The characterisation of water uses in the Guadalquivir river basin in the application of the Water Framework Directive

This paper shows the characterization of water uses, in terms of pressure over resources, on the Guadalquivir River Basin (Southern Spain) and its trends for 2015. This research proposes a specific implementation model for the execution of the UE Water Framework Directive (WFD), based on a pressure-impact-response scheme. The study foresees an unsustainable situation for 2015 in which water consumption will exceed 50% of renewable resources, due to the expected maintenace of great agricultural pressure and the increase of urban, industrial and tourist water uses. The results of this study should be considered as a first step on the WFD implementation, which should be completed by the economic assessment of the measures to achieve the Directive objectives.