Spanish Water Research Articles

Water Governance in Spain: The Role of Federalism and Private-Public Partnerships

This research provides a broad picture of water sector governance in Spain, a country dealing with serious water stress and quality problems. Moreover, a decentralized structure of regional and local governments supports the design and development of water policies. In this context, governance emerges as a key issue to improve water resources allocation. Several key policies and institutional features have been described, with a special attention to economic instruments and the role of private-public partnerships (PPPs). Definitively, greater efforts in the policy-making and coordination processes are needed in the Spanish water sector.

Irrigation of Romaine Lettuce (Lactuca sativa) Using Wastewater Treated by Non-Conventional Technologies

The aim of this study was to assess the capacity for reuse of wastewater treated in stabilisation ponds and subsequently reclaimed by means of different filtration systems at pilot scale. An analysis of filtered water showed turbidity values of below 5 NTU, a total suspended solids (TSS) content of 7 mg/l, and Escherichia coli values of up to 1.6 log CFU/100 ml. These results fall within the parameters stipulated in RD 1620/2007 Spanish Water Reuse Regulations governing the reuse of reclaimed wastewater for agricultural purposes. The water reclaimed by means of filtration systems was used to irrigate Romainelettuce (Lactuca sativa longifolia), comparing growth with that of the same variety irrigated with water from the supply network. The results showed a mean difference in lettuce growth of up to 300% in favour of the crop irrigated with reclaimed water.

NOMINATIVE ASPECT OF VARIATION IN TERMINOLOGY

Main types of variation in terminology, which arise from formal, semantic and functional invariants, are distinguished in the article. The notion of onomasyological invariant is determined, on the base of which the nominal variants and nominatively- variant terminological paradigms in the Spanish water management terminology are defined. The interconnection between different types of terminological variation, their role in nominative variants enriching and nominative variants paradigm forming are analyzed.

Keys to Success in High Level Water Polo Teams

The aim of this study was to identify specific offensive performance indicators that distinguish the top clubs from the others in the Male Honour Division of the Spanish Water Polo League. A total of 88 matches from the 2011-2014 seasons have been analysed. The offensive performance variables were divided into four groups, namely, playing situations, attacks outcome, origin of shots, and technical execution of shots. Univariate analyses (ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis and generalised linear model (GLM) tests) were conducted to identify differences in the offensive variables between “strong”, “medium” or “weak” teams’ performances. A multinomial logistic regression was carried out to determine the variables that best distinguish the team level. The offensive variables that best classified the team level (61.9% of correct classification rate) were counterattack shots (p<0.010), goals (p<0.011), no goal shots (p<0.013), drive shots (p<0.020), penalties (p<0.000), and shots originated from zones close to goal (zone 5 (p<0.010) and 6 (p<0.000)). As a conclusion, this paper presents values of reference for the offensive variables that best distinguish between the strong, medium and weak teams’ performances. This information can help coaches to evaluate their teams and to design training sessions aimed at improving their weakest skills.

Comparison of anthropometric parameters among Iranian and Spanish water polo players

The purpose of this study was to compare the anthropometric parameters between Iranian and Spanish water polo national team players. Material and Methods ― The research was conducted in the physiological laboratory of Isfahan Azad University. Participants who participate in this study were 44 male national water polo players (22 Iranian and 22 Spanish), age 22±2 years old (Mean±SD). For the aim of this study twenty anthropometric parameters that was more important for water polo was measured and analysis. All the parameters were measured base on the international standard of anthropometric parameters (International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry – ISAK). For analysis data, normal distribution of the data was proved by Kolmogorov-Smirnov test and then comparison between two groups was done by t-test. Results ― The results showed a significant difference in seven anthropometric parameters contain body fat percentage (P=0.031), biliocristal breadth (P<0.001), wrist breadth (P<0.001), chest girth (P=0.021), mid-thigh girth (P=0.019), palm length (P<0.001) and height (P=0.032). Conclusion ― Spanish players with relatively higher underlying levels of anthropometric parameters compare to Iranian water polo players had stronger ability to control the ball with the bigger palm and bigger wrist breadth, also they had stronger ability to do water vertical jump, cause of higher value of biliocristal breadth and mid-thigh girth and also stronger throwing the ball because of bigger muscle on their chest part of their body. However, Base on this study, having longer hands, more muscular body than fat and taller stature is an advantage for the players because it is considered to be a useful parameter in water polo.

