Pumping strategies in data-sparse environments: Insights from the Eastern Mancha System, Spain
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Study RegionThe Eastern Mancha System, located within the Júcar River Basin District in eastern Spain, is one of the country’s largest carbonate aquifers. This semi-arid Mediterranean region supports extensive irrigated agriculture and faces persistent groundwater deficits, with annual withdrawals exceeding natural recharge by approximately 35 Mm³.Study FocusThis study applies the Water Balance Approach (WBA), originally developed for the Kansas High Plains Aquifer, to evaluate pumping reduction strategies in a data-sparse Mediterranean aquifer. Using 14 years (2010–2023) of water-level records from 35 monitoring points and indirect estimates of annual groundwater use, we establish a linear relationship between average annual water-level change and total pumping. This relationship is used to quantify pumping volumes required for stable water levels and to assess the impact of different management targets.New Hydrological Insights for the RegionThe analysis shows that current pumping of 310 Mm³/year results in an average annual decline of 0.17 m, while near-term stabilization requires only a 1.6% reduction to 305 Mm³/year—far less than the Júcar Water Authority’s target of 275 Mm³/year, which would yield a 0.97 m/year rise in levels. These results demonstrate that modest pumping cuts could achieve stability, preserving agricultural productivity and groundwater sustainability. The study confirms that the WBA is a practical, transferable tool for rapid groundwater assessment in data-limited Mediterranean aquifers.
Language: English
Subfield: Ocean Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,600
OpenAlex ID: W4416540880