Human Impact on Water Resources and Management in Spain

Geography13 Mar 20263.14 KB

Human Activity and Water Consumption

Water is an essential resource for human activity. The distribution of its use is as follows:

Irrigated agriculture consumes 80% of the water in Spain.
Energy production in power plants uses water, driven by industrial energy demand (6.4%).
Urban consumption accounts for 14% of total use.
Waste disposal originates from farming, ranching, urban, and industrial activities.
Recreational activities include fishing, swimming, and the maintenance of parks.

The water balance relates existing water resources to their consumption. In Spain, although this balance is positive, several problems persist:

Water availability from rivers is limited by irregularity and unequal seasonal distribution.
Demand is highest where resources are scarce, particularly in the Mediterranean region.
The network of dams is currently insufficient to meet rising demand.
There are significant annual water losses due to the use of inadequate irrigation systems.

Water policy has two primary purposes: the regulation of resources and their management. This is accomplished through:

River basin management plans, which identify the specific needs and works required for each basin.
The National Hydrological Plan, which coordinates watershed plans and designs overall performance strategies.
Efforts to achieve water self-sufficiency by creating new works to increase availability and improve usage efficiency.
Ensuring high-quality water for drinking and for the maintenance of ecosystems.
The prevention of floods and droughts through the use of specialized channels.
The promotion of research and technological innovation in the water sector.

Hydraulic works are designed to regulate rivers and improve water quality:

To regulate rivers, dams have been built (large volumes of artificially stored water), along with distribution channels and transfers (inter-basin water transfers from surplus to deficit areas).
To adjust other resources, the system utilizes lakes (for hydroelectric power), aquifers (large volume water reserves from wells and galleries for agricultural use), and seawater. Seawater is processed through desalination, a procedure used to produce fresh water in areas of extreme scarcity.
Infrastructure to improve water quality includes drinking water treatment plants (treating water for consumption) and wastewater treatment plants (treating wastewater to prevent environmental contamination).