Abstract
This paper analyses and compares the sustainability of the water plans in the Spanish River basins according to the objectives of the Water Framework Directive. Even though the concept of sustainability has been traditionally associated with the triple bottom line framework, composed of economic, environmental, and social dimensions, in this paper sustainability has been enlarged by including governance aspects. Two multicriteria decision analysis approaches are proposed to aggregate the sustainability dimensions. Results show that the environmental dimension plays the most important role in the whole sustainability (40%) of water basins, followed by both economic and social criteria (25%). By contrast, the dimension of governance is the least important for sustainability (11%). A classification of the Spanish basins according to their sustainability indicates that the water agency with the highest sustainability is Western Cantabrian, followed by Eastern Cantabrian and Tagus. By contrast, Minho-Sil, Jucar, and Douro are the least sustainable.
Highlights
A modern water management system must be effectively provide water security, and be sustainable, combining economic progress with social development and the conservation of habitats and ecosystems
The environmental dimension is playing the most important role in the whole sustainability (40%), followed by both the economic and social criteria (25%)
Sustainability in order to fulfil the objectives and requirements set by the Water Framework Directive (WFD) on basin management, and may be a starting point to improve water management sustainability in the following planning cycles
Summary
A modern water management system must be effectively provide water security, and be sustainable, combining economic progress with social development and the conservation of habitats and ecosystems. The Water Framework Directive (WFD)—Directive 2000/60/EC [1]—and the introduction of river basin districts may help to fulfil such objectives. The environmental objectives are defined in Article 4—the core article—of the WFD, aiming to achieve a sustainable water management system on the basis of a high level of protection of the aquatic environment. Achieving such sustainability requires some boundaries, as through the definition of river basin districts. Spain has a wide tradition in water management through agencies called basin water agencies (BWAs), which have been operative since 1920. BWAs play an important role in water planning, resource management and land use, protection of the public water domain, management of water use rights, water quality control, planning and execution of new water infrastructure, dam safety programs, etc
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
