water accounting in a multi-catchment district...

Water Accounting in a Multi-Catchment District (WAMCD) Executive Summary

Water Accounting in a Multi-Catchment District (WAMCD)

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

March 2015


Index

1. INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................................. 1

2. SCOPE AND OBJECTIVES ................................................................................................................. 1

3. METHODOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS .............................................................................................. 3

3.1. Inception ............................................................................................................................... 3

3.2. Methodologies for building the SEEAW tables ......................................................................... 4

3.3. Interim report and meetings ................................................................................................... 7

3.4. Tool for data acquisition ......................................................................................................... 7

3.5. Building of the SEEAW Tables ................................................................................................. 8

3.5.1. SEEAW Tables for 2015 and 2021 ................................................................................................ 8

3.5.2. Indicators ...................................................................................................................................... 9

3.6. Proposal of measures ........................................................................................................... 10

4. OUTPUTS OF THE PROJECT ........................................................................................................... 12

5. CONCLUSIONS AND LESSON LEARNED .......................................................................................... 13

5.1. Regarding technical difficulties ............................................................................................. 13

5.2. Regarding the potential use of the SEEAW ............................................................................ 14

5.3. Regarding the limitations of the SEEAW ................................................................................ 14


1

1. Introduction

The Water Accounting in a Multi-Catchment District Project (WAMCD Project) has been developed under the

Grant Agreement No. 07.0329/2013/671291/SUB/ENV.C1, following the Open call for proposals Desertifica-

tion 2012 – 2013 in the framework of the Preparatory Action on development of prevention activities to halt

desertification in Europe (Halting Desertification in Europe). The beneficiaries of the Grant Agreement are:

INTECSA-INARSA, S.A. (ES). Coordinator

Universidad de Málaga (ES)

Universidad Politécnica de Valencia (ES)

Oficina de Planificación de la Dirección General de Planificación y Gestión del Dominio Público Hidráulico.

Junta de Andalucía (ES)

InterSus – Sustainability Services (DE)

2. Scope and objectives

The main goal of the project was the development of water accounts for the Mediterranean Basins of Anda-

lucia River Basin District (MBA RBD), consistent with the UN standard "System of Economic and Environmental

Accounts for Water" (SEEAW), as well as its integration into the River Basin Management Plan 2015 (RBMP-

15). This RBD encompasses up to 16 subsystems with a wide range of natural conditions and a high level of

pressure on water ecosystems. Subsystems (or exploitation systems) may include one or more independent

river basins.

Fig. 1. Systems and sub-systems in the MBA

Executive Summary Water Accounting in a Multi-Catchment District (WAMCD)

2

For geographical and administrative reasons, the subsystems are grouped into major units, called "systems" I

to V (see table below).

I.- SERRANIA DE RONDA III.- SIERRA NEVADA

I-1 Guadarranque and Palmones river basins III-1 Watersheds between De la Miel and Guadalfeo rivers

I-2 Guadiaro river basin III-2 Guadalfeo river basin

I-3 Watersheds between Guadiaro & Guadalhorce rivers III-3 Watersheds between Guadalfeo and Adra rivers

I-4 Guadalhorce y Guadalmedina river basins III-4 Adra river basin and "Campo de Dalías" aquifer

I-5 "Fuente de Piedra" endorheic basin IV.- SIERRA DE GADOR-FILABRES

II.- SIERRA TEJEDA-ALMIJARA IV-1 Andarax river basin

II-1 Vélez river basin IV-2 "Campo de Níjar" natural region

II-2 Zafarraya Polje V.- SIERRA DE FILABRES-ESTANCIAS

II-3 Watersheds between Vélez & De la Miel rivers, including the latest V-1 Carboneras and Aguas river basins

V-2 Almanzora river basin

Whenever possible, the WAMCD project produced results at the subsystem level, so reflecting the wide range

of climatic conditions and significant management differences among them. This way, the project intends to

provide a benchmark for the application of water accounts to heterogeneous environments and climates, but

with similar datasets and criteria.

