic description, it is obvious that this natural protected
environment with a major ecological value has suffer nearly in a continuous way several
threats, which can produce its disappearing:
ΠUntil the middle of the XX century, Las Tablas de Daimiel and its geographic
surroundings were an agroecosystem with frequent floods that produced
environmental, economic and human damages, propagator of some diseases
such as ague or malaria in the working families, scare resources source
(hunting, fishing, etc) for a small number of residents of this territory, who
used transition techniques from the Palaeolithic to the Neolithic and area for
enjoyment and waterfowl hunting for the Spanish aristocracy and other
national oligarchy such as kings, dictators, military men and politicians. For
the inhabitants of the zone, what today is the National Park was then a far
place (10 km far away from Daimiel), little known, irrelevant, controlled by
hunters’ societies, strangers and at a certain extend mysterious and dangerous.
ΠIn the 1936-1939 period the organised hunting were interrupted and the
inhabitants of Daimiel and the neighbourhood hunted freely.
ΠIn 1945, the society that controlled and exploited the hunt halt. In the
following 15 years everybody, who could or dared, hunted.
ΠIn 1948, employers from Valencia started the cultivation of rice in the
Guadiana, reaching a maximum of 300 ha. The rice crops stayed about 10
years until the water started disappearing.
ΠIn the 1952-1954 period, some farmers contacted with the National Forestall
Patrimony of the State to receive the profit conceited when cultivating
poplars in wet areas and in concerted regime. Due to the lack of adequate
property, in some cases, and the negligence in others, only 10 ha were
reforested.
ΠThe 17th July 1956 the State Authorities established a Law about the Cleasing
and Settlement of the Sides of the Guadiana, Záncara and Cigüela Rivers. The
Mancha “humedales” to clean were estimated in about 30000 ha.
ΠIn 1957, the Zuacorta Forestall Society planted 10 ha of poplars in flooding
zones to produce paper paste. The experience failed when the water table and
the river got dried.
ΠIn the same year, Daimiel had 1890 ha of irrigated orchards located around
the village and 300 ha dedicated to rice crop. There were thousand of wells
and norias, some of them are still working nowadays.
28
ΠIn the Guadiana banks, the fishermen and the crabbers lived in a miseries way
in huts or in rectangular houses with peaked roof and with a small window for
ventilating.
ΠIn November 1959, an Order of the Agriculture Ministry forbade the duck
hunting in Las Tablas de Daimiel
ΠIn the 1950-1960 decade, 411 wells were legalised in the surroundings of
Daimiel.
ΠIn 1965, taking into account the Law of 1956, The Settlement National
Institute and the Hydraulic Works General Direction started the dryness
works with the aim to clean the flooded zones and make them private for
agricultural use. So, the Estate subsidised the construction of drainage
channels in the area, and the knock down of the dams, which allowed the
working of the traditional, Arabian or perhaps Roman mills. Trade union
groups were created for the desiccation of the “humedales” in Daimiel,
Villarubia, Arenas de San Juan, Villarta, Carrion, Miguelturra and Ciudad
Real. An important trade union group was created, which enclose all the
previous ones (more than 2000 farmers and owners) and covered more than
8000 ha to desiccate.
ΠThe 17th October 1965 the prohibition of hunting in Las Tablas de Daimiel
was abolished so that General Franco could participate in a waterfowl
hunting.
ΠIn 1965, The first list of 200 most important wet places in the planet to
preserve and guard was published. Among the 10 Spanish places, 4 belonged
to A category, declared of exceptional interest:
• The Guadalquivir Marshes, and the Doñana Coto.
• The Ebro Delta, in Tarragona.
• Albufera of Valencia
• The Castilla La Nueva lagoons (nowadays the Manchegos “humedales”,
about 25000 ha).
ΠIn 1966, the 37/1966 Law of the 31st of May created the Hunting National
Reservoir in Las Tablas de Daimiel, establishing an especial cynegetic regime
to promote, foment, preserve and protect the waterfowl.
ΠDuring 1967, the canalisation works of the Mancha rivers were hastened. An
alarming decrease of the water levels was observed in Las Tablas de Daimiel.
ΠIn the 1960-1970 decade, 78 wells more were legalised, of which exist data in
the Irrigators’ Community of Daimiel.
ΠIn 1971 the Ramsar (Iran) Agreement took place, Convention related to the
International Importance of the “Humedales”, especially as habitats for
waterfowl.
ΠThe Spanish Government ordered the halt of the desiccation work in Las
Tablas de Daimiel and created an Interministry Commission on the 26th
November 1971.
ΠAlthough the desiccation works were stopped, the ones already made and the
draught created an alarming situation in 1971-1972 and Las Tablas de
Daimiel got dried in the summer of 1971 the first time in their history. The
pumping of water from the Guadiana River to Las Tablas de Daimiel was
29
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necessary to avoid the critiques that emerged in Spain and in the International
Community.
In 1973, the Waterfowl Integral Reservoir was created. The 1874/1973
Decree (28th June) declared the Las Tablas de Daimiel a National Park an
integral reservoir zone of the waterfowl was created as well as a Patronage for
their preservation and foment.
During 1974, 24 more wells were legalised in Daimiel. The level of the wells
decreased nearly 1 m in this year.
In 1974, it is estimated that 5723 ha were irrigated in 11 townships around
Las Tablas de Daimiel, with a water consumption of 28 hm3 year-1. The
Water Committee of the Guadiana calculated the existence of about 31000
irrigated ha in the 23 Aquifer.
In 1975, Ramsar (Iran) Agreement was put into effect. During this year, 70
wells more were legalised in Daimiel. The level of the wells decreased 1 m.
During 1976, 38 wells more were legalised and the water level of the wells
decreased 1 more metre.
In 1977, there were already 9500 ha irrigated in 11 townships around Las
Tablas de Daimiel with a consumption of 51 hm3 year-1. 118 more wells were
legalised in Daimiel. The water level decreased 1 more metre, when
comparing with the previous year.
During 1978, 325 more wells were legalised in Daimiel. The water level
decreased 1 more metre, when comparing with the previous year.
In 1979, 25 more wells were legalised in Daimiel. The water level decreased
1 more metre, when comparing with the previous year.
During 1980, 135 more wells were legalised in Daimiel. The water level
decreased 1 more metre, when comparing with the previous year. In the 19701980 decade, 1055 wells were legalised in Daimiel.
The peat extractions for being sold and utilised as fertiliser started. The reservoir did
not usually had a big thickness, about 2-6 m, although sometimes could have tens of
metres. The overexploitation of the 23 Aquifer has produced, among other facts, the lost of
water that saturated the peat.
The “irrigation boom” reduced (this time in a definitive way) the piezometer levels
of the 23 Aquifer until Los Ojos del Guadiana got dried, as from 1980.
The self-combustion of the accumulated peat started spontaneously, which is
calculated in two million of tons. The spontaneous combustion process starts by means of a
self-oxidation at a low temperature of the products rich in carbon. The peat combustion is
bigger where there is more organic matter thickness, depending as a last reason of the
continuous decrease of the piezometer levels and the contribution of air to the system. An
space of special value because of the beneficial effects on the water quality and its fossil
file condition of ancient times starts burning. Besides, an important wealthy is lost, their
ashes have not got any value.
To conclude, in 1980, the 25/80 of the 3rd of May was laid down about the
Reclassification of Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park, establishing an especial legal
regime for it. With this Law, a Territorial Director Plan of Co-ordination and a Use and
Manage Rector Plan were founded to promote a sustainable development of the
surrounding area. The borders of the Park, the integral waterfowl reservoir, the pre-park
30
zones and the influence zones are also established. Nobody has faced with the real causes
of its decline.
ΠThe Water Committee of the Guadiana estimated in about 83000 ha the
irrigated area in the West Mancha Aquifer.
ΠIn the total of 11 townships, constituting the surrounding of Las Tablas de
Daimiel, 16163 ha were irrigated in 1982, with a consumption of 57.5 hm3
year-1. The Spanish Parliament ratified the Ramsar International Agreement
about the “humedales”, which included Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park.
In Daimiel, 41 wells were legalised in this period and the water levels
decreased 2 metres with respect to the previous year.
ΠMore wells were still legalised in Daimiel; during 1983 were 72 wells. the
water levels decreased 1 metre with respect to the previous year.
ΠLos Ojos del Guadiana flowed (better said cried) the last time in 1984.
The Water Committee of the Guadiana estimated in about 101000 ha the irrigated
area in the 23 Aquifer in 1984. In this year, 78 wells were legalised in Daimiel.
ΠThe 2nd August 1985 the Water Law was approved, which declared that all
the Spanish ground water is public. Before this hydric resource was
considered as a mining resource that could be private and extracted by means
of wells and pumpings, whose concession belonged to the Mine General
Direction of the Industry Ministry.
The Water Committee of the Guadiana estimated in 109000 ha the irrigated surface
in the Aquifer, approximately 8000 more than the previous year.
In this year, 82 more wells were legalised in Daimiel. The well level decreased 1.60
m in 1985.
The construction of the Puente Navarro dam (dried in the 60’s-70’s) made of
concrete and soil was finished with the aim of restore the Southwest of Las Tablas de
Daimiel. 425 ha called “Las Cañas” were trying to be recuperated, dried with channels and
drainage in the 60’s and 70’s and in the 80’s as they were not dried, were bought to the
owners, who had privatised them before. With its working the effects were clear very soon,
increasing the flooded area, although its hydric supplies are minimum, it losses its
functionality. That is very normal, due to the Guadiana, Cigüela and Azuer do not bring
water so it is impossible that the dam halts it.
The Aquifer exploitation due to the simplicity to obtain high flows (from 50 to
100 l s-1) from wells that are easily built has produce the elimination of the surface and
underground supplies to Las Tablas de Daimiel. Flow from the Cigüela are taken towards
some private cynegetic and/or recreational lagoons situated in its sides. Since the early
60’s, the owners of the flooded farms built dams to store between 8 and 12 hm3 year-1 of
water from the Cigüela without administrative concession. As a consequence, as from
Quero (Toledo) the Cigüela is dry, so it cannot supply Las Tablas de Daimiel with water.
ΠThe 1st January 1986 the new Water Law was approved and the 11th April the
Order of Hydraulic Public Control was approved by means of a Royal
Decree.
In August, in the same year, the Guadiana and Cigüela Rivers and so all the National
Park got dried, as a consequence of the increasing overexploitation of the Aquifer
(excessive numbers of wells and irrigated area), the diminishing of the surface supply, the
fluvial pollution and the prolonged draught.
