Halting Desertification in the Júcar River Basin

Preparatory Action on development of prevention activities to halt desertification in

Europe

Brussels, 16 February 2012

Elisa Vargas, Arancha Fidalgo

• Scale: Jucar River basin District, in the east of Spain (pilot RBD in the fist stage of the WFD implementation).

• Aim: obtain and assess socio-economic, environmental and climatic data, feed systems/models and provide recommendations to save water resources.

• Transfer results: dissemination to EU and non-EU countries through EMWIS.

Introduction

•Three main partners: EVREN (SME), EMWIS (International network), CHJ (Gov.).

• Environmental Consulting Firm (SME).• 23 years of experience.• Offices in Spain (Madrid, Valencia) and

Ecuador (Quito).• Areas of work:

• Water resources• Agronomy and forest resources• Coastal management• Land planning• Solid wastes• Sustainable touristic developments• Environmental Impact Assessment• Industrial environment• International projects

• Projects developed for Spanish Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment, River basin authorities, regional governments, international entities (EC, Plan Bleu-UNEP…).

EVREN

•Euro-Mediterranean Information System on know-how in the water sector•Initiative of the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership.

EMWIS

•Strategic tool for exchanging information and knowledge in the water sector.•Technical unit since 1999: 22 National Focal Points.•Steering Committee: Water Directors from 13 Mediterranean countries.•Joint Process: Coordinating working groups on water scarcity/Droughts and water quality monitoring•Support non-EU countries in implementing National Water Information Systems able to feed SEEA-W•Member of H2020 monitoring and ENPI-SEIS Med team

•Júcar River Basin Authority (CHJ)-Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment.•Autonomous public entity.•Responsibilities of the authority:

• Development, follow-up and update of the RBMP.

• Administration and control of the water public domain.

• Water resources management, supply follow-up (municipalities).

• Specific hydraulic works.• Monitoring networks.• Flood and water quality control hydrological

studies.• Hydrological planning.• Rights, concessions, abstractions, discharges…• Development of plans and programs for water

saving, economic efficiency and environmental improvement.

• Definition of water quality and demand management action plans and programmes.

• Technical services related to the objectives and assessment to other administrations, institutions and individuals.

CHJ

•Data gathering (river discharge, rainfall, evapotranspiration, climate, groundwater, demands…).•Data integration: propose methodology, gather and assess data.•Assessment and results: recommend most feasible water saving options, propose management measures and targets.•Dissemination activities.

Objectives of the Action

•Feed ECRINS, SEAA-W and future Blueprint optimization model. •Obtain useful water accounts.•Reach managers and local stakeholders by reviewing measures to save water.

1.Establishment of background and context. (Jan.-Feb.)

• EU strategies, policies, SEEA-W, ECRINS, Júcar RBD features.

2.Collection of data and contacts with administrations and other partners. (Feb.-Apr.)

• Data delivery feasibility, improvement of datasets. 3.Apply method by SEEA-W and ECRINS specifications. (Apr.-July)

• Disaggregation, detailed water resources balance, identification of measures.

•Assessment and recommendations. (Sept.-Dec.)1.Estimate optimizations and water saving potentials,

propose feasible targets.•Meetings and deliverables. (12 months)•Dissemination and capacity building. (12 months)

1.Web-site section EVREN, EMWIS e-bulletin and website.

Tasks

•Meetings: • 4 main working team meetings (EVREN+CHJ).• 3 Partnership meetings

(EVREN+EMWIS+CHJ+Stakeholders).• 2 Video conferences with EC officials.

•Reports• 3 main reports + recommendations.

• Other: brochure, web-site sections, dissemination through e-bulletins, non-EU session, event at the final Blueprint Conference.

•Timetable

Deliverables & timetable

•Surface: 42.851km2.•Population (2009): 5,1 million.•Mediterranean climate (average temp. 14-16ºC; average annual rainfall 500 mm).•High season variability.•Relevant groundwater resources.•Water scarcity & droughts.

• Drought management plan since 2007.

•Desertification: overexploitation of aquifers and salinization of soils. •Relevant demographic and touristic pressures.•A river basin facing most of the water resources challenges!