Application of the system of environmental economic accounting for water SEEAW to the Spanish part of the Duero basin: Lessons learned

The System of Environmental-Economic Accounting for Water (SEEA-W) consists of an agreed international framework for organizing hydrological and economic information in a coherent and consistent manner. The methodology yields to the SEEA-W physical tables focusing on the quantitative assessment of the stocks and their changes in a river basin during the accounting period. For that purpose, the information on the abstraction and water discharge is linked with the environment water stocks, which assesses how current levels of abstraction and discharge affect such water stocks. This study presents the methodology and results to fill out the SEEAW tables for asset accounts on the Spanish Duero basin. Duero is a transboundary river between Spain and Portugal where 80% of its basin area (78,860km2) runs into the Spanish territory. The Spanish part is divided in five zones and 13 management systems. The methodology applied the three models used by the Spanish Water Authorities for the planning and allocation of water resources in Spain: ‘SIMPA’ model (rainfall-runoff model), ‘ASTER’ model (hydro-meteorological model related to snow processes) and ‘SIMGES’ model (water management simulation model). The required information was collected with the support from the Duero River basin Authority and the Spanish Ministry of Agriculture. Special care was paid to issues such as: inter-annual variability, the selection of spatial and temporal scale, seasonality, disaggregation of human abstractions into use's type, and transboundary agreements. The results highlighted some drawbacks in the SEEAW methodology for the Duero basin. However, the developed balances are a valuable tool to support the decisions of the Spanish Duero basin Authority on the management and allocation of water in the basin and in the transboundary area with Portugal. Finally, the paper outlines some recommendations for future work.

Effects of Game Location, Quality of Opposition, and Starting Quarter Score in the Outcome of Elite Water Polo Quarters.

The notational analysis is used to investigate teams' performance in water polo, especially focused on the determinants of success. Recently, a new topic has emerged "the situational variables," which includes the game conditions that may influence the performance at a behavioral level. The aim of this study was to identify the interactive effects of starting quarter score (SQS) (i.e., score difference at the beginning of each quarter and at the final score) and game location (GL) (i.e., home and away teams) in relation to quality of opposition (i.e., positions of difference between opposing teams at the end-of-season rankings) in elite men's water polo games. Data comprised 528 games (n = 2,112 quarters) from the first Spanish water polo division. A linear regression analysis was applied to show the impact of SQS and GL in relation to quality of opposition (unbalanced and balanced) for quarter (all quarters, and second, third, and fourth quarters). Results showed that SQS has an important effect for all quarters (0.16) and for the second (0.14) and third (0.14) quarters in balanced games (whereas the fourth quarter has an unpredictable outcome), and for each quarter (all quarters: 0.33; second quarter: 0.55; third quarter: 0.44; fourth quarter: 0.26) in unbalanced games. In addition, GL effects emerged for balanced (0.31) and unbalanced (0.45) games for all quarters and specifically for the second quarter of the unbalanced games. Therefore, this study showed that the elite water polo game dynamics, indirectly providing a reference for coaches (i.e., effective tactical approach) and physical trainers (i.e., high performance intensities), plans to improve their players' performance.

Reply to Pardo et al. 2015 on ‘Reply to comment on Couto‐Mendoza et al. 2014. More complexity does not always mean more accuracy: the case of IBMWP and METI in NW Spain’ Ecohydrology DOI: 10.1002/eco.1660

AbstractThe manuscript “More complexity does not always mean more accuracy: the case of IBMWP and METI in NW Spain” compares the behaviour of one multimetric index (METI), proposed for NW Spain rivers, and the IBMWP, excluded from the Spanish Water Planning Instruction for NW Spain rivers, under the same conditions in the Miño‐Sil Basin District (DHMS) in the NW Spain. The conclusion of that assay is that both indices are useful tools for evaluating the ecological status of the running‐water ecosystems in the NW Spain, and emphasises the use of the IBMWP, because it may be better (more practical) than the METI, which has already been proposed for the same goal in this region. Another topic to deal with in the report was the number of established reference sites in the DHMS. Pardo et al. () give 5 replies to 5 criticisms that question the use of the METI in the NW Spain. Pardo et al. (2015) mention that those criticisms are contained in Couto‐Mendoza et al. (). Overall, Pardo et al. () highlight the validity of the METI as a method for assessing the ecological status because, unlike the IBMWP that they reject, it has been intercalibrated in the European exercise in the Central Baltic Rivers GIG. Each reply to the criticisms selected by Pardo et al. () is discussed. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Carbon stable isotope composition of charophyte organic matter in a small and shallow Spanish water body as a baseline for future trophic studies