The hydro-climatic conditions range from average annual rainfall of less than 250 mm in Campo de Níjar (ss

IV-2) to more than 1.000 mm in the Guadiaro basin (ss I-2), leading to varied hydrological regimes from pluvial

or snow-melting driven permanent water courses to intermittent ones that remain dry most of the year, the

so-called “ramblas”. Some subsystems have significant storage infrastructure while others are mainly depend-

ent of flowing surface waters or, more commonly, of groundwater with some relevant examples of overex-

ploitation. Finally, this RBD hosts two environmentally valuable endorheic basins1: Fuente de Piedra (ss I-5)

and Zafarraya (ss II-2).

1 Closed drainage basin that allows no outflow to other external bodies of water.


3

3. Methodological developments

The WAMCD Project has attempted to cover as many aspects of SEEAW as possible, even if no data from

statistical sources or RBMP estimates were available. This approach involved the development of new, com-

plex methodologies for data processing and calculations under the following scheme:

Activity 1 Inception Activity 3 Interim Report & meeting

Task 1.1 Compilation and analysis of data sources. Identi-fication of gaps

Task 3.1 2nd Team Coordination meeting

Task 1.2 1st Team Coordination meeting Task 3.2 Drafting of Interim Report & Interim meeting

Task 1.3 Detailed Work Plan and Inception Meeting Activity 4 Development of a tool for data acquisition from DSS to SEEAW Sheets

Activity 2 Methodological adjustments for Physical Tables and implementation

Activity 5 Building of SEEAW Tables

Task 2.1 Methodology for Water Resources Assessments at Subsystem level

Task 5.1 Physical supply and use tables for water 2015

Task 2.2 Methodology for GWB' balances at monthly ba-sis

Task 5.2 Hybrid and economic accounts for activities and products related to water 2015

Task 2.3 Test of EVALHID applicability Task 5.3 Physical supply and use tables for water 2021

Task 2.4 Test of CAUDECO applicability Task 5.4 Hybrid and economic accounts for activities and products related to water 2021

Task 2.5 Implementation of Water Resources Assessment both at GBW and Subsystem level

Activity 6 Proposal of management, technological and economic measures (incentives) for PoM

Task 2.6 Global methodological approach for Physical Ta-bles

Activity 7 Drafting of the Final Report

Task 2.7 Development of methodology for hybrid ac-counting (monetary inputs)

A summary of the activities covered by the WAMCD Project is presented in the next sections.

3.1. Inception

The First Coordination Meeting of the WAMCD Project Team was held in Madrid on 27th January 2014. The

joint Inception Meeting with the attendance of representatives of all the Working Teams under of the above-

mentioned Preparatory Action was held in Brussels on 5th February 2014.

The objective at this inception stage was the collection of relevant datasets and the detection of main infor-

mation gaps in order to, consequently, establish a detailed Work Plan. The main potential data sources iden-

tified were:

River Basin planning documents, namely Mediterranean Basins of Andalusia River Basin Management Plan

2009 (RBMP-09) and the Draft Proposal of Mediterranean Basins of Andalusia River Basin Management

Plan 2015 (dRBMP-15).

Hydrological data series (particularly SIMPA2 ) and relevant geographical covers.

Statistical series of social and economic data provided by the Institute of Statistics and Cartography of

Andalusia and the Spanish Statistical Office.

2 Sistema Integrado de Modelización Precipitación-Aportación: Integrated System for Rainfall-Runoff Modelling.


4

The information collected was put into relation with the data included in the RBMP-09 (available at that mo-

ment) and with the grouping of ISIC activities3 required by the SEEAW tables. Some gaps of information re-

garding the hydrological cycle were identified, such as snowpack datasets (very scarce) and gauging stations

series (frequently not completed or unreliable). Other problems derived the quality of the data on economic

activities, since they are provided at regional scale and grouped in such a way that some relevant distinctions

could not easily been made (e.g. hydropower from other energy production sources; wastewater treatment

discharge from solid waste disposal). Finally, information on pollutants discharge was partial and not available

for some activities.

