Explotación intensiva de acuíferos y sus impactoscaso de estudio del Serral-Salinas (Murcia, Alicante)

Abstract

In the regions of the ¿Altiplano Murcia¿ and the ¿Alto y Medio Vinalopó¿ in Alicante there is an important number of aquifers with various negative effects derived from the overexploitation of groundwater. One of these cases is the aquifer ¿Serral-Salinas¿ which has been overexploited since the 1970¿s decade. Some effects of the intensive exploitation are the remarkable fall of the water table (between 4 and 9 m/y), the consequent increase of the extraction costs and the lost of extraction infrastructures as the water depth has increased (260m nowadays). The water necessities of the area are evident and the scarcity is particularly critical in drought periods. The National Hydrological Policy considers various possibilities for endowing the area with resources. This paper examines some aspects of the hydrological operation of the aquifer ¿Serral-Salinas¿ aiming to set a foundation for the development of groundwater flow model which permits to simulate alternatives of management of water resources that intend to get sustainability.