Abstract
The sustainability of groundwater resources has been a central issue in the Upper Guadiana Basin (Spain) since two of its primary aquifer units were declared overexploited at the end of the 1990s. Three hydrogeological aquifer units located to the north of the primary aquifers have rarely been studied because of their low economic value, despite a large part of the wetlands of La Mancha Humeda Biosphere Reserve overlying the Basin. This report presents the foundations upon which conceptual and numerical models of the Upper Guadiana Basin are based. An evaluation of the sustainability of the groundwater use in Upper Guadiana Basin has been also carried out. The effect of five management options and a simplified climatic-change scenario have been considered for the three northern aquifers. A decrease in the net recharge, a change in river–aquifer interactions, and the total abstraction volumes authorised have been identified as the main factors to address in management planning. In addition, the expected recovery in the primary Western Mancha aquifer is shown to have little correlation with the total volume abstracted from the three northern tributary aquifers.
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