31
Also in 1986, the drainage channels (made before by decreasing the water table of
Las Tablas de Daimiel altering the surface water circulation of the National Park) were
clogged, covered and filled. This action tried to restore the surface water flow when
extending all over the Park Plateau and avoid that the scare water storage in the deep
channel, which had been built before. The action was not efficient, because that year the
Guadiana and Cigüela got dried.
One third of the National Park burnt, now dried and without fauna. The underground
combustion of the peat continued 8 years later.
The Water Committee of the Guadiana estimated in about 120000 ha the irrigated
area in the 23 Aquifer during 1986, i.e. 11000 ha more than the previous year.
During 1986, 293 more wells were legalised in Daimiel, whose legal admission had
started some years ago. It was a wet year, so there were not decrease in the levels of the
wells.
The “cleanings” of the Cigüela River finished in 1986 (elimination of bush and
illegal pumpings) respecting its morphology, layout, slope, wideness and depth. The aim
was to prepare the Cigüela River to receive and transport water from the Tajo-Segura
transfer (3 m3 s-1) with destiny Las Tablas de Daimiel.
The pollution of the surface water arriving to the park increased. This pollution was
due to distilleries, oil mills, etc, especially in summer, due to the combination of little
water, more spills, high temperatures and the concentration of the avifauna provoking
summer epidemics.
ΠThe 4th February 1987, the important historic decision of declaring for the
first time the provisional overexploitation of the Llanura Manchega Aquifer,
or 23 Aquifer or West Mancha Aquifer was taken. According with the new
Water Law and what was established in the Order of Hydraulic Public
Control, the Government Board of the Guadiana Hydrographical
Confederation took this decision. The results of the application have been
scare.
The 17th July 1987, the Spanish Parliament approved a Law with the only and
exclusive aim of authorising the deviations of water volumes of the Tajo High Basin, using
the Tajo-Segura Aqueduct with experimental character whose destiny were Las Tablas de
Daimiel National Park. This authorisation was 60 hm3 in three years (from 1988 to 1990).
At the end of this period, only 41 hm3 (of the 60 hm3 approved by the Law) have been
transferred and a part of them stopped in the Cigüela channel.
The Water Committee of the Guadiana estimated in about 127000 ha the irrigated
area in the West Mancha, i.e. 7000 ha more than the previous year, although the
establishment of new wells was forbidden.
During 1987, 153 more wells were legalised in Daimiel, whose legal admission had
started some years ago. The water level decreased 1.5 m with respect to the previous year.
ΠThe Water Committee of the Guadiana estimated in about 127500 ha the
irrigated area during 1988 in the 23 Aquifer, about 500 ha more than the
previous year.
The major extraction of groundwater was made (about 568 hm3).
In 1988, 3 wells were legalised in Daimiel. The water level decreased 1.30 m in
1988.
32
ΠThe Water Committee of the Guadiana estimated in 133000 ha the irrigated
area in the 23 Aquifer during 1989. They are 6000 ha more than the previous
year. It is the maximum irrigated area in La Mancha history.
The decrease of the water levels of the wells in Daimiel was 1.60 m.
ΠThe Water Committee of the Guadiana estimated in 133000 ha the irrigated
area in the 23 Aquifer during 1990,i.e. 10000 ha less than the previous year
The decrease of the wells water levels in Daimiel was 2.30 m, during 1990.
Between 1980 and 1990, 782 wells were legalised.
Inside the Natural Park 7 deep borings were made to extract water to keep several
pools next to the footbridge the visitors go though and to avoid the dangerous of a total
burning. From these “superwells” 10 hm3 can be extracted. The National Park needs an
annual supply of 18 hm3to maintain its level.
The 28th December 1990 a Law-Royal Decree was published. This Decree prolonged
the Law of transferring water from the Tajo-Segura to Las Tablas de Daimiel National
Park for 3 years more. From the 60 hm3 authorised, the transfer were only 24 hm3, (14 ptas
per m3 provided 336 million pesetas to the public Exchequer). 17.7 hm3 were transferred in
1991, 6.5 hm3 in 1992 and 0 hm3 in 1993 (year with enough precipitation).
ΠThe Water Committee of the Guadiana estimated in 120000 ha the irrigated
area in the 23 Aquifer during 1991, i.e. 3000 less than the previous year.
The decrease level of the reference wells in Daimiel were 4.3 m during 1991, the
greatest since then.
The 6th April 1991, the exploitation regime was published in the Province Official
Bulleting of Ciudad Real, with more restrictive modifications for the water extractions
each time.
ΠThe exploitation regime with more restrictive modifications for the water
extractions each time was prolonged for 1992.
The Water Committee of the Guadiana estimated in 117000 ha the irrigated area in
the territory existing inside the 23 Aquifer, i.e. 3000 ha less than the previous year (1991).
The decrease in the well levels was 1.4 with respect to the previous year (1991).
The exploitation regimen for the 23 Aquifer was approved for 1993.
The firm Turbas del Guadiana, S.A. was fined with 10 million pesetas because it
extracted peat and meagre from the Zuacorta Turbera in Daimiel.
The Project Memory Guidelines of the Guadiana Basin Hydrologic Plan established
for the 1 Zone, High Guadiana (which includes the 23 and 24 Aquifers) the following
water balance:
Own resources.....................................................+433 hm3
Gross demands.....................................................+881 hm3
Own balance.........................................................-447 hm3
Import resources (Tajo-Segura Transfer)...............+20 hm3
Final balance.........................................................-427 hm3
In September 1992, The Castilla-La Mancha Community, in spite of its scare
competencies in water matters, approved the Actuation Co-ordinate Plan in the West
Mancha Zone and Campo de Montiel of Castilla-La Mancha. Agrarian Income
Compensation Program in the 04.04 Hydrogeologic Units of the West Mancha and 04.06
33
of the Campo de Montiel. That program was the answer of the Castilla-La Mancha
Community, the Agriculture, Fishing and Feeding Ministry and the Public Workings and
Transport Ministry to the increasing deterioration derived from the absence of prevision
and co-ordination in the manchegos irrigation management that depend on the 23 and 24
Aquifers. It is a provisional and in the context of the situation initiative which tries to
recuperate those aquifers at the end of 1989 (and before of 1990).
In 1989, a mechanism to control the water level in the inner of Las Tablas de Daimiel
National Park is built. This mechanism consists on a soil dam parallel to the right side of
the Guadiana river, with slope talus to allow its integration in the environment and with an
exit regulation mechanism allowing the water renewal and the ichthycolous fauna
movement. This hydraulic mechanism works if there is water, what does not occur in these
last years.
Bungs are set in the residual water spills of Alcázar de San Juan, Armaguillo River
and urban drainage of Villarrubia de los Ojos to avoid that the polluted urban water goes
directly to the Cigüela channel. The green filters of Daimiel and Villarrubia de los Ojos an
other townships filter only a part of the residual waters but do not avoid the pollution of the
Aquifer. They are colmated and saturated.
The Hydrographic Committee of the Guadiana estimated in 1993 the figure of
111000 irrigated ha in the 23 Aquifer, about 6000 ha less than the previous year. That
irrigated area reduction is due to the subsidy of water saving destined to save the
manchegos “humedales”.
The average decrease of the Llanura Manchega Aquifer levels, in the 1991-1993
period has been 1.2 m year-1, coinciding with the average decrease of the Aquifer from
1974 to 1993. In these 19 years an Aquifer discharge of about 3800 hm3 has been
estimated, considering that the efficient porosity is 5% and the area affected by the
decrease is about 3500 km2, with an average annual diminishing of 1.1 m. The 2000 km2
not considered in these estimations are lateral places of the 23 Aquifer, which got already
dried.
The decrease in the well water levels in Daimiel, with respect to 1992 was 0.9 m, the
least in many years.
The number of farmers benefited by the Income Compensation Program (because of
the reduction in the water consumption in the 23 and 24 Aquifers) was 1335. These
subsidies were nearly 2000 million pesetas.
The 16th April 1993 a Law Royal Decree was published. It established the
prolongation for three more years the authorisation to derive water from the Tajo River
heads (sing the Tajo-Segura transfer) to Las Tablas de Daimiel. The route of the
transferred water is 150 km. Thanks to the 41.2 hm3 transferred in the first three years
(1988-1990), without significant losses, except the ones produced by the infiltration and
the illegal deviations to private lagoons near the Cigüela River, between 1500 and 1700 ha
could be kept flooded, nearly the total area that can be flooded. The results of these
transfers were favoured by the precipitation occurred in this period. The prorogation
(1991-1993) had less success, because only 24.2 hm3 were transferred (17.71 hm3 in 1991,
6.5 hm3 in 1992 and 0 hm3 in 1993). In the 1994-1996 triennium 45 hm3 were transferred
(15 hm3 in 1994, 0 hm3 in 1995 and 30 hm3 in 1996). At a certain extend, the great
derivations in 1996 can be understood as a consideration caused by the polemic transfers
approved towards the Spanish Southeast during 1994 and 1995. Some of the transferred
water filtered along the Cigüela stream or was derived in the route by the Villafranca
34
neighbours to fill their artificial lagoons, destined to tourism, after having destroyed the
river-walls. To ensure that all the water volume derived from the Tajo reached Las Tablas
de Daimiel, all the water intakes of these “humedales” on the Cigüela shore upstream the
Park were closed.
The 7th July 1993, the resolution of the Hydraulic Working General direction was
published in the Estate Official Bulleting. It announced the contraction contest of studies
and technical reduction services of the Conduction Project from the Tajo-Segura Transfer
and La Garita dam. This dam is not built yet and will be situated in the Cigüela.
The Province Official Bulleting of Ciudad Real published, 7 years after declared the
aquifer overexploited in a provisional way, a minute-proposal of a Extractions Ordering
Plan of the West Mancha Aquifer. In that plan, the flow diminishing or little deep wells
drawing and the abandon of the irrigation in some areas situated in the borders of the 23
Aquifer, as well as the intensification of the extractions in other areas, with deeper
pumpings each year are recognised. On the other hand the Plan proposes continuing
extracting water, but now 200 hm3 year-1 instead of 300 hm3 year-1, as was usually done.
ΠThe 12th May 1994, trying to unblocked the existing situation, which avoid
the extraction of peat, the firm Turbas del Guadiana S.A. presents to Daimiel
Town hall an inform about the Zuacorta peatery, highlighting its selfdestruction capacity.
From 1984 to 1994 the levels of the wells have been reduced in 2 m year-1 in
Daimiel.
The situation of Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park is the following, according to
the document signatured by the Park direction in 1994:
• Only the two first partial solutions and one part of the last solution
proposed by the Viability Study of the Hydric Regeneration Plan in Las
Tablas de Daimiel National Park, presented in 1996:
½ The drilling of a well battery in territory of the own National Park to
keep a minimum flooded area during the critique moments
provisionally until the rest of structural actions are applied. Seven
borings were made obtaining 10 hm3 for the Park. The future
projection of this solution as definitive provoked the accelerate wear
of the installation and important reposition and maintaining costs, but
especially provoked water quality problems, because when repeating
the cycle pumpings-infiltrations the water recirculate, being laded
with salts, with the risk of pollute the aquifer.