After analysing the SEEAW requirements and the information gaps, needs for methodological adjustments to

be developed under Activity 2 were identified.

3.2. Methodologies for building the SEEAW tables

The WAMCD Project has attempted to cover as much aspects of SEEAW as possible even if no data from sta-

tistical sources or RBMP estimates were available. This approach involved the development of new, complex

methodologies for data processing and calculations.

Regarding water resources, filling the SEEAW tables needs a significant degree of knowledge on the temporal

and spatial evolution of the different components of the hydrological cycle and the flows between them. The

use of rainfall-runoff models is very useful in this context, assuring the internal consistency of the assessment.

The Spanish Water Administration has developed a distributed hydrological model of this kind (SIMPA) that

provides a consistent methodology for the estimation of the main hydrological components: precipitation,

potential evapotranspiration, actual evapotranspiration, infiltration, surface runoff and groundwater runoff

(section 2.1 of the Annex). SIMPA also provides datasets reflecting the interactions among the elements of the

hydrological cycle.

Nevertheless, after analysing the SIMPA results during

the MBA-RBMP drafting process, some problems arose,

leading to a certain degree of inconsistency with respect

to other known data. For example, the balance sheets of

the groundwater bodies (GWBs) made under the RBMP

by integrating the best available information from multi-

ple sources (section 2.2 of the Annex), render sensibly

different results of recharge in some cases.

Conscious of SIMPA shortcomings, a testing exercise

with the alternative modelling tool EVALHID has been

carried out in the subsystem II-1 (section 2.3 of the An-

nex). EVALHID implements three different rainfall-runoff

models (HVB, Sacramento and Temez) and two snow

models, allowing the selection of the most appropriate

to represent the hydrological characteristics of the

catchment (or sub-catchment), depending on the availa-

ble information.

3 International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities.

Fig. 2. Schematic flow and storage of HBV model


5

Moreover, EVALHID is a new development of the Decision Support System (DSS) AQUATOOL, whose water

management simulation module SIMGES has been used for building the balances for the MBA RBMP. Both

modules may be combined , improving the possibilities of calibration with actual streamflow and reservoir

storage datasets when the hydrological regime is substantially altered.

CAUDECO, another module of the AQUATOOL DSS, has also been tested to assess its potential for measuring

environmental allocation of water, proving to be useful when the required information and associated tools

(APU-flow curves, SIMGES model) are available (section 2.4 of the Annex). Since environmental water is not

an explicit content of SEEAW, an external assessment of this kind is advisable.

The initial test confirmed that

EVALHID might offer a signifi-

cant improvement in terms of

adjustment to observed data

compared with SIMPA. Two ad-

ditional subsystem were se-

lected based on data availabil-

ity and overall interest for plan-

ning objectives. Eventually, the

calibration and modelling with

EVALHID was completed in

three subsystems (I-2. Gua-

diaro river basin; II-1. Vélez

river basin and III-2. Guadalfeo

river basin) as well as the GWB Sierra de Líbar (code 060.044), shared with the neighbour Guadalete-Barbate

RBD. These catchments represent 346,236 hectares of land, 19.5% of the RBD surface and 40% of average

water resources.

EVALHID has proven to

offer better adjustments

to measured data (sec-

tion 2.5 of the Annex).

The results for the subsys-

tem III-2 are particularly

promising regarding the

possibility of reproducing

the evolution in time of

the snowpack even in ab-

sence of direct measure-

ment, but a more accu-

rate assessment of water

withdrawals and returns from the complex irrigation system in the upper basin is needed to improve the re-

naturalization of the flow regime.

Due to the complexity of the calibration works, it has not been possible to consolidate the results of the water

resources assessments implemented with EVALHID in time for its full integration in the RBMP-15. It must be

noted that in both RBMP-09 and RBMP-15, water assets combine direct SIMPA data with specific flow estima-

tions in the case of regulated systems simulated with the AQUATOOL DSS, as well as annual GWB resulting

Fig. 3. Location of simulated spatial units

Fig. 4. Comparison of Sacramento (EVALHID) and SIMPA results in Cueva del Gato Spring (GWB Sierra de Líbar)

SR Surface runoff GF Groundwater flow


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from the combination of various sources. Therefore, the path initiated in this WAMCD Project is bound to be

further explored in the 3rd RBMP cycle to improve the robustness of water balances.