&lt;p&gt;Quantitative descriptions of foodweb structure based on isotope niche space require knowledge of producers’ isotopic signatures. In freshwater ecosystems charophytes are one of the main components of submerged vegetation and the feeding base for many herbivorous consumers, but knowledge about their organic carbon isotopic signatures is sparse. In this study, the δ&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C organic values (and organic %C and %N) of the four species of submerged macrophytes (three charophytes - &lt;em&gt;Chara hispida&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;Nitella hyalina&lt;/em&gt; and &lt;em&gt;Tolypella glomerata &lt;/em&gt;- and one angiosperm, &lt;em&gt;Myriophyllum spicatum&lt;/em&gt;) growing in a newly created shallow pond were measured monthly over a period of one year, to discern if i) all charophyte species susceptible to being food for consumers and growing in the same waterbody have the same C isotopic composition; ii) the δ&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C values of a charophyte species change on a seasonal and spatial scale; iii) the different parts (apical nodes, internodes, rhizoids, reproductive organs, oospores) of a charophyte species have the same isotopic composition. The δ&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C, %C and %N values of organic matter in the sediments where the plants were rooted were also measured as well as several limnological variables. The δ&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C values for the angiosperm (-13.7±0.7‰) indicated &lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C-enrichment, whereas the &lt;em&gt;N. hyalina&lt;/em&gt; δ&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C values were the most negative (-22.4±0.7‰). The mean δ&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C value for &lt;em&gt;C. hispida &lt;/em&gt;was -19.0±1.0‰ and -20.7±0.8‰ for &lt;em&gt;T. glomerata.&lt;/em&gt; &lt;em&gt;C. hispida&lt;/em&gt; δ&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C values had a significant seasonal variation with &lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C-poor values in the cold season, and slight spatial differences. Statistically significant differences were found between charophyte rhizoids (&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C-enriched) and the other parts of the thalli. The δ&lt;sup&gt;13&lt;/sup&gt;C values in the sediments varied throughout time (-13‰ to -26‰). The C content was lower in the charophytes than in the angiosperm and there were no large differences among the charophytes. Charophyte fructifications were enriched in organic C compared to the thalli parts. The study provides an isotopic baseline for further studies for the elucidation of higher trophic-level relationships which are particularly complex in shallow water bodies where interactions between the pelagic and the benthic zones are intricate.&lt;/p&gt;

All Dried Out: How Responses to Drought Make Droughts Worse

Water usage is governed through a variety of mechanisms, including government administration and market tools. In 2006-2008 Barcelona’s region, a water scarce area, suffered a drought comparable to the one faced today by the US West. This article surveys a variety of techniques which were or could have been used to address these scarcity challenges. Spanish water regulations established water markets in 1999 but neither the design, nor its implementation were optimal. In addition to the design and implementation flaws, the response to the 2006-2008 drought crisis shows how emergency measures highjack water markets as a viable solution to water scarcity. Emergency responses bail out urban voters while no structural solutions to make water use in the agricultural sector more efficient are adopted. Neither the urban suppliers nor the agricultural sector has, thus, incentives to participate in a water market and droughts are to be managed using ad hoc solutions. Lessons for the US West can be drawn because that crisis’ responses are no different than the ones that could be undertaken by states west of the 100th meridian to tackle the current drought.

Developing markets for water reallocation: Revisiting the experience of Spanish water mercantilización

Economic instruments are being promoted as a desirable alternative to public sector action in the allocation and management of natural resources. A wide body of literature has developed that critically analyzes this phenomenon as part of a wider project of ‘neoliberalization of nature’, trying to uncover the underlying rationale and commonalities of geographically specific phenomena. The case of water is at the vanguard of these processes and is proving to be particularly contentious. In the European Union water policies are increasingly emphasizing the application of economic instruments to improve the allocative equity and economic efficiency in the use of scarce resources. However, there are few analyses of how these instruments are really working on the ground and whether they are meeting their objectives. This paper aims to contribute to this debate by critically analyzing the experience with water markets in Spain, the only country in the European Union where they are operative. It looks at water permit sales during the 2005–2008 drought period using the Tajo–Segura transfer infrastructure. The paper describes how the institutional process of mercantilización of water works in practice in Spain. It shows that the use of markets requires an intense process of institutional development to facilitate and encourage their operation. These institutions tend to favor the interests of clearly identifiable elites, instead of the public interest they supposedly promote.