½ The water transfer from the Tajo-Segura Aqueduct with the
disadvantage of adjusting the water necessities of the National Park in
quantity and calendar, with the Tajo-Segura transfer availabilities.
When the National Park needs more water, the horticulture in the
Spanish Southeast does not and the transfer system is not working,
starting only for Las Tablas de Daimiel is a waste of money and little
profitable.
½ The water extractions reductions of the 23 Aquifer for irrigating. It
was still soon to estimate the efficacy that over the Aquifer
recuperation will has the working of the irrigation reduction program.
In its first year working, about 5000 ha (of a total of 130000 ha) have
35
based into some economic compensation modality when voluntary
abandon or diminish the irrigation. One part of the territory implied in
this action was in forced dry farming because of the lack of water and
the positive effects that the measure can have on the natural recharge
process are not known.
• Over the El Cañal dam in the Bullaque river (the only overbalanced river
in the Guadiana head) there is no news, in spite of in the Viability Estudy
(explained below) was identified as the most viable solution in medium
term. The Bullaque dam would allow have enough water to keep flooded
the National Park during the whole year, besides it will contribute to
recharge the aquifer.
• As a complement of the Hydric Regeneration Plan, the filtering of spills,
which reached the Park by means of the fluvial channels, have been
carried out. Definite solutions have been established in the three more
problematic points: Alcázar de San Juan, Amarguillo River and Villarubia
de los Ojos. In the first two, the connection with the Cigüela River has
been eliminated by means of soil plugs and in Villarubia a green filter has
been set, which has not solved the problem but palliated it. The definitive
solution would be an integral sewage system because the present ones
avoid the contributions to the Cigüela, they do not avoid the Aquifer
pollution by means of leachates.
ΠDuring 1995, it is spoken about the increasing of the Torre de Abraham dam,
according with the Guidelines Project of the Guadiana Basin Hydrologic Plan
for the 2002 horizon, reserving 12 hm3 of water for Las Tablas de Daimiel
National Park. Although this alternative was already considered in the Hydric
Regeneration Plan, it has been less valorised than the El Cañal dam in the
Bullaque River.
With regard to the year 2002, the Guidelines Project of the Guadiana Basin
Hydrologic Plan forecasts the underground conduction from the La Garita dam in the
Cigüela River.
In spite of the qualification as a National Park and the rest of the explained measures,
the deterioration has been increasing. The legal protection of a place does not always imply
its real and effective protection, especially when the management is made considering tight
compartments of the natural place on one hand and its socioeconomic surrounding on the
other hand.
For the future, we dare to establish several scenarios for the 23 Aquifer and Las
Tablas de Daimiel National Park:
ΠThe same with a spent aquifer. The following 10 years until 2010 are a
prolongation and a continuation of the last 20 years since 1979. The irrigation
is done as before and the well cleaning and deepen are continuing done as
today. Even new wells are made. This is the more catastrophic hypothesis or
scenario; the accelerated desertification one; the aquifer is over little by little
and its spent is an expected process, but individually suffered by each owner,
who irrigates. General impoverishment of the agrarian sector individually
suffered. Agroeconomic and environmental catastrophe in La Mancha.
ΠBased on the save of water for irrigation, following the contract with the
European Union and the subsidy of 16000 million pesetas to sow crops that
36
require less water. This is the most probable scenario, which is happening
since 1993. In this scenario the desertification is slower, the aquifer will
“live” perhaps some more years, but at the end, it will be spent, maybe in the
year 2010 as maximum. The inevitable impoverishment and desertification
process is also individualised, although it damages less to those who have
decided sow the crops than require less water, although at a certain extend the
subsidies are for a reconversion and the irrigation abandon. The final
consequences of this hypothesis are the same as in the previous case, but with
a several years of delay and with 20 or 30000 million pesetas spent in watersave-subsidies. It is a “pacted” catastrophe.
ΠDescribes the expected, expectant or tacit situation. It supposes the
substitution of the 23 Aquifer water by the Tajo-La Mancha transfer, which
will substitute the Tajo-Segura transfer. In this scenario, the aquifer is also
spent, as in the two previous cases, and the velocity of water disaperaring and
the social and economic crisis that provoked is used to be utilised as a way of
obtaining water from the Tajo River. It deals with keeping the agriculture
with water from the High Tajo (of the same Comunity). As in the previous
cases, neither the “humedales” nor the lagoons, nor Las Tablas de Daimiel
recuperate the humidity, nor Los Ojos del Guadiana rises, nor the rivers have
water any more. In this third scenario, with the Tajo-Segura transfer the 23
Aquifer is recharged and the water is still pumped by the same wells. This is
the most economicist solution and will allow the continuation of the agrarian
production, even surplus.
ΠThe scenario of the soil, water and people survival in a long term. It is the
desirable scenario within a sustainable development in the West Llanura
Manchega. It consists on recovering the water levels that existed in the early
70’s, achieving the appearance of the “humedales” of the 23 Aquifer and Las
Tablas de Daimiel, fed exclusively or mainly but the groundwater (Los Ojos
del Guadiana, Cerro Mesado, La Nava, Muleteros, etc). This situation is
possible if there were a prolonged wet climatic sequence in the area, if the
Income Compensation Program continued and if there were order in the
illegal wells chaos and the fraudulent irrigation. The immediately massive
save of water, making an exhaustive agriculture reconversion, is not
compatible with others supports in a short term (Tajo-Segura Aqueduct) and
in a medium term (El Cañal dam construction, increase of the Torre de
Abraham dam, etc). When these objectives and the agrarian reconversion are
achieved it will be necessary develop an economic and social model for the
West Mancha villages. This model should be based on the usage of water and
aquifer for emergencies, catastrophes and dry cycles and maintaining the rest
of the aquifer as a structural component of the soil and subsoil and the
castellano-manchega identity. It is important to highlight that the
“humedales” recovery will produce the diminishing of the renewable
resources destined to the agriculture activity in values of 100 and 200 hm3
year-1 depending on the authors. Other authors have estimated an average
annual recharge of 95 hm3 year-1, of which 24 hm3 year-1 will be destined to
the underground consumption of the inhabitants and 71 hm3 year-1 to the
irrigation. With this volume of water available for irrigation and supposing a
37
seasonal spent of 4200 m3 ha-1, there would be hydric resources to irrigate
16500 ha (approximately) i.e. 17% of the total irrigated area. In this way, the
survival of the 300000 inhabitants that live on the 23 Aquifer will be
guarantied.
Today, the 6th August 1999, it can be read in the regional papers that Las Tablas de
Daimiel National Park has only 200 flooded ha, when comparing with the 900 ha existing
in the last winter. The water supplied by Puente de Navarro dam has introduced the
botulism. So, 50 t of fish have to be moved to El Vicario dam and more than 3500 birds
have to be artificially fed. The zone is with a great pluviometric deficit.
7+( 352'8&7,21 6<67(06 $1' 7+( &5233,1* 87,/,6$7,21
6<67(0 '(9(/23(' ,1 7+( :(67 //$185$ 0$1&+(*$
(92/87,21$1'35(6(17352%/(06
The area of the 23 Aquifer is formed by 42 townships, 25 of them belong to the
Ciudad Real province, 16 to the Cuenca province and 1 to Albacete province. The total of
these townships extend over an area of 8768 km2 and their population has increased in
4040 inhabitants between 1986 and 1995. Different from what has happened in other zones
of Castilla, the population has been stabilised in the West Mancha from 1986 to 1995
breaking the regressive tendency that started in the 50’s. The population density was 34
inhabitants km-2 in 1995, a little superior to the means of the Ciudad Real (24.7), Cuenca
(12.4) and Albacete (23.3) provinces. The lowest population densities are in the border of
Campo de Montiel and in the Northwest. In 1995, there were 6 townships with more than
15000 inhabitants: Tomelloso, Alcazar de San Juan, Valdepeñas, Villarrobledo,
Manzanares and Daimiel concentrating 47% of the total population (about 300000
inhabitants).
The 24 Aquifer zone has 14 townships, 8 of them belong to Albacete province and
the rest to Ciudad Real. They cover an area of 2614 km2. Their population has decreased in
2052 inhabitants from 1986 to 1995. Nowadays the population is nearly 27000 inhabitants.
All the townships have lost population, except Ossa de Montiel. The population density
was 10.3 inhabitants km-2 in 1995, lower than the mean of Albacete (23.3) and Ciudad
Real (24.7) provinces. None of the townships have more than 5000 inhabitants. Munera is
the biggest with 4089 inhabitants. This district, with difference of the previous one, is far
from the main national communication circuits, flanked by mountainous formations in the
South-Southeast defining a wild territory.
The util agricultural area of the two aquifers is 719000 ha, 81% of the total area. The
livestock, mainly sheep, supplies one third of the agrarian product. According to the
agrarian census, there is 39500 farms (33200 in the West Mancha Aquifer and 6300 in the
Campo de Montiel Aquifer). The 23 Aquifer is characterised by the diversity of the farm
sizes. Along the century, there has been a continuous fragmentation of the great properties
as a result of the sales carried out by the great owners, who have abandoned the territories
(frequently to the tenants) or due to the division of the soil among the different inheritors.
Nowadays, in the 23 Aquifer there are some big farms and quite medium and small farms.
The 24 Aquifer is characterised by a marked duality: few big farms coexist with many
small farms. In the Campo de Montiel zone, 95% of the irrigated area are part of great
farms with more than 200 ha average irrigation farming (bigger if we consider the dry
38
farming, irrigation farming and underbush) with a minimum connection, integration and
socioeconomic worry in the district.
With regard to the employment, it is necessary highlight in both territories the work
in agriculture, constituting 30% and 50% of the total employment, depending on zones,
even more than 60% is reached in the more agrarian townships. The population occupied
uin the industry is about 13%, there are bigger figures in the townships with more
population. The industry in both zones is specialised in the wine, alcohol and other
“spirits” elaboration, clothing industry, wood, dairy industries, cheese industries, bread
industries, oils (oil mills) and meat industries (sausage) i.e. intensive in labour activities
(require low labour costs), of low demand and with low technologic demand. As industrial
localisation factors, it can be said the existence of an agrarian production that can be
transformed, the low labour costs, the incentives and official subsidies and the personal
factors (related with the predominance of familiar and small industries), as well as the
good communication structures of the West Mancha. The construction sector employ 12%
of the occupied population (following the regional and national tendency) and it is very
important in some townships, where there are teams of builders that travel to Madrid and
other cities to work. In the service sector, the occupied figures are a little lower than the
regional and national ones (nearly the half), surpassing 50% only in the more populated
townships or those which are head of district.