Eventually, RBMP-09 estimates have been used for fine-tuning the methodological approach in its application

to the 2009 reference scenario. Thus, a first pack of tables has been produced combining water assets data

with information on water demand and use from the RBMP-09. A detailed explanation of each component of

the different tables is included in section 2.6 of the Annex.

Finally, consistent hybrid accounting has been completed at RBD level, using economic data mainly from re-

gional sources (Andalusian Input/Output- tables and other macro-economic statistics). In addition, the criteria

and intermediate results of the Cost Recovery Analysis (CRA) of the RBMP-15, under drafting at that moment,

were taken into account to assure consistency and comparability (section 2.7 of the Annex).

Many decisions have been taken to define and complete the tables, overcoming technical difficulties. The

main assumptions and criteria adopted in this process are summarized below:

Data mix. The combination of different sources causes certain problems for closing water assets balances.

Ideally, the use of rainfall-runoff models integrated with management simulation models should end up in

completely coherent water assets. This approach has been explored in the WAMCD Project and should be

implemented in the framework of the next RBMP cycle. In the meantime, the component Other changes

in volume of Table V-1 that has been calculated as a residual, gives a relative magnitude of the maladjust-

ments caused by mixing different sources. This way, it is a relevant piece of information to concentrate

future efforts in those subsystem were major problems have been detected.

Spatial scale. All the methodological work has been made at subsystem scale, except the hybrid accounting

since economic data are provided at regional scale and their spatial breakdown into subsystems would

have been contrived. Moreover, most of the results that are presented in the Annex are limited to RBD

scale to avoid an excessive data burden.

Time scale. Monthly basis has been used for water assets (Chapter VI). The monthly scale could also be

available for water supply and use table (Chapter III), but they do not provide substantial new information

since monthly abstraction and returns are part of the water assets tables.

Reference period. There are two basic options when calculating water balances: using one specific refer-

ence year (e.g. 2005/06) or using some statistical value to represent a series of years. According to the

Fig. 5. Table V.3. Hybrid account for supply and use of water for the baseline scenario (2009)

Total

(of which)

Hydro

1. Total output and supply (millions c.u.) 3.384,2 38.032,1 1.954,1 105,6 268,8 155,7 54.994,4 98.789,1 25.938,6 4.867,2 129.595,0

of which:

1.a. Natural water (CPC 1800) 168,7 16,1 0,0 0,0 209,8 1,4 7,6 403,7 9,2 11,1 423,9

1.b. Sewerage services (CPC 941) 0,0 18,4 0,0 0,0 3,0 145,7 0,0 167,1 0,0 11,0 178,1

2. Total intermediate consumption and use (millions c.u.) 1.328,9 27.343,2 1.338,6 72,3 161,5 26,7 22.364,7 52.563,6 17.572,8 39.021,5 4.876,6 15.560,5 129.595,0

of which:

2.a. Natural water (CPC 1800) 170,3 24,2 2,4 0,0 26,0 0,2 57,5 280,7 0,0 137,1 6,1 423,9

2.b. Sewerage services (CPC 941) 0,2 25,0 0,1 0,0 2,6 2,1 38,2 68,1 0,9 91,0 18,1 178,1

3. Total value added (gross) (= 1 - 2) (millions c.u.) 2.055,2 10.688,8 615,5 33,3 107,3 129,0 32.629,7 46.225,6 8.365,8 54.591,4

4. Gross fixed capital formation (millions c.u.) 554,9 3.862,5 1.286,4 69,5 158,0 14,8 9.752,7 15.629,2 15.629,2

of which:

4.a. For water supply 48,7 1,9 0,0 0,0 22,8 0,0 2,3 75,7 75,7

4.b. For water sanitation 0,0 9,5 0,0 0,0 0,0 21,1 0,0 30,6 30,6

5. Closing stocks of fixed assets for water supply (millions c.u.) 936,8 37,5 0,0 0,0 437,6 0,0 43,7 1.455,7 1.455,7

6. Closing stocks of fixed assets for sanitation (millions c.u.) 0,0 183,5 0,0 0,0 0,0 405,0 0,0 588,5 588,5

7. Total use of water (millions of cubic metres) 5.059,3 40,4 2.846,2 789,7 428,3 414,7 80,9 8.869,9 56,3 375,9 9.302,1

7.a. Total abstraction 4.999,7 3,6 2.839,4 789,7 410,4 216,1 19,4 8.488,6 191,3 8.679,9

of which:

7. a.1. Abstraction for own use 4.999,7 3,6 2.839,4 789,7 10,8 216,1 19,4 8.089,0 6,7 8.095,7

7.b. Use of water received from other economic units 59,7 36,8 6,9 0,0 17,9 198,6 61,5 381,3 56,3 184,6 622,2

8. Total supply of water (millions of cubic metres) 232,5 30,9 2.596,0 947,1 400,8 367,9 47,7 3.675,9 42,7 147,8 3.866,4

8.a. Supply of water to other economic units 0,0 14,4 0,0 0,0 339,8 26,1 38,4 418,8 42,7 147,8 609,2

of which:

8.a.1. Wastewater to sewerage 0,0 14,4 0,0 0,0 8,2 0,0 38,4 61,0 0,0 147,8 208,7

8.b. Total returns 232,5 16,6 2.596,0 947,1 61,0 341,8 9,2 3.257,1 0,0 0,0 3.257,1

9. Total (gross) emissions of COD (thousands of tons) 27,4

Total1-3 5-33, 41-43

35

36 37 38, 39, 45-99 Total industry Households Government

Industries (by ISIC category)

Rest of the

world

Taxes less

subsidies on

products,

trade and

Actual final consumption

Capital

formation


7

Spanish Technical Regulation, balance between resources and demands must be representative of normal

supply conditions. This criterion has been reproduced by using the percentile 50 of the different monthly

components of the water assets.

Disaggregation of economic data. Some distinctions required by SEEAW cannot easily been made since

original information is unique. Specifically, energy production (ISIC 35) does not differentiate hydropower

and other production sources. Furthermore, in Input/Output-tables and other relevant statistical sources,

ISIC 37 (sewerage) is not differentiated from ISIC 38 (waste collection, treatment and disposal) and ISIC 39

(remediation). Different proxies have been used for distribution between ISIC sectors (section 2.7.1 of the

Annex).

3.3. Interim report and meetings

This activity was included in the Technical Proposal of the WAMCD Project to provide an interim overview of

the work done so far, once a detailed methodology for building the tables had been developed, and for the

eventual establishment of complementary guidelines for the following stages. The Interim Report (Second

Quarterly Report) was drafted and delivered to the European Commission.

The Second Team Coordination Meeting

took place in Madrid at INTECA-INARSA’s

premises on 18th September 2014. A

summary of the discussions held during

the meeting can be found in the section

3 of the Annex. On the other hand,

though the WAMCD Proposal foresaw

an Interim Meeting in Brussels, it has not

been held. Nevertheless, a certain level

of sharing of problems and intermediate

results between the Commission and the

seven working teams was achieved in

the First National Meeting on SEEAW

that was held in Madrid on 7th June 2014.

3.4. Tool for data acquisition

The purpose of this tool is to connect the inputs and results of the AQUATOOL DSS with a database, in order

to reorganize them and facilitate the filling of the SEEAW tables, in particular the water asset accounts (section

4 of the Annex). More specifically, the acquisition tool consists of a database linked to the SIMGES and the

EVALHID models. Currently, both modules work with a database in which the results can be downloaded,

linked to its corresponding element and type (demand node, channel, reservoir ...). It must be noted that each

item may be associated with multiple results, for example, in the case of a reservoir: storage, evaporation,

leaks...

In order to obtain results in the format required for the SEEAW tables, it has been necessary to build several

database queries. The exact wording of the queries, which are linked to spreadsheets where the asset ac-

counts are finally built, can be found in the Annex.

