Hydroeconomic modeling for assessing water scarcity and agricultural pollution abatement policies in the Ebro River Basin, Spain

Abstract. Despite the particular management practices and climate characteristics of the Mediterranean regions, the literature dealing with N budgets in large catchments subjected to Mediterranean conditions is scarce. The present study aims to deepen our knowledge on the N cycle within the Ebro River Basin (NE Spain) by means of two different approaches: (1) calculating a global N budget in the Ebro River Basin and (2) calculating a series of detailed regional budgets at higher geographical resolution. N inputs and outputs were spatialized by creating a map based on the most detailed information available. Fluvial and atmospheric N export was estimated together with N retention. The Ebro River Basin annually receives a relatively high amount of new N (5118 kg N km−2 yr−1), mostly in the form of synthetic fertilizers (50%). Although it is a highly productive catchment, the net N input as food and feed import is also high (33%). Only 8% of this N is finally exported to the delta zone. Several territorial units characterized by different predominant uses (rainfed agriculture, irrigated agriculture and pastures) have differentiated N dynamics. However, due to the high density of irrigation channels and reservoirs that characterize Mediterranean catchments, N retention is very high in all of them (median value, 91%). These results indicate that problems of eutrophication due to N delivery in the coastal area may not be too severe but that high N retention values may instead lead to problems within the catchment, such as pollution of aquifers and rivers, as well as high atmospheric emissions. The most promising management measures are those devoted to reducing agricultural surpluses through a better balanced N fertilization.

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Assessment of future water resources and water scarcity considering the factors of climate change and social–environmental change in Han River basin, Korea

Stochastic Environmental Research and Risk Assessment ◽

10.1007/s00477-014-0924-1 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 28 (8) ◽

pp. 1999-2014 ◽

Cited By ~ 21

Author(s):

Soojun Kim ◽

Byung Sik Kim ◽

Hwandon Jun ◽

Hung Soo Kim

Keyword(s):

Climate Change ◽

Water Resources ◽

Environmental Change ◽

River Basin ◽

Water Scarcity ◽

Han River ◽

Han River Basin ◽

Social Environmental

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Water scarcity cost as a drought indicator through hydroeconomic modelling—application to the Jucar River Basin

Drought: Research and Science-Policy Interfacing ◽

10.1201/b18077-43 ◽

2015 ◽

pp. 267-272

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Water Scarcity ◽

Modelling Application

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Additional records of non-native freshwater fishes for the Ebro River basin (Spain)

Aquatic Invasions ◽

10.3391/ai.2010.5.3.06 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 5 (3) ◽

pp. 291-296 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Rafael Miranda ◽

Pedro Leunda ◽

Javier Oscoz ◽

Antonio Vilches ◽

Ibon Tobes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Freshwater Fishes ◽

Ebro River

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The UN System for Environmental-Economic Accounts for Water (SEEA-W) and groundwater management: the experience of the Arno River Basin Authority within the PAWA project

Acque Sotterranee-Italian Journal of Groundwater ◽

10.7343/as-086-14-0113 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Bernardo Mazzanti ◽

Isabella Bonamini ◽

Gaia Checcucci ◽

Lucia Fiumi ◽

Francesco Consumi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Environmental Economic ◽

River Basin ◽

Water Scarcity ◽

Land Use Changes ◽

Field Measurements ◽

River Basin Management ◽

Management Plan ◽

Directorate General ◽

Preparatory Action ◽

Water Accounts

The Pilot Arno Water Accounts (PAWA) project was recently funded under the Call “Preparatory Action on Development of Prevention Activities to Halt Desertification in Europe” of the Directorate- General for the Environment of the European Commission to promote preventive actions to manage water scarcity and drought phenomena and to meet one of the main goals under European environmental legislation: the effective and sustainable management of water resources. The partners involved in the implementation of the PAWA project (ISPRA, Arno River Basin Authority, SEMIDE/EMWIS) will carry out a pilot initiative in the Arno River Basin, an area severely affected by water scarcity and droughts phenomena and characterized by water withdrawals and land use changes. In the area a large experience about water balance application was already performed, for example in the context of the Water Framework Directive Common Implementation Strategy. Moving from this knowledge, the objective of the project is the definition of water accounting processing based on the UN System of Environmental Economic Accounts for Water, with the final goal to optimize a list of effective measures to face water scarcity phenomena. By the end of project (March 2015) the PAWA partnership aims at preparing physical water stock accounts, using the best available data resulting from field measurements or models, on a monthly step for the period 1999–201. The quality of each dataset will be assessed; tables, maps and graphs will be produced as outputs of the projects in cooperation with local stakeholders and players of the water sector. Furthermore, water accounts will be used to assess the potential impact of various measures related to water resource efficient exploitation in the most vulnerable sub-basins; their tolerability will be tested during workshops with stakeholders. Finally, water efficiency targets for potential future integration into Arno River Basin Management Plan will be identified.

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Characterizing Hydrological Drought and Water Scarcity Changes in the Future: A Case Study in the Jinghe River Basin of China

Water ◽

10.3390/w12061605 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (6) ◽

pp. 1605

Author(s):

Chaoxing Sun ◽

Xiong Zhou

Keyword(s):

River Basin ◽

Water Scarcity ◽

Hydrological Drought ◽

Mitigation Measures ◽

Historical Period ◽

Climate Projections ◽

Rcp Scenarios ◽

The Future ◽

Jinghe River Basin ◽

Jinghe River

The assessment of future climate changes on drought and water scarcity is extremely important for water resources management. A modeling system is developed to study the potential status of hydrological drought and water scarcity in the future, and this modeling system is applied to the Jinghe River Basin (JRB) of China. Driven by high-resolution climate projections from the Regional Climate Modeling System (RegCM), the Variable Infiltration Capacity model is employed to produce future streamflow projections (2020–2099) under two Representative Concentration Pathway (RCP) scenarios. The copula-based method is applied to identify the correlation between drought variables (i.e., duration and severity), and to further quantify their joint risks. Based on a variety of hypothetical water use scenarios in the future, the water scarcity conditions including extreme cases are estimated through the Water Exploitation Index Plus (WEI+) indicator. The results indicate that the joint risks of drought variables at different return periods would decrease. In detail, the severity of future drought events would become less serious under different RCP scenarios when compared with that in the historical period. However, considering the increase in water consumption in the future, the water scarcity in JRB may not be alleviated in the future, and thus drought assessment alone may underestimate the severity of future water shortage. The results obtained from the modeling system can help policy makers to develop reasonable future water-saving planning schemes, as well as drought mitigation measures.

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