When observing the farm sizes, it is shown the elevate number of minifundiums:
more than 45% of them have less than 5 ha (like the regional situation and below the
national). On the other hand, the big existing farms cover nearly three fourth of the total
area.
Regard the age of the farmers, there is the getting old problem, being this situation
more grave in the Campo de Montiel. In the 23 Aquifer zone, only 8% of the farmers are
younger than 35 years old, whereas 51% are older than 55 years. In the Campo de Montiel,
66% of the farmers are older than 55 years and only 5% are younger than 35 years. This
situation limits the possibilities of structural changes originated of the own base.
The evolution of the production systems and the cropping utilisation systems in these
two aquifers can be summarised in the following points:
ΠSince 1936 to 1960. Subsistence traditional agriculture.
In the area of both aquifers, but especially in the 23 aquifer, the great plains are
dominant, but the agrarian area presents a fragmented distribution according with the
edaphic soil and relief characteristics. On the other hand, the continental climate, with
certain variability, and the dry season coinciding with the plant activity period have
determined the evolution of a complex agriculture. It is based on the combination of winter
cereals, grain leguminosae, “white” (or bare) fallow lands, seeded fallow lands, ligneous
crops (vineyards and olive trees) and wool livestock (sheep).
The winter cereals and the grain leguminosae allowed the use of the equinoctial rains
and the supply of basic energetic resources for the human population and the animal work
strength (mules, oxes and donkeys) by means of the grain and straw production. Among
the winter cereals were abundant wheat (7ULWLFXP DHVWLYXP L.) and barley (+RUGHXP
YXOJDUH L.). Oat ($YHQDVDWLYD L.) and rye (6HFDOHFHUHDOH L.) were usual in marginal soils
(rough ground, stony soil and cold zones). Among the grain leguminosae, the chickling
vetch (/DW\UXV VDWLYDV L.), chick peas (&LFHU DULHWLQXP L.) and lentils (/HQV FXOLQDULV
Medikus) were cultivated for the human consumption and “titarros” (/DWK\UXVFLFHUD L.),
39
lentil vetch (9LFLDHUYLOLD (L) Willd), vetch (9LFLD VDWLYD L.) and peas (3LVXP VDWLYXP L.
var. DUYHQVH (L) Poir) were cultivated for animal consumption.
The cropping utilisation systems dominants in the dry farming were: the biennial
annual crop alternative or the biannual (“año y vez”). With this alternative the agrarian
area was shared with a winter cereal and the bare fallow lands with 15 months duration; in
the second year the two agrarian activities change of “leaf” or “land”. In more fertile soils
the “leaf” of fallow land was sown with a grain leguminosae. The triennial crop of 3
“leaves” was not very used; one of them cultivated with winter cereals, the second one
destined to bare fallow land (nearly never sown with grain leguminosae) and the third one
was not ploughed (“erial”) to provide forage feeding to the sheep.
The ligneous crops (mainly vineyard and in a second place, but much less important,
olive tree) used the water taken in rain periods and stored at a bigger depth in the soil.
They also provide basic elements of the diet in these zones, such as vine and oil.
The sheep livestock (very related with agrarian activities) allowed the alternative
utilisation of the vegetables resources with different temporal cycles, determined by the
climate or by the usage. The Manchega sheep, autochthonous breed good milk and meat
producer, is capable of transforming very diverse vegetal productions such as underbush,
grove of oaks, leaves of vineyards, fallow lands and stubble fields in animal proteins. The
manure produced by this type of livestock has covered the organic matter deficit of the
manchegos fields and reduce the dependence of the inorganic fertilisers from the out of the
sector, scare in Spain during this period (Autarchy of the General Franco regime).
This extensive agriculture was limited to several practice knowledge inherited by the
Romans and gathered in the Agriculture Treatises of the Spaniards Columela, Abu Zacaria
and Gabriel Alonso. They did not look for any explanations or fundaments, they were
applied for the soil cultivation and the wool livestock with the objective of produce to
subsist.
With this dry farming agriculture, there was an intensive familiar horticulture in the
most fertile soils (rivers and streams’ plains, plots near the villages) where with high
labour inputs some crops such as potato (6RODQXPWXEHURVXP L.), lettuce (/DFWXFDVDWLYD
L), onion ($OOLXPFHSD L), tomato (/\FRSHUVLFRQVFXOHQWXP L.), etc were cultivated. These
crops were destined mainly for self-consumption. These lands were irrigated with surface
or groundwater on a small scale (by means of norias) keeping the ecosystem balance.
The socioeconomic results for the zone of this agriculture were:
• High proportion of the active population in the agrarian sector.
• Low life level (sanitary, socioeconomic, cultural,etc).
• Low crop yield.
• Little productivity of the human work, very hard.
• Minimum risks. Easy, autarchic productive systems but with a certain
economic instability due to the climatic variability characteristic of the
semiarid zones.
• Local supply and demand, fundamentally, although with certain exit of
some products (wine, wheat, cheese, etc) to the market.
• Lack of quality of the agriculture products.
During this stage, different latirism focuses were produced in the zone. It is a
nutritional intoxication generated by continuous chickling vetch consumption (between
250 and 500 g day-1). The symptoms were muscle rigidity, weakness and leg paralysis and
sometimes could even provoke the death. As usual, this intoxication affected the working
40
class, without money to consume cereals, especially when these cereals were scare because
of draughts.
The environmental impact of the land utilisation techniques and methods of this kind
of agriculture can be summarised in the following aspects:
• Integration of the natural processes in the agrarian production.
• Reduce the usage of production factors from out of the agriculture farm.
• Good relation among productive systems, plants genetic potentials and soil
productive potentials.
• Minimum modification of the natural state of the physic medium.
• Wide forestall and bush areas, fragile since an ecological point of view,
were transformed into cultivated lands, so many of them have been
transformed into moors.
ΠSince 1960 to 1980. Changes towards a high technical agriculture, i.e.
towards an intensive agriculture
The evolution of the traditional agriculture developed in the West Mancha and
Campo de Montiel Aquifers, as in other many Spanish zones, did not achieve a balance
with a supposed stationary medium. In fact, it always had to live with different alterations:
climatic, cultural and economic fundamentally marked by the evolution of the agrarian
policies adopted by the Government, which permanently maintained it in change or
transition conditions. The most important aspect of this period was the economic opening
and the technologic innovation and cultural changes in the national sphere modifying
deeply the rural life.
Although the agrarian systems of both aquifers answer with certain inertia before the
changes of this period, the main tendencies can be identified, which were clearly shown in
the following period to describe. All of them lead to a particular specialisation and to an
agricultural intensification.
The dry farming agriculture evolved to the steppe winter cereal-sheep stock system
and the dissociation between the vegetal production and animal production. With the land
motorization and the abandon of the working animals, the crop alternatives lose diversity
and are reduced to the crop system “año y vez”, where the cultivated crop is barley and in
less proportion wheat. The grain leguminosae start a regression and its exit of the crop
alternatives, although this process is more accelerated with the human consumption ones.
The winter cereals cultivation intensification with the total picking up of the harvest,
grain and straw and the frequent stubble burning begin the diminishing of the organic
matter levels in the soil. This process is accelerated because of the use of intensive field
works and the increase of its depth due to the use of major traction power and farm
implements with subsoil turning. The mechanisation promotes the microbial
decomposition of the crop residues and the residual organic matter. The loss of organic
matter of the soil generates a worse structure, reduced rainfall infiltration rates, increase of
the surface crust soil formation and the resistance of the roots penetration, reduction of the
soil volume (so the water and mineral nutrients availability) and increase the soil erosion
dangers. The mechanisation also produced bigger energetic costs, and the dependence of
non-renewable fossil energy sources.
A second tendency is the shy entrance of industrial crops (such as sunflower,
+HOLDQWKXV DQQXXV L.) in the dry farming alternatives, relatively unstable and very
dependent of the price policies.
41
The easiness of the transport and the communications allowed the arrival of cereals
surplus and products derived from sheep stock excess in the national market and
encouraged certain specialisation, on the contrary of the basic tendency to reduce the
diversity and the increase of the dry farming intensification. The vineyard and olive tree, in
adequate areas for those crops, generated little specialisation of their products and the
forming of initial transformer industries.
However, the major balance break achieved with the traditional agriculture systems
was produced after the implantation and extend of crops with high water requirements, as a
result of applying an active monetary viewpoint of the cost-profit analysis when managing
natural resources such as the fertile soil, the surface water, groundwater, climatic
conditions and the precipitation of the zone. Since the early 70’s there is an increase of the
irrigated area. (Table 11).
<HDUV
$&URSV
Wheat and barley
Maize
Leguminosae
Potato
Sugar beat
Sunflower
Alfalfa and meadow
Melon
Garlic
Onion
Other vegetables
Fruit trees
Vineyard
Sunflower (1 irrigation)
%)DOORZODQGV
&'U\IDUPLQJVXQIORZHU
2WKHUGU\IDUPLQJ
'7RWDO
(7RWDOHIIHFWLYHO\
,UULJDWHGDUHD
)*URXQGZDWHU
([WUDFWLRQV
4800
2000
500
2000
3800
8000
4800
600
8500
-
27442
3442
601
2196
16894
11843
11473
681
19463
-
34253
16009
1066
1901
6129
13543
18259
419
25911
-
20514
10427
130
274
1704
547
5705
3471
63
302
717
220
15620
-
26108
8155
310
531
2704
5234
5874
6654
728
681
982
257
17292
-
20697
1945
590
322
2906
8337
4229
6175
584
458
600
236
26000
11215
21489
1611
3870
264
1954
9730
2401
5398
477
649
590
180
25000
-
32377
198
4027
574
1294
3495
1067
6225
970
1263
669
279
48935
-
-
-
-
2991
-
9750
-
14408
11569
1420
14655
19726
30789
18718
35000
94035 117490 62685
85260 111691 98935
150880
35000
94035 117490 59694
75210
84294
64554
101365
151,9
387,9
414,8
322,8
246,4
243,3
522,9
413,5
7DEOH . Irrigated crops (ha) and ground water extractions (hm year ) in the West
Mancha Aquifer. From 1974 to 1995.
