Threats and Impacts to Groundwater- Dependent Wetlands Doñana, Spain
Marisol Manzano and Emilio Custodio
Dept. Geotechnical Engineering, Technical University of Catalonia,
UPC Campus, Barcelona, Spain
CONTENT
1. Geographical location and geology of Doñana aquifer
2. Main environmental, social and economical aspects
3. Environmental impacts of intensive and localised groundwater exploitation
4. Towards a sustainable use of groundwater and the environment.
5. Conclusions
- SW Spain, between Sevilla, Huelva and Cádiz.
- Right bank of the Guadalquivir river at its estuary on the Atlantic Ocean
1. Geographical location and geology
PLIO-QUATERNARY ≈ Doñana aquifer Marsh Unit: clay
Eolian Unit: sand
Guadiamar river terraces
Deltaic Unit: sand and silt Alluvial Unit: sand and gravel
Lagoon Town River
UTM (km)
SEVILLA
4140
4100
710 750
HUELVA
marshes
RIVER
La Rocina
TINTO RIVER
Erased
El Rocío
dunes
Activ e dun
es
Aquifer extent:
aprox. 3600 km2
Doñana National Park: 54251 ha Peripheral buffer zone: 26540 ha Doñana Natural Park: 55377 ha Total protected surface: 136168 ha
CÁDIZ
- Plio-Quaternary sand, silt and gravels.
- Quaternary sand sheets, shifting dunes and clay marshes
2a. Main environmental aspects
¾ Great diversity of biotopes, especially lagoons, marshlands, fixed and mobile dunes, scrub woodland and pine forest.
¾ Habitat of: 875 plant species; 365 bird species; amphibious; fishes;
mammals,…
¾ Home of threatened species (Aguila Imperial, Lince,…) and Europe’s largest winter habitat for migrating birds (> 6 M birds/year)
¾ 1969: Creation of Doñana National Park
¾ 1981: Biosphere Reserve (UNESCO-MAB)
¾ 1982: RAMSAR Site (Humid zone of Int. Importance)
¾ 1994: Natural World Heritage Site
2b. Main environmental aspects
AUGUST 1985
Main patterns of groundwater-dependent wetlands in Doñana
GROUNDWATER DISCHARGE TO DEPRESSIONS AND CREEKS
Permanent groundwater discharge to ponds
precipitation evapotranspiration
evaporation
water table
precipitation evapotranspiration
stream flow generation
Permanent stream generation
water table Buffer to (some) pollutants
Wet season
or year
precipitation
Seasonal / interannual groundwater discharge
wet year/season water table
dry year/season water table Soil erosion and transport
Pollutants
precipitation
evapotranspiration
stream flow
Seasonal/interannual stream generation
water table Soil erosion and transport
Pollutants
Dry season
or year
3a. Hydrological impacts of intensive groundwater exploitation
REGIONAL PIEZOMETRY
October 1972 October 1996
UNDISTURBED SITUATION DISTURBED BY INTENSE PUMPING
-20
Location of main pumping sites
Location of main pumping sites
Guadalquivir river
b
-12 -8 -4 0 4
1970 1975 1980
-2 0 2 4
0 50 100 150 200 250 300 350
Days after 01/01/1970
0 4 8 12 16
1970 1975 1980
0 10 20
1970 1975 1980
Time (years)
Elevation(m.a.s.l.) m.a.s.l.
MAIN FEATURES
1. Phreatic level close to soil surface most of the year.
2. Groundwater discharges through:
• phreatic transpiration (phreatophytes)
• springs and seepage to small streams and ponds
• evaporation from the soil 3. Wetlands are abundant,
mostly permanent 4. Riparian areas: buffer
zones attenuating NO3 in discharging polluted
ground-water
La Rocina ravine andriparianforest Active spring
or ravine Rainfall (Recharge)
Silt (∼impervious) Gravel Sand
NATURAL FLOW:
UNDISTURBED SITUATION
Phreatic level
Deep piezometric level
Phreatic transpiration
Well or borehole screen
Groundwater flow path
W E
3b. Environmental impact of intensive groundwater exploitation
La Rocina ravine andriparianforest La Rocina ravine
Active spring or ravine
Dry spring or ravine
Groundwater pumping Groundwater
pumping Rainfall (Recharge)
Silt (∼impervious) Gravel
Sand
NATURAL FLOW:
UNDISTURBED SITUATION
FLOW DISTURBED BY GROUNDWATER PUMPING
Phreatic level
Deep piezometric level
Phreatic transpiration
Well or borehole screen
Groundwater flow path
MAIN FEATURES
1. Phreatic level close to soil surface most of the year.
2. Groundwater discharges through:
• phreatic transpiration (phreatophytes)
• springs and seepage to small streams and ponds
• evaporation from the soil 3. Wetlands are abundant,
mostly permanent 4. Riparian areas: buffer
zones attenuating NO3 in discharging polluted
ground-water
W E
La Rocina ravine andriparianforest La Rocina ravine
Active spring or ravine
Dry spring or ravine
Groundwater pumping Groundwater
pumping Rainfall (Recharge)
Silt (∼impervious) Gravel
Sand
NATURAL FLOW:
UNDISTURBED SITUATION
FLOW DISTURBED BY GROUNDWATER PUMPING
Phreatic level
Deep piezometric level
Phreatic transpiration
Well or borehole screen
Groundwater flow path
MAIN FEATURES
1. Depletion of phreatic and piezometric levels, causing:
• riparian / phreatophyte vegetation to disappear
• springs, diffuse discharge and small ravines may
disappear
• enhanced erosion and sediment transport
• wetlands inundation frequency and lasting
decrease (some disappear) 2. Wetland surface decrease 3. Pollutants (nutrients) more
persistent, spreading deeper and wider
W E
Other significative Threats and Impacts on the Doñana wetlands
DEFORESTATION
• Induced erosion and sedimentation
• Humid surface decreases by progressive filling up of small depressions and marshes
WATER AND SOIL POINT AND DIFFUSE
CONTAMINATION
•Sources: * agrochemical (nutrients, pesticides)
* industrial (oil/wine wastes, pig slurry)
* urban (untreated sewage)
• Progressive water quality (ecological) deterioration
• Centimetric-range water table lowering because of increased evapotranspiration
• Decrease of humid surface by reducing the
phreatic discharge to soil surface and vegetation
INTRODUCTION OF HIGH WATER-
DEMANDING VEGETATION (EUCALYPTUS)
5. Conclusions
Doñana holds hundreds of wetlands with different
geomorphic and hydrological pattern. Most of them are directly related to groundwater:
- Groundwater is the main contributor to many environ- mental, economical and social goods & services in Doñana
1.
Intensive groundwater abstraction during 35 years modified many wetland's natural hydrological pattern:
- Pumping (concentrated in aquifer discharge areas)
converted permanent wetlands into temporal or sporadic, and many sporadic ones disappeared.
- Many small ravines converted from lineal phreatic
discharge zones into irrigation excess collectors; they are jeopardised by nutrients and pesticides.
2.
5. Conclusions (2)
Uncontrolled deforestation for 40-50 years favoured sand mobilisation and relocation:
- Small seasonal wetlands were filled up and disappeared.
3.
Eucalyptus (introduced 50 years ago) induced a local increase of the evapotranspirative phreatic discharge:
- Produced a 0.5 - 1 m water-table decline that changed the hydrological pattern of some wetlands (permanent converted into seasonal or sporadic; other disappeared).
4.
Restoration of wetlands natural performance requires to restore the aquifer hydraulic balance:
- Decreasing abstracted volumes and re-location of wells.