Júcar RB main features

CHJ

78%

18%

4%

Agricultural

Urban

Industrial-recreational

45%

51%

3

0.1% 2%

Surface

Groundwater

Reuse

Desalination

Transfer

Tourism equivalent population (2009) 404.883

Irrigation surface (ha) 369.003Total water demand from sectors (hm3/año)

3.162

The Júcar RBD is comprised of a group of nine river basins:

CHJ

Júcar RB main features

Mean Annual Rainfall 21.446 hm3/year

Runoff3.933 hm3

Júcar RB hidrology

Aportación total a la red superficial (hm3 /año)

0300600900

1.2001.5001.8002.1002.4002.7003.0003.3003.6003.9004.2004.5004.8005.1005.4005.7006.0006.3006.600

1940

-41

1943

-44

1946

-47

1949

-50

1952

-53

1955-

56

1958-

59

1961

-62

1964

-65

1967

-68

1970

-71

1973

-74

1976

-77

1979

-80

1982-

83

1985-

86

1988

-89

1991

-92

1994

-95

1997

-98

2000

-01

2003

-04

Año

Aportación total 1940/41-2005/06 1980/81-2005/06 1940/41-1980/81

High spatial and temporal variability; Mediterranean Basin Feature

CHJ

Spatial Distribution of Annual Rainfall (mm/year) Time period: 1980/81–

2008/09.

UNESCO Humidity Index

There are 3 categories of Climatic Regions within the Júcar Basin District:

SemiaridSub humidHumid

The UNESCO Humidity Index is an expression of the ratio:

pirationEvapotransPotentialionPrecipitat:i

Júcar RBD: water resources

CHJ

Irrigated crop Surface =

369.003 hectares

Agriculture water demand (2009)

GROSS UNIT DEMAND =

6.660 m³/ha/year

NET UNIT DEMAND=

4.020 m³/ha/year

TOTAL AGRICULTURE DEMAND

2.457,53 Hm3/year

CHJ

Main irrigated crops and irrigation systems

45%

11%7%

6%

6%

5%

5%

8%7%

Citrus

Grain cereal

Outdoor vegetables

Maize and sorghum

Wine grape

Other fruit trees

Rice

Other wood trees

Other herbaceous

CHJ

Sprinkle Irrigation System in Albacete

Drip Irrigation System in Valencia

Urban Water Demand (2009)

Urban Demand Units (UDU)

Total water demand: 549 Hm3/year

CHJ

Water Supply (hm3):

Wastewater Reuse Plants

Treated wastewater vs. reused

wastewater (2009)•Total treated waste water volume: 625 hm3/year•Total reused volume:143 hm3/year •Total Future maximum consumptive reused volume: 271 hm3/year (by applying RBMP, PoM).•Main uses: agriculture and environment.

Treated Wastewater reuse

CHJ

Some of the most relevant water issues (identified in the draft RBMP).

• Water guarantee improvement and efficiency of traditional irrigation systems.

• Sustainable management of the Mancha Oriental aquifer.

• Overexploitation of GW in the Vinalopó area.• Adjustment of ecological flows• Ecosystem degradation• Control of exotic species• Adjustment and improvement of water treatment in

specific municipalities• Pollution control and eutrophication (Serpis and

Albaida rivers)• Flood risk reduction (low reach of Júcar River)• Achievement of GES of the Albufera lake• Water rights regularization• Further assessment of wetland water requirements• Priority substances follow-up

CHJ

Poor status: 34 groundwater bodiesGood status: 56 groundwater bodies

WFD & RBMPs works:Quantitative GW bodies status: Global status

CHJ

Pilot activity on data harmonisation in Tunisia

• 2 technical missions in 2009

• Meetings with all the institutional stakeholders

• Inputs for the financial agreement with the African Water Facility

• Memorandum of understanding signed between 5 ministries for data sharing under SINEAU

• Potential technical assistance to the beneficiaries for:• Joint preparation of the reference data sets by the

national partners• Ensuring coherency with international standards

EMWISExperience related to the action

GW NetworkNappes phréatiques Nappes profondes

Région Puits Piézomètres Total Forages Piézomètres Total

Nord 1119 327 1446 32 182 214

Centre 784 271 1055 20 224 244

Sud 405 160 565 12 212 224

Total 2308 758 3066 64 618 682

2308 puits ; 1376 piézomètres (500 équipés) ; 64 forages

3748 points d’observations

Experience related to the action EMWIS

Pilot activity on data harmonisation in Jordan

• 2 technical missions in 2010

• Meetings with the main stakeholders

• Validation with and commitment from the Minister of water and irrigation

• Endorsement by the Jordanian Prime Minister

• Draft concept note for a funding request under preparation

EMWISExperience related to the action

Pilot activity on data harmonization in

Jordan

EMWIS

Thank you for your attention!

Questions and comments:

evargas@evren.es; arancha.fidalgo@chj.es

www.evren.es; www.chj.es