3
-1
About the origin of the Agriculture linked to water and its consequences converge a
serie of conditioning of different nature: physic, administrative and socioeconomic. The
physic conditions are referred to the discovery of the abundant hydric resources in the
aquifers, each time more easily exploited due to the diminishing of the boring costs and
pumpings, when the Agrarian Policy carried out by the Spanish Government encouraged
42
the production and the obtain of maximum yields. That results a gratification for some
areas next to the “humedales” with sanitary problems for the population that ask the
Authorities the drainage of the flooded areas to avoid the diseases transmitted by the
mosquitoes. The administrative and socioeconomic conditionings are referred, on one
hand, to the total freedom of the groundwater use and, on the other hand, to the foment of
the productive agrarian model to solve the feeding supply necessities of the country, with
the realisation of different transformation into irrigation farming, which intended to be the
model to follow for the farmers. This situation is maintained until the Water Law in 1985.
With this irrigation farming, the maximum yields can be obtained and the maximum
profits (objectives characteristics of the period for any human activity with economic
sense).
Based on maize system (=HDPD\V L.)- alfalfa (0HGLFDJRVDWLYD L.) appeared a new
tendency in the agriculture of the zone, so the intensive livestock based on pigs and hens.
The economic consequences of the agriculture in the zone in the 1960-1980 period
can be summarised in the following aspects:
• Increase in the crop yield.
• Beginning of the industry and services development, depending on the
agriculture intensification.
• Reduction of the agriculture participation in the working population.
• Rural exodus and urbanisation of the society.
• Territorial unbalance between the irrigated zones and the dry farming
production systems.
• Increase of the social inequalities.
The environmental impact of this agriculture intensification can be summarised in:
• Loss of soil fertility and high erosion risk.
½ Incorrect mechanical labour in many cases.
½ Introduction of new vegetal species and cultivars, which move the
traditional crops, reduction of the crop rotations and the herbaceous
crop associated to the ligneous crop and an increase of the single crop
farming in dry farming (barley) and in irrigated farming (maize). The
expansion of irrigation starts without respecting and without using the
biologic diversity of the agriculture.
½ The ecosystems, animals and vegetal especies destruction. Sometimes,
the irrigation installation is made by means of dam construction,
which flood valleys destroying their many aesthetic and
environmental values. Other times, as in Campo de Montiel, the
irrigation were established over lands occupied in the past by
autochthonous flora (Mediterranean forest) that was eliminated to
carry out the transformation in irrigation farming.
½ Establishment of irrigation farming in inadequate lands.
• Increase pollution of the natural resources (water and soil).
½ Fertilisation, in many cases irrational. The technique is applied and the
farmers do not take into either account the mineral macronutrients
extractions by the crops or its absorption velocity or dates. The
fertilisers’ application modalities are not the most adequate.
½ In general, inadequate irrigation planning and management. The most
popular irrigation system is sprinkling irrigation with mobile pipes.
43
The application efficiency is low (60-70%) and the losses of mobile
nutrients in the soil are high. The leaching of N-NO3- starts to be
serious.
½ The problems of soil salinity due to the irrigation with high saline
concentration water, by irrigation water recirculation, are seriously
important.
½ Massive use of agrochemical in the irrigated lands, mainly in maize
crop and sugar beet, as well as in horticulture crops.
½ Increase of non-recycling residues: harvest residues (which are burnt)
and agroindustrial residues (spilt into the river and streams channels,
as well as into the “humedales”).
•
The beginning of the irrigation is already a threat for the quantity of
hydric surface and underground resources in the area. The desiccation of
the “humedales”, rivers, diminishing of the water tables and the increasing
pollution (salinization, fertilisers and phytosanitary products) start.
ΠSince 1980 to 1992. Agriculture with agrarian surplus and with great
environmental impact.
In the analysed area, production systems and cropping utilisation systems coexist.
Some of them use agrarian modern techniques, whereas others use traditional techniques,
which have changed very little along the time generating a dual economy: the subsistence
economy (resistant to the development) and the market economy. The difference existing
between the two types of agriculture is the working population percentage that participate
in each of them, the crop techniques applied, the farm size, the division of land and the
application or not of the irrigation. In the rest of the agriculture of the zone, the answer to
the historic moment has consisted on a derivation toward marginal forms that finish in the
abandon, more or less encouraged by the regional, national and supranational policies.
The great changes of the agriculture in this area are produce in the irrigated farming.
This is considered the first essential step for the development under semi-arid climate and a
useful tool for the progress, even where the dry farming is possible. In this historic period
and in relation with the 23 and 24 Aquifers, the following important events occur:
nd
• Passing of the Water Law (Law 29/1985 of the 2 August). As newness it
is important highlight the inclusion in the public control the groundwater.
• The Government Board of the Guadiana Hydrographical Confederation
resolved on the 4th February 1987, in a provisional way, the declaration of
the West Mancha Aquifer overexploitation, as well as avoid the opening of
new wells.
• The national Government established the 393/1988 Royal Decree (on the
22nd April) that approved measures referent to the Campo de Montiel
Aquifer under the 56-article protection of the Water Law. This was due to
the seasonal and space overexploitation of the Campo de Montiel Aquifer,
which affected streams, surface watercourses and the Lagunas de Ruidera
Natural Park. The same decree avoided the groundwater extractions
destined to irrigated farms in the South area of the Campo de Montiel
Aquifer and restricted in the rest. One year later, on the 16th June 1989, the
Hydraulic Working General Direction decided establishing the Ordenation
Extraction Plan and the Exploitation Regime of the 24 Aquifer, being
44
declared overexploited. The most relevant aspects of the Ordenation
Extraction Plan are the following:
½ Investigation expedients or water concessions will not be transacted,
except for population and Las Lagunas de Ruidera supply.
½ In the South of the Aquifer, groundwater extractions will be avoided
with irrigation destiny between 15th June and 15th September of each
year. In the rest of the aquifer the extractions will not be higher than
28 hm3.
½ In general, measurements systems will be installed in the collecting
exit destined to irrigation.
Regards the Aquifer Exploitation Regime:
½ The total prohibition of extractions destined to irrigate in the South
zone of the aquifer. Between the 15th June and 15th September in the
rest of the Aquifer, out of this period extractions can be made but
without increasing the irrigated areas and with a maximum value of
2000 m3 year-1.
½ For 1992, the Groundwater Irrigation Association of the Aquifer
proposes not surpassing 20 hm3 destined to irrigation. The Water
Committee of the Guadiana approved reductions of the duties for
ligneous crops (from 5000 m3 ha-1 to 4000 m3 ha-1).
•
In 1991, The Government Board of the Guadiana Hydrographical
Confederation fixed the exploitation of the West Mancha Aquifer for the
years 1991 and 1992:
½ A normal utilised water volume is supposed (NUWV) of 6000 m3 ha-1
in 1991 and of 5000 m3 ha-1 for the year 1992. The maximum volume
of water to use (NUWV) in 1991 is fixed as 75% of the NUWV (55%
for 1992).
½ Each owner should give, at the beginning of the agrarian campaign, a
declaration with the area destined to each crop, so that according with
the previous duty the pumped volume does not surpass NUWV.
•
At the end of this period, it is important to highlight the Co-ordinate
Actuation Plan in the West Mancha and Campo de Montiel of Castilla-La
Mancha region. Agrarian Income Compensation Program in the 04.04 of
the West Mancha and the 04.06 of the Campo de Montiel Hydrogeologic
Units. This initiative is characteristic of Castilla-La Mancha, pioneer in
Spain and in the European Union.
In the West Mancha, the irrigated area with surface water has varied from 8000 ha in
1981 to less than 3000 ha in 1990 (a 60% reduction), as a consequence of the shortage of
water in Peñarroya dam, which irrigates zones of the Argamasilla de Alba and Tomelloso
townships. The groundwater was each time more used, until the end of the 80’s when
suffered a regressive tendency, more as a consequence of its emptying than as a minor
desire of owning them. The major extractions (554.8 hm3) were produced in 1987, and
maintained until 1990 (Table 12). As from that date, they begin to be reduced.
45
When the shortage of water has been more important, the area dedicated to crops
such as maize, alfalfa and sugar beet (%HWDYXOJDULV L. var DOWLVLPD Dölf) has decreased in
favour of winter cereals with low hydric demand. These cereals also allow carry out with
the established exigencies in the Exploitation Regime and the Income Compensation
Program. It is not the same give a support irrigation to the cereal (requiring between 1000
and 2300 m3 ha-1 year-1) than irrigate maize, alfalfa or sugar beat, which need between
7500 and 9000 m3 ha-1 year-1, i.e. four more times (Table 12).
&URSV
6HDVRQDOYROXPHRILUULJDWLRQZDWHU
P KD 2000-2500
2500-5000
1500
4000
6000
7500-8000
2000-4500
7000
8000-9000
4000-5000
8000
8000
5500-6000
8000
7000
2500
5500
1500-2500
Winter cereals
Green leguminosae
Common vetch, lentils
Soja
Potato
Sugar beet
Oleaginoseae sunflower
Other industrial crops
Alfalfa
Fodder maize
Grain maize
Tomato
Melon
Pepper and egg-plant
Other vegetables (onion)
Garlic
Fruit trees
Vineyard
7DEOH. Seasonal volume of irrigation water for the crops cultivated over the 24 Aquifer.
The seasonal volume of irrigation water varied from 4130 m3 ha-1 year-1 in 1982 to
4445 m3 ha-1 year-1 in 1990, approximately. In this period the increments in the area
dedicated to the different crops was 25% for winter cereals, 364 % for maize, 59% for
vegetable species and 30% for vineyards. The industrial crops (sunflower, sugar beet and
soja) have descended 64%.
In the case of Campo de Montiel, Table 13 shows the irrigated crops in the 19871995 period.
46
<HDUV
888
2394
1222
594
50
77
-
2501
106
90
1575
34
131
118
92
13
122
-
514
19
314
1983
6
101
10
112
-
785
243
20
68
1
7
124
-
1265
166
178
1
6
124
18
643
%)DOORZODQGV
&'U\IDUPLQJFHUHDOV
'U\IDUPLQJVXQIORZHU
2WKHUGU\IDUPLQJ
-
785
795
267
-
741
134
1023
153
284
412
485
87
446
811
201
51
'$UHDWDNHQLQWKH,QFRPH
&RPSHQVDWLRQ3URJUDP
(7RWDORIFURSV
)7RWDOLUULJDWHGFURSV
-
-
6908
6106
8550
5225
5225
6629
4782
5110
3059
2518
1249
3910
2401
$&URSV
Wheat and barley
Maize
Fodder maize
Sugar beat
Irrigated sunflower
Sunflower (1 irrigation)
Alfalfa and meadow
Peas
Garlic
Other vegetables
Fruit trees
Vineyard
Common vetch
Colza
7DEOH. Irrigated crops (ha) in the Campo de Montiel Aquifer. Years 1987 to 1995.