Eutrophication threatens Caribbean seagrasses – An example from Curaçao and Bonaire

Seagrass beds are globally declining due to human activities in coastal areas. We here aimed to identify threats from eutrophication to the valuable seagrass beds of Curaçao and Bonaire in the Caribbean, which function as nursery habitats for commercial fish species. We documented surface- and porewater nutrient concentrations, and seagrass nutrient concentrations in 6 bays varying in nutrient loads. Water measurements only provided a momentary snapshot, due to timing, tidal stage, etc., but Thalassia testudinum nutrient concentrations indicated long-term nutrient loads. Nutrient levels in most bays did not raise any concern, but high leaf % P values of Thalassia in Piscadera Bay (∼0.31%) and Spanish Water Bay (∼0.21%) showed that seagrasses may be threatened by eutrophication, due to emergency overflow of waste water and coastal housing. We thus showed that seagrasses may be threatened and measures should be taken to prevent loss of these important nursery areas due to eutrophication.

A multisystemic Acanthamoeba infection in a dog in Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

A 22-month-old male Spanish water dog was hospitalized after its physical examination revealed fever and movement difficulty. After 24h, the dog was found to have a high fever (39.5°C) and was treated empirically with doxycycline/ciprofloxacin. At 48h, after submission the fever rose to 41°C and the animal presented with a stiff neck and dehydration. Peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) were sampled and trophozoites with an Acanthamoeba-like morphology were observed in the CSF. PCR specific for Acanthamoeba, Naegleria fowleri and Balamuthia mandrillaris were performed and the CSF sample found positive for Acanthamoeba. Lungs, kidney, liver and spleen samples were collected post mortem. All collected organ samples were positive for Acanthamoeba by PCR, thus confirming a multisystemic infection. Water samples taken at a suspected site of infection yielded an almost identical PCR fragment to those of the clinical samples, indicating that this was probably where the infection originated. This is the first report of a fatal case of Acanthamoeba disseminated infection in a dog in Spain.

Financial Analysis of the Spanish Water Sector

This research gives an overview of water sector finances in Spain on a national scale. A methodology is presented which allows to estimate the total financial cost of water services and the rate of cost recovery, based on financial and budget information of administrations, agencies, companies and users’ associations involved in water resources management and water service provision. Financial records of organisations are analysed and the overall amounts of expenditure, cost and revenue determined. Cost recovery rates are calculated for different organisations and water services, and the net contribution of public funds received by the water sector in addition to tariff revenue is determined.

The end of scarcity? Water desalination as the new cornucopia for Mediterranean Spain

Summary In this paper we explore the new orientation taken by Spanish water policy since the beginning of the 21st century and very specifically the shift towards desalination as an alternative to other water supply options such as river regulation or inter-basin water transfers. Desalination has been seen as the cure for everything that dams and inter-basin water transfers were unable to solve, including droughts, scarcities, social conflicts, environmental impacts, and political rivalries among the different Spanish regions. Desalination also means a new and powerful element in water planning and management that could provide water for the continuous expansion of the urban and tourist growth machine in Mediterranean Spain and thus relax possible water constraints on this growth. However, by 2012 most new desalination plants along the Mediterranean coast remained almost idle. Focusing on the case of the Mancomunidad de los Canales del Taibillla in South-eastern Spain, our aim is to develop a critical, integrated and reflexive perspective on the use of desalination as a source of water for urban and regional growth.

Rescaling of Resource Governance as Institutional Change: Explaining the Transformation of Water Governance in Southern Spain

ABSTRACTThis paper develops a conceptual framework highlighting the functional and constitutional (two‐level) negotiation aspects of water governance rescaling, illustrated by the case of southern Spanish water governance reorganization for the Guadalquivir River Basin. The framework is derived from theories of institutional change and multi‐level governance. A necessary precondition for rescaling is changes in actor‐specific perceptions concerning how to best address priorities of water management through water governance. Predominant in rescaling is its coincidence with a contingent political majority of these actors enabling agreement on changes in governance conforming to existing constitutional rules for negotiation. Ultimately, in southern Spain, the constitutional setting prevented re‐scaling. It had initially been promoted by regional actors benefitting from a contingent political majority at the federal as well as at the state level. The paper highlights that, in the context of transformations of European water governance, in Spain supranational policy‐making is of low significance domestically. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment

Effects of Situational Variables and Starting Quarter Score in the outcome of elite women’s water polo game quarters

The present study aimed to identify the interactive effects of Starting Quarter Score and Game Location according to Quality of Opposition in final quarters score in elite women’s water polo. Data comprised 1,828 quarters from 457 close games (goal-difference of less than 4 goals) from the Spanish water polo women’s First division (2010-2011 and 2011-2012 seasons). The interactive effects of situational variables on Starting Quarter Score according to the quality of opposition (three game contexts: HIGH vs. HIGH; HIGH vs. LOW; LOW vs. LOW) during close games were analyzed using linear regression analysis. Results showed that Starting Quarter Score reported significant effects in all the Quality of Opposition game contexts for all game quarters, and second, third, and fourth quarter. Conversely, game location showed that playing away increased by 0.68 goals in the second quarter of HIGH vs. HIGH games, and increased by 0.81 goals in the fourth quarter of LOW vs. LOW games, with respect to counterparts. Therefore, Quality of Opposition, Game Location, and Starting Quarter Score have important effects on women’s water polo game dynamics especially during the first half of close games. Finally, this study provides useful references for coaches’ plans (i.e., effective strategic approach/training proposals) to improve their women players’ performance.

Mechanical properties of hot-mix asphalt made with recycled concrete aggregates coated with bitumen emulsion

The incorporation of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) in hot-mix asphalt (HMA) could be a way to promote sustainable construction. To date, several investigations have examined the use of this type of waste material in HMA. Several researchers have observed that due to the action of water, the use of this material proved to have insufficient durability. In this investigation, a laboratory characterisation of HMA made with RCA from construction and demolition waste (CDW) for base layers in road pavements was conducted. Percentages of 5%, 10%, 20% and 30% of RCA in place of natural aggregates were analysed. To improve the water resistance of the mixes, the RCA were coated with 5% of bitumen emulsion prior to the mixing process. The results indicated that the mixes comply with the Spanish water resistance specifications required for base layers. The stiffness, permanent deformation and fatigue of the mixtures were also studied. The results indicated that HMA made with RCA coated with bitumen emulsion exhibited mechanical properties similar to those obtained for conventional mixtures.

Management of a congenital tracheoesophageal fistula in a young Spanish water dog

BackgroundTracheoesophageal fistula (TEF) in dogs is a rare disease with only few reports in the literature. This report aims to contribute to the current literature on suitable diagnostic methods for TEF and to provide follow-up information after successful surgical treatment.Case presentationA seven-month-old intact female Spanish Water Dog was presented for further investigation of recurrent respiratory symptom. Bronchoscopy revealed a small hole-like defect in the tracheal wall at the bifurcation. The finding of the contrast material swallow study under fluoroscopy was indicative of a TEF. To further evaluate the connection between the trachea and esophagus, a computed tomography scan was performed. The TEF was surgically approached by thoracotomy through the right lateral sixth intercostal space. The fistula was identified, double ligated and divided. Histopathology confirmed the process to originate from the esophagus and to be patent. The dog was re-examined two weeks and ten months after surgery, with no evidence of recurring clinical signs.ConclusionsContrast material swallow study using fluoroscopy was the most reliable diagnostic method. Bronchoscopy may allow the fistula to be visualized, but due to a small fistular opening it can lead to a false negative result. Surgical correction by ligation and dividing of the fistula suggests a good prognosis for early diagnosed and operated TEF.

Characterization of Hot-Mix Asphalt Made with Recycled Concrete Aggregates that Have Been Cured for 4 Hours in the Oven

In this research a laboratory characterization of hot-mix asphalt (HMA) made with recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) from construction and demolition waste (CDW) as base layer in road construction has been conducted. HMA containing 5%, 10%, 20% and 30% of RCA in place of virgin aggregate were evaluated. To improve water resistance of the mixtures, they were left in an oven for 4 hours at mixing temperature before compaction to allow the bitumen absorption and, in addition, obstructing the mortar pores, strengthening the attached mortar onto the RCA surface and thus, preventing water pathways. The tested mixtures complied with Spanish water resistance requirement and also showed a water resistance performance much higher than that of the mixtures that were not cured in the oven. Stiffness and resistance to permanent deformation were also studied showing satisfactory results.