The effective irrigated area diminish when the area benefited by the subsidies for not
irrigate increases, becoming even inferior to the authorised irrigated area. In 1987 there
were in Campo de Montiel 5225 irrigated ha, 888 ha of them corresponded to spring
support irrigation of the winter cereals (between May and June) and the rest (4337 ha)
were summer irrigation between June and September (Table 14). This relation starts to
change in 1990 to favour the winter crops and spring irrigation. In consequence, the
seasonal volume of irrigation water in Campo de Montiel goes from 6480 m3 ha year-1 in
1987 to 2300 m3 ha year-1 in 1992 and to 620 m3 ha year-1 in 1995. The water extractions
have varied from 33.8 hm3 year-1 in 1987 to 15.25 hm3 year-1 in 1992 and 2.45 hm3 year-1 in
1995.
47
<HDUV
6SULQJLUULJDWLRQ
,UULJDWHG :DWHUH[WUDFWLRQ
DUHDKD
KP \HDU 873
1.70
2933
5.17
2636
12.03
2609
3.53
1160
1.47
2223
2.18
1987
1990
1992
1993
1994
1995
6XPPHULUULJDWLRQ
,UULJDWHG :DWHUH[WUDFWLRQ
DUHDKD
KP \HDU 4352
32.10
2048
11.18
2146
3.22
450
0.67
89
0.13
178
0.27
,UULJDWHG
DUHDKD
5255
4979
4782
3059
1249
2401
7RWDO
:DWHUH[WUDFWLRQ
KP \HDU 33.8
16.35
15.25
4.20
1.60
2.45
7DEOH . Groundwater extractions for irrigate in the Campo de Montiel from 1987 to
1995.
The socioeconomic results of the agriculture developed in the 1980-1992 period in
the West Mancha and Campo de Montiel Aquifers can be summarised in:
• Increase of the production costs. Use of many production factors out of the
farm and each time more expensive.
• Strong dependency of these inputs (the farms are unable of producing
them), with lack of security in the supply of some of these production
factors, increasing the risks; the production system have been made more
unstable.
• Lack of competitiveness of many small and medium farms. Increase of the
unemployment. Abandon of some rural areas.
In the West Mancha, 6869 farms smaller than 20 ha present 37% of the irrigated
area, so an average farm size of 5.3 ha. The “appropriate” size of the irrigated farm is 20
ha.
In Campo de Montiel, areas with average size of 1.65 ha exist.
• A great part of the farmers, who irrigate in the West Mancha with farm
sizes from 31 to 112 ha, have moderate incomes living as renters instead of
as farm workers.
In Campo de Montiel, few owners distribute the irrigated area. 21 farms with an
average size of 261 ha accumulate 88% of the irrigated area. It is agrarian business
receptors of many subsidies and with no interest of changing the present.
• There is a progressive increase of the feeding elaboration.
• Agrarian surplus production.
• Agrarian crisis threat.
This new productive agriculture generated many environmental impact problems to
the available resources:
• High dependency of the fossil energy.
• Serious decrease of the soil productivity. In the 1981-1984 period, 11500
irrigated ha were eliminated (from a total of 100000 ha) in great part due
to the salinisation problem.
• Use of many chemical products so the groundwater, soils and “humedales”
pollution.
48
•
Possible destruction of the biologic cycles in the ecosystems where new
unbalance agrosystems are inserted.
• Aquifers overexploitation and destruction of part of the wild life existing
in the “humedals” due to the pollution and surface hydric resources
exhaustion.
• Diminishing of the genetic diversity (biodiversity): reduction of the
number of the cultivated species and change of the traditional cultivars by
other more productive, although worse adapted to the local ecological
conditions and sometimes with worse quality (colour, taste, nutritive
balance, etc).
• Worsening of the problems caused by the non-recycling agrarian residues.
ΠSince 1992 to the present days. Common Agrarian Policy Reform (CAP).
Income Compensation Plan (ICP).
This date has been chosen to make it coincide with the Common Agrarian Policy
Reform. The CAP is the characteristic policy of the European Union, and the one with the
most incidences in the rural environment because of the application field and the economic
budget that uses. In February in 1991, the European Communities Commission established
a CAP reform in a Communication, due to the fatal effects of the agrarian prices of the
guaranty policy. Some of them were subsidy concentration in few big farms, production
surplus disestablishing the world market, environmental deterioration when intensifying
the production, loss of rural population, etc.
In the beginning the reform affected to different Common Market Organisation
(CMOs): cereals, oleaginoseae, proteaginoseae, tobacco, milk, beef and mutton. The new
directresses pretend the reduction of the guarantied prices until the level of the world prices
and foment more extensive productive systems. In this way, the loss of the farmers’
income is compensated with subsidies per area. There are also some counter-vailing
measures: agroenvironmental, forestall, and anticipated retirement. With regards to the
CAP financing, its reform is going to reduce the guarantied prices, so the final consumers
will not finance it but by means of taxes, via budget.
In March 1993 the Income Compensation Plan was approved for 5 years. This fact
produces a stop in the water consumption. At the end of 1997 and the beginning of 1998,
the ICP prorogation is achieved for 5 more years. The ICP objectives are:
• Reduction of water consumption so that the 23 Aquifer recovers in 240
hm3 year-1 (the renewable resources are estimated in 320 hm3 year-1) and in
the 24 Aquifer between 15 and 30 hm3 year-1 (depending if there is a dry
or a rainy year).
• Income compensation to the farmers affected by the irrigation land
reduction.
• Limitation of the fertilisers and phytosanitary products use.
• Preserving of the natural places, i.e. Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park
and Las Lagunas de Ruidera Natural Park.
The ICP allows the farmers to make a contract for the total of their irrigated lands
(except vineyards) to diminish the water volume used for 5 years in a change for receiving
a subsidy. The reduction could be at three levels: 100%, 70% or 50% and it also obligued
to keep certain limits in the use of fertilisers and phytosanitary products (Table 15). As
49
from 1995, the subsidies have been 27300 pta ha-1 for the 50% option, 45150 pta ha-1 for
the 70% option and 63000 pta ha-1 for the 100% option.
2SWLRQ
:DWHU
P KD \HDU 2460
1525
0
50%
70%
100%
1LWURJHQIHUWLOLVHU
NJKD \HDU 90
70
40
$FWLYHPDWWHURISK\WRVDQLWDU\
SURGXFWVOKD \HDU 2.0
1.5
1.0
7DEOH. Maximum consumption values depending on the chosen option.
In January 1995, the 23 Aquifer is definitely declared as an overexploited. The
Exploitation Regime of the 23 Aquifer established a normal duty of 4278 m3 ha-1. Since
1995, the Exploitation Regime for the 23 Aquifer stays as follow:
From 1 to 5 ha: 100% of the seasonal irrigation volume (4278 m3 ha-1).
From 5 to 10 ha: 4278 m3 ha-1, the first 5 ha and 50% the rest (2140 m3 ha-1).
From 10 to 30 ha: 100% the first 5 ha, 50% the 5 following ha (in total, 3208
m3 ha-1, the first 10 ha) and 35% (1497 m3 ha-1) the rest.
More than 30 ha: 100% the first 5 ha, 50% the following 5 ha, 35% the
following 20 ha (in total, 2067 m3 ha-1 the first 30 ha) and 25% the rest ha
(1069 m3 ha-1).
The CAP application has not contributed to adopt dry farming agriculture systems, in
the zone, considered as sustainable ones. Crops, which were traditional in both Aquifers,
such as grain leguminosae are not profitable, and the use of other worse adapted crops
(unless irrigation is used) is fomented. On the other hand, there has been a dissemination of
Mediterranean crops from its cultivation zone, such as vineyard, vegetables and others to
be irrigated and produce high yields, with low quality in some cases.
In 1995, coinciding with the last major draught, the correspondent law is modified to
allow the vineyard irrigation and save many plantations. This fact makes an added problem
to the zone the recognition of traditional support irrigation in vineyard (about 30000 ha).
After allowing the vineyard irrigation, the use of this technique increases very much. The
irrigation system chosen is the localised irrigation, mainly drop by drop irrigation. All this
is happening in spite of the prohibition of increasing the irrigated area that conduce to the
overexploitation declaration of the 23 and 24 Aquifers.
The agriculture of the zone intensifies its duality. On one hand, there are the dry
farming production systems based on winter cereals (helped by the CAP subsidies) and
vineyard with high irregularity and instability due to its dependence of precipitation. On
the other hand, there are the irrigation farming production systems, helped also by the CAP
subsidies in some crops, limited by the aquifer overexploitation and sustained by the
Income Compensation Program. During the 1993 and 1994 campaigns, the major subsidies
to the herbaceous crops were given to sunflower (145000 pta ha-1 in irrigated farming;
43000 pta ha-1 in dry farming) and the lowest to the winter cereal (40000 pta ha-1 in
irrigated farming; 12000 pta ha-1 in dry farming). Taking into account the discrimination
that the PAC subsidies establish in favour of the irrigated farms, it is understandable that
the aspiration of any farmer is installing the irrigation in his lands. With this operation the
obtained subsidies are going to be nearly four more times than the obtained in dry farming.
In this way, if a farmer that irrigates changed the maize crop for sunflower and embraces
the 70% reduction of the water consumption in the Income Compensation Program (43000
pta ha-1) will obtain a total of 188000 pta ha-1 in irrigated farming.
50
These subsidies, apart from foment the irrigation expansion, have the following
handicaps:
• The landholders’ farms receive high subsidies. The model of familiar
agriculture is not the base on which the more competitive agriculture is
going to develop.
• The system of direct subsidies to the farmer is very complex to apply. It
requires a great bureaucracy and more farmers’ time to fill forms.
• The CAP and PCI do not encourage the agrarian reconversion.
• In the marginal zones, there is crop intensification with input increments
(field works, fertilisation, irrigation, etc) in typical and non-typical
productions that have an economic interest. The subsidies are making
difficult the establishment of adequate crop rotations and incremented the
cultivated area and the single farming proportion.
• The social crops have not progressed as much as was desirable. The crop
development criteria do not answer to the maximisation of the agrarian
employment but to the maximisation of the incomes to the farm.
• One of the most expensive water in Spain (in this case not to irrigate) is
paid in the 23 and 24 Aquifers, except what farmers pay in the Southeast
of Spain to irrigate from the Tajo-Segura Aqueduct, and the canarios
farmers. In the Spanish irrigated lands, the cost of water is as an average
1.5-2.0 pta m3, except the water from the Tajo-Segura Aqueduct, which
costs 15-20 pta m3.
• The Income Compensation Program has annual cost of 3300 million
pesetas, multiplied by 5 years of duration is a total of 16500 million
pesetas. 16036 millions of them are financed by the European Union
(12027 come from FEOGA and 4009 from national funds) and 464
millions came exclusively from national subsidies.
Between 30 and 40% of the embraced area to the ICP (Table 16) was cultivated with
winter cereals (wheat and barley). The following important is the sunflower, especially in
1994, due to the CAP subsidies. But it is important saying that nearly one third of the
potential area, which can be irrigated, has been left as fallow land to abide by the ICP and
the CAP subsidies for herbaceous crop exigencies. The melon, with 3%, has had less
importance than what was predictable.
51
&URSV
Garlic
Alfalfa
Fallow lands
Onion
Winter cereals
Oleaginosae colza
Fruit trees
Oleaginosae sunflower
Proteaginosae peas
Vegetables
Industrial crops
Lentils
Grain maize
Melon
Potato
Pepper
Sugar beet
Soja
Tomato
Common vetch
Total
0.350
1.100
22.783
0.175
29.797
0.255
0.150
25.959
13.549
0.120
0.064
0.451
0.567
2.739
0.048
0.103
0.896
0.000
0.016
0.878
100.00
0.386
0.445
32.846
0.265
39.312
2.646
0.190
8.719
8.471
0.184
0.470
0.540
0.018
3.218
0.152
0.191
0.615
0.011
0.029
1.292
100.00
7DEOHProportion of embraced area to the Income Compensation Program according to
crops in 1994 and 1995.
With respect to the different saving options (Table 17), the 100% option is less
important because the number of hectares embraced and the water saving achieved
affecting mainly the small farms. The most important saving was achieved with the 70%
option.
2SWLRQRIZDWHU
VDYLQJ
$<HDU
50% Option
75% Option
100% Option
Total
%<HDU
50% Option
75% Option
100% Option
Total
&<HDU
50% Option
75% Option
100% Option
Total
1XPEHURI
FRQWUDFWHGKD
:DWHUVDYLQJ
P KD 7RWDOVDYLQJ
KP 26126
28327
3521
57974
2540
3475
5000
66.36
98.43
17.60
182.39
33125
37256
4474
74855
2540
3475
5000
84.14
129.46
22.37
235.97
7039
73150
5223
85412
2540
3475
5000
17.89
254.19
26.11
298.18
7DEOH Water saving as a consequence of the application of the Income
Compensation Plan. 1993-1994 period.
52
The most significant agrarian facts in the West Mancha Aquifer in the last years are:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
According to the Water Committee of the Guadiana (December 1996), the
irrigated area was about 73500 ha in 1995. The average seasonal volume
of water applied with the irrigation process was 2949 m3 ha-1 year-1.
Based on the important CAC subsidies in the last years, the different
modalities of the sunflower crop has represented more than one third of the
irrigated land, although since the 1994 campaign there has been a
reduction in this agriculture activity due to the limitations imposed by the
European Union.
There has been a little increment of area dedicated to the vegetable crops
(melon, potato, anion and garlic) although less than what expected and
with some oscillations, very influenced by the price achieved by the
farmers in the previous agriculture campaign.
The sugar beet area presents a downward trend that started at the
beginning of the 90’s (due to the high waste of irrigation water) making
difficult its introduction in the crop systems embraced to the Income
Compensation Program. It goes out from the 23 Aquifer and goes to fill its
production quota to the East Mancha Aquifer.
The same happens with alfalfa and maize, which have disappeared from
the 23 Aquifer, in spite of maize has a CAP subsidy higher than that of the
winter cereals and being more profitable than barley and wheat. The
reason is that both crops require high water volumes.
With the disappearing of sugar beet and maize from the production
systems one of the water pollution causes produced by nitrates and the
application of phytosanitary products disappear.
It is very important the increase of the area dedicated to the spring-early
summer crops such as winter cereals (wheat and barley), grain
leguminosae (proteaginosae peas) and oleaginosae (colza).
It is very important the increase area of the irrigated vineyard, combining
quantity and quality with deficient controlled irrigation, but without
surpassing seasonal water volumes of 1500 to 2500 m3 ha-1 year-1.
The increasing area dedicated to fallow lands show the necessity of
leaving 12% or 17% of the farm without crops, but with field working to
keep the soil and its fertility to embrace to the CAP herbaceous crops
subsidies. Also, to respect the crop plan in the Income Compensation
Program.
The fallow lands plus the herbaceous crop area (about 50000 ha) show that
nearly one third of the area that can be irrigated is not irrigated.
In the Campo de Montiel Aquifer, where the irrigated farms have a great area, the
following aspects are important:
• The irrigated area has been reduced until 2900 ha in 1995, with an average
seasonal volume of applied water of 822 m3 ha-1 year-1. A big irrigated
area has been destined to fallow lands and dry farming, as a result of the
Income Compensation Program.
53
•
As in the 23 Aquifer, there is a big reduction of the alfalfa and maize crop,
until nearly disappearing. The area dedicated to sugar beet and garlic has
also decreased. The area of winter cereals, colza and proteaginosae peas
have increased because of the CAP subsidies and the ICP support.
,'($6 )25 $1 $*5,&8/785( 2) 7+( ;;, &(1785< ,1 7+(
:(670$1&+$$1'&$032'(0217,(/$48,)(56=21(6
The aspects previously explained show that in the West Mancha and in the Campo de
Montiel aquifer and in all the Guadiana High Basin, there are still several questions
conditioning the efficiency of the defined actions. If they are not solved the advance
towards a sustainable development of the agriculture would not be possible in the area.
These pending aspects are summarised:
ΠLack of consensus about the distribution of the water duty. This fact has
produced a difficult situation between irrigators with recognise rights and
those without them and has generated the support to those who have illegal
wells.
ΠNon-co-ordination and a shortage of integration in the decisions and actions
carried out in the zone. An example of this lack of integration is the one
existing between the Hydrological Authorities and the agrarian authorities.
The Industry, Finance and Agriculture Ministries have contributed to the
presentation of a varied administrative situation by the farmers with the
corespondent allegations, kept by the Water Committee of the Guadiana
Departments.
ΠTransitory actions to cope with a structural situation. The farm exploitation
regimes established for both aquifers are thought for dry periods and the
Income Compensation Program covers 5 years periods.
ΠNot enough knowledge of the dynamic of both aquifers and deficiencies in
their transmission, in spite of many hydrological studies made in the area.
Very contradicted versions.
ΠScare clarity in some of the actions carried out by the Authorities e.g. the
Aquifers’ delimitation.
ΠRigidity, complexity and inoperativity of the control systems and difficulties
to execute the penalisations. There is no awareness of a generalised fraud,
there are doubts about the capacity and willingness for controlling the
extractions, or better said the dissuasion capacity of the fines.
ΠExcessive emphasis in the compensatory character of the program and not
enough utilisation of it to easy the adoption of methods and agricultural
practices in favour of a sustainable agriculture.
ΠNot enough awareness about the important of the water quality aspect. The
severe draught at the beginning of the 90’s moved the quality aspect to a
second extend when little fertilisers and phytosanitary products were used.
However, it is important remember that the pollution of the 23 Aquifer and Las
Tablas de Daimiel can be put them out of usage, although they have water.
54
When defining alternatives for the future, the main objective is generating a
sustainable development plan in the zone. This plan should cover both aquifers, i.e. make
compatible the socieconomic development with the natural resources and the environment
preservation. To make it possible it is necessary:
ΠDefine some goals for the natural surroundings preservation, trying to
restablish the natural hydrologic balance using the renewable resources.
ΠEstablish an integral management model of the available hydric resources
among all the implied parts. The irrigation farming should be considered
inside a globalise economy framework with multiple evaluation criteria:
economic, social, environmental and territorial.
ΠFind alternative projects to diversify the economic activities and to achieve
the sustainable development in the region, including the bordering influenced
areas, in its corresponding process of multicriteria evaluation in the project
selection.
ΠIntegrate the actions and policies in the territory to achieve a global pact
among all the actors implied in the conflict to guarantee the sustainable
development of the zone.
ΠEstablish an economic and finance plan to ensure the necessary resources for
this sustainable development.
The total actions to cover in the sustainable development plan can be divided into
different categories, according to their nature: hydrogeologic, hydraulic, administrative,
economic, environmental and agricultural.
In the hydrogeologic and hydraulic aspects it is necessary:
ΠIncrease the hydrogeologic knowledge of the zone and the artificial recharge
possibilities of the 23 Aquifer using the existing runoffs.
ΠThe elaboration of an exploitation annual plan of the surface and underground
hydric resources included the external contributions. This plan would be
revisable depending on the aquifer evolution and would allow the planing of
the possible users of water inversions. In the evaluation of the external
contributions, the maximum amount of water to transfer, among others, must
be taken into account, according with the affections over the zones that give
the water.
ΠThe following and control of the extractions, piezometer levels and water
quality, encouraging the use of collective irrigation installations.
ΠBuild of the community and draught wells. The difference between them is
the available water volume per hectare.
ΠRentilise the depured residual waters (The Community Directives oblige that
before the year 2005, all the townships having more than 10000 inhabitants
must filter the residual waters).
Considering in its fundamental aspects the exploitation proposal of surface and
underground hydric resources established by the Water Committee of the Guadiana
(December 1996), a summary of it is stated as a possible future solution:
•
Limitation of the West Mancha Aquifer extractions to 200 m3 year-1 for
irrigating (preferably with installations of the community), guaranteeing
the gradual recovering of the piezometer levels. To this, the extractions of
the Campo de Montiel Aquifer (about 15 hm3 year-1) must be added.
55
•
Supply external resources to the basin to complent the demands.
185 hm3 year-1 would be necessary, 50 m3 year-1 of them were already
guarantised from the Tajo-Segura Aqueduct the 8/95 Law Royal Decree
for the urban supply and keeping Las Tablas de Daimiel. This external
supplies must be made with minimum impact over the surroundings. With
that, the following events would be achieved:
½ The humid areas restoration.
½ The maintaining of an irrigated area that minimised the socieconomic
impact.
½ Incorporation of new industrial activities.
As a solution for the external contribution of 135 hm3 year-1 necessary in this
hypothesis, the returning water used for Madrid supply and its industrial surrounding could
be used for irrigating. This hypothesis has two possible alternatives:
3
-1
• Pumping the 135 m year during 8 months (when there is less demand in
the Tajo Basin) until the Finisterre dam (with a regulation capacity of 133
hm3), with a posterior pumping to take the water the Guadina Basin to
cover by means of ramified conductions, the greater area of the 23
Aquifer, which takes groundwater (Daimiel, Alcázar de San Juan,
Manzanares, etc.). This solution requires the shortest conduction length.
The 200 m3 year-1 of the 23 Aquifer would be extracted from its west zone
(the furthest of the external contribution area).
• Elevate the water, also in two stages, during 10.5 months to be driven over
the channels of the Torrejón streams and the Cigüela to the Guadiana
River to the central zone of the 23 Aquifer. In this solution it is not very
advisable filter the water directly to the aquifer, in spite of the lower price,
because will diminish the control over the water and it would have to be
pumped again from the aquifer.
The use of captions of the community would imply the closing of the unnecessary
wells and the expropriation of the community wells, as well as the irrigated area reordering
to be concentrated around the wells and be able of irrigating the best lands with a collective
network of water distribution. Anyway, the necessary territorial balances must be kept
when starting the works.
In the legal-administrative aspect, it would be necessary:
ΠRegularisation of the administrative expedients and look for solutions for the
wells that have appeared in the last years and are not legalised. The consented
solutions will be of obligatory execution in its hydraulic aspects.
ΠStudy the water rights reordering: in the relative to the renounce of right of
utilising inexistent hydric resources and the substitution of the underground
water rights for surface water.
ΠRealise actions to adequate the institutional framework and ensure the coordination and a efficient control system. The actions viability is very
conditioned by the delimitation of an adequate institutional framework and
the correct co-ordination among the institutions. A readjustment of the
institutional framework is essential to introduce the necessary changes.
56
Œ Potentate the role of the Irrigators’ Communities, establishing their
competences and responsibilities in aspects such as management, vigilance,
sanctions, etc. The water management in Spain has a solid establish
institutional framework based on Water Committee of Basins, Irrigators’
Communities, the Water Tribunal, etc and a wide normative. But its
application and fitting to the reality of the Guadiana High Basin is very
recent. The Irrigators’ Communities would need help to complete their
information and training for the future.
In the economic and complementary activity aspects, the actions must be centred in:
ΠThe divulging of the existing problems in the 23 and 24 Aquifers and look for
the possible solutions. The Irrigators’ Communities, and the professional
associations, country syndicates, University and regional and local
Administrations should actuate as awareness and reflection platforms in the
searching for consensual solutions.
ΠThe installation of technologies and services in the zone such as:
• Development of the human resources, forming the implied actors and the
incorporation of the new technologies and information.
• Foment of the innovation and technologic development.
• Establishment of infrastructures in the transport zones, the
communications, the supply, the residual waters filtering, the education,
the sanity, etc.
ΠThe exploitation of all the diversification opportunities: agroturism, cynegetic
activities, agroalimentary product transformation, craftsmanship, direct
commercialisation, formation and qualification centres, administrative
department, etc.
ΠAnticipated retirement.
In the environmental aspect, the actions will be focused on:
ΠElaboration of an specified plan of the environment recovery. The preserving
of the manchegos “humedales”, considered as Biosphere Reserve by the
UNESCO, is a fundamental element to ensure the diversity conservation and
provide tourism. On the other hand, it is necessary carried out some
selviculture actions to keep and regenerate the manchegos sabin junipers
woods. A study about the possibility of increasing their area encouraging the
adequate techniques in populetums for their seeds germination. The
poputetumculture is an attractive option for the area; the poplar can be
planted to act as a natural depurator in the rivers’ plains and lagoons. The
establishment of poplars woods as “green filters” after physic, chemical and
biological depuration systems is very effective as a tertiary treatment
completing the urban residual water depuration process. It is a crop subsided
by the Authorities at a plantation and selviculture treatments levels.
ΠWiden the objectives of the environmental actions against the salinisation,
selective reforestation, betterment of the landscapes, etc.
ΠElaborate a specific plan to protect the water quality in the area (depuration
and agricultural and industrial diffuse pollution).
57
In the agrarian aspect, when defining alternatives for the future, it is important to
highlight that the general objective is generate a sustainable agriculture for the both
aquifers area, i.e. encourage production systems and crop systems or alternatives that:
ΠAdopt crop techniques and methods with low inputs to minimise the
utilisation of external production factors in the farm (fertilisers, phytosanitary
products, etc).
ΠAvoid the loss of soil fertility and reduce the erosion risks.
ΠDiminish the soil, groundwater and surface water pollution.
ΠFavour the reduction of the residues from the phytosanitary products in the
feedings and the risks for the farmer who applies them.
ΠIntegrate the agriculture, livestock and the forestall exploitation.
ΠReduce the production costs.
Œ Increase in a medium and large term the farm’s profitability.
ΠFavour the agricultural employment and the rural development.
ΠFoment the sustainable use of the natural resources, mainly the water, as a
scare and precious resource. The planning of the sustainable use of water
requires the definition of some criteria, preserved after an important social
debate, which takes into account the territory ordering, the employment and
wealth generation, an the environmental impacts of the different uses among
others.
The framework, where the new sustainable agriculture is going to establish, has to
take into account:
ΠThe strategic importance of the irrigation in the consolidation of the
agroalimentry system in the 23 and 24 Aquifers territory.
ΠThe price and subsidies policies, established that the CAP and the Income
Compensation Program, will determine the global strategies of the
agriculture, producing what the market demand in quantity, quality and dates,
using as well as possible the climatic and edaphic conditions and the existing
productive structures.
ΠThe modernisation of the present irrigated lands, with the adaptation to the
new productive orientations and favouring the water savings.
ΠThe commercialisation foment for a greater valorisation of the agrarian
productions. The 23 and 24 Aquifers territories have had a more productive
than commercialised vocation. This strategy was adequate in scarce periods
but now is totally out of date. The product valorisation adapting the offer to
the demand (quality, differentiation, diversification, etc) as well as a
searching of new market is fundamental for ensuring the good working of the
agricultural sector. This better commercialisation should affect especially to
certain products, with tradition in the zone and which cover social objectives
providing many jobs. Some of these crops are melon, onion, garlic, pepper,
saffron, etc.
ΠThe retirement of irrigated lands, incentived and voluntary, temporal or
definitive, of those farms with low productivity, to favour the balance of the
hydric resources.
58
The proposed actions are the following:
ΠMake an inventory of the irrigated area, including also water sources (wells),
irrigation systems and their basic characteristics, because they can condition
their water application efficiency and so their seasonal water necessities. In
this sense it is necessary the creation of big database in collaboration with the
Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Teledetection.
ΠElaboration of a territorial reordering plan of the irrigation farming, with
reference to the water use and the crops with relation with the climate, soil
hydric availabilities, etc conditionings. Taking into account the CAP and the
Common Market Organisations (CMO’s) guidelines there are groups of crops
with very different characteristics and future such as: herbaceous crops,
vineyard, olive trees and vegetable species.
ΠEstablishment of the extracted water volume without spoiling: global quota.
The beginning point is determining the total volume of water extractions
equivalent to the recharge or “normal” keeping capacity i.e. the one that
maintain the piezometer levels. To this volume the water demand different
from the agricultural must be subtracted to obtain the maximum volume that
can be extracted for agricultural uses called global quota. This global quota
will be lower than the total of the extraction rights presently recognised so
that would show real available water quantities. On the other hand, the global
quota would be superior to the maximum volume of the present extraction
regime, so that it does not take into account the aquifer recovery. Besides, the
extraction regime is temporal (annual) and so revisable and the global quota
would be permanent.
ΠDistribution of the global quota among the farms with water extractions
rights. In this distribution the following aspect must be taking into account:
• Vineyards (and eventually olive trees) and other crops.
• Farms sizes.
ΠExtractions control. Instead of doing it as before (taking into account the crop
plans), the installation of flow meters will allow that the farmers, who know
their adjudicated water quota, determine the crop plan and the adjustment to
the changes produced along the campaign. The flow meter installation is the
first step to adapt the crop systems and incentive a better water utilisation by
the farmers. To achieve a complete control, a serious implication of the
Irrigators’ Communities and the users is needed.
ΠCreation of an Integral Advising Service for the Irrigator (IASI), which takes
into account the interrelations with the dry farming, the social crop
implantation, the non-exigent in water production systems (with high
efficiency in the water use and great added value). It would use deficient
irrigation strategies, controlled deficient irrigation and models to help to the
decision making, without discarding more intensive production systems (e.g.
the cultivation under greenhouses).
This water management will be complemented with a program of extraction
discrimination to recover the aquifers and with other program of dry farming foment.
59
The program to diminish the water extractions has the following actions:
ΠDevelop sustainable crop systems to optimise the water usage efficiency:
species, cultivars and field working. Herbaceous and ligneous crops, where
the deficient irrigation and the controlled deficient irrigation techniques can
be applied.
ΠEmphasise the crops with spring cycle, favoured by the 2000 Agenda such as:
grain leguminosae (peas), winter cereals (hard wheat), oleaginosae (colza,
mustard), etc.
ΠImpulse the extensive vegetable crop systems with short cycle crops and
double utilisation (fresh consumption and industrial transformation): broccoli,
cauliflower, sweet maize, spinach, green peas, green beans, escarole, etc.
ΠGenerate a fodder production system with herbage strains and annual fodder
crops such as: vetch- oat, fodder turnip, fodder borecole, fodder beet, fodder
colza, Italian ryegrass, westerwoldicum ryegrass, etc. These fodder crops
have a spring and autumn-winter cycle and can be pastured, made hay or
ensiled in plastic bags.
ΠOptimise the traditional vegetable crops alternatives, using short cycles,
fertirrigation with localised irrigation systems, padding of the soil with
transparent polyethylene, little tunnels, etc.
ΠImpulsion of the familiar intensive horticulture with protection techniques
(padding of the soil and/or thermic netting), semiforced (little tunnels) and
forced (macrotunnels and tunnel-greenhouses).
ΠRenounce to crops with high water requirements, such as maize, sugar beet
and alfalfa.
The objective of the foment program of the dry farming is foment the keeping or the
reintroduction of dry farming field works. The proposed actions would be intensified by
the European Commission intention in its legislative development proposals of the 2000
Agenda: “the subsidies to the zones in disadvantage will be transformed into a tool, which
will allow stabilise or even foment the crop methods with scare intermediate consumption”
(European Union, 1998). The dry farming foment must be carried out with the following
actions:
ΠDiversification of the dry farming alternatives with grain leguminosae, for
human and animal consumption, oleaginosae and other winter cereals (hard
wheat, triticale).
ΠExtend the production systems to obtain cereals (e.g. oat) and grain
leguminosae (e.g. common vetch and lentil vetch) seeds (certified seed
production).
ΠIntegration of livestock (sheep) with the agricultural production (fallow lands,
stubble fields and fodder).
ΠImprovement of the ligneous crops, with especial social repercussion
(vineyards, olive trees, almond trees).
ΠIntroduction of crops for obtaining fibres, gluten, alcohol and other primary
matters considered in the present as subproducts.
ΠFoment of the aromatic and medicinal plants.
ΠForestation of lands with low agricultural productive potential or with high
ecological value.
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