Fig. 6. Location of Pilot Projects


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Nevertheless, it must be noted

that the SIMGES models built so

far, though including the main

elements for the operation of

the water resources system, do

not represent the river basin as

a whole. In fact, its use in the

MBA RBD is limited to subsys-

tems where the provision of wa-

ter to the main demands de-

pends on reservoirs. Usually, the

abstraction of flowing water or

from aquifers that are not di-

rectly connected to major supply

systems is not explicitly taken into account. The SIMGES models should evolve to be more inclusive, facilitating

a direct extraction of complete datasets to fill SEEAW tables as well as a better interpretation of the whole

water cycle.

3.5. Building of the SEEAW Tables

3.5.1. SEEAW Tables for 2015 and 2021

The aim of this activity is the application of the methodological approach from Activity 2 to the water accounts

for the scenarios of the RBMP-15 (2015 and 2021). The same criteria have been applied regarding time and

spatial scale and reference period to assure the comparability of the results and to establish an "evolution

line" that facilitates the identification and characterization of trends.

The same values for water resources were used to reflect normal supply conditions. The analysis of the irreg-

ularity of the hydrological regime has been introduced through a complementary assessment (section 5.1.3 in

the Annex) to determine asset accounts for the driest phase of the reference period, namely the triennium

from 1992/93 to 1994/95.

Fig. 8. Table VI.1 Asset accounts at RBD scale for the year 1994/95 and comparison with normal year

Regarding water use and demand, the estimates of the RBMP-15 have been considered for the 2015 scenario.

Since there is no increase of irrigated surface, the variations of water demands respond mainly to the growth

EA.1311

Artificial

Reservoirs

EA.1312

Lakes

EA.1313

Rivers

EA.1314

Snow, Ice and

Glaciers

Comparison

with normal

year %

1. Opening Stocks 280.417 9.542 0.580 0.000 1,349.129 0.000 1,639.668 1,883.127 87%

Increases in stocks

2. Returns 0.000 0.000 351.254 0.000 62.729 178.805 592.788 963.897 61%

3. Precipitation 5.268 0.019 0.943 0.000 4,637.481 4,643.712 6,747.708 69%

4. lnflows 108.926 1.683 793.118 0.000 568.912 0.000 1,472.638 2,813.081 52%

4.a. From upstream territories 0.000 0.000 73.863 0.000 0.000 73.863 83.311 89%

4.b. From other resources in the territory 108.926 1.683 719.255 0.000 568.912 0.000 1,398.775 2,729.769 51%

Decreases in stocks

5. Abstraction 176.643 0.057 658.020 0.000 531.622 0.000 1,366.342 1,915.945 71%

6. Evaporation/ Actual evapotranspiration 16.100 0.104 2.525 0.000 4,253.931 4,272.660 6,127.392 70%

7. Outflows 124.902 0.000 789.696 0.000 422.534 303.614 1,640.746 3,458.767 47%

7.a. To downstrearn territories 13.793 0.000 0.097 13.890 45.959 30%

7.b. To the sea 228.081 0.000 0.000 228.081 683.039 33%

7.c. To other resources in the territory 124.902 0.000 547.822 0.000 422.437 303.614 1,398.775 2,729.769 51%

8. Other changes in volume 52.080 -1.580 304.653 0.000 8.370 -258.741 104.781 677.321 15%

9. Closing Stocks 129.047 9.503 0.307 0.000 1,034.982 0.000 1,173.839 1,583.030 74%

Comparison with normal year 514.783 11.635 0.814 0.000 1,055.799 0.000 1,583.030

% 25% 82% 38% 98% 74%

Year

EA.131 Surface waters

EA.132

Groundwater

EA.133 Soil

water Total

Fig. 7. Process to obtain SEEAW tables by using EVALHID and SIMGES models


9

of the population and, occasionally, to new industrial and energy production facilities. In addition, some im-

provements in water efficiency have taken place but at a slower pace than projected in the RBMP-09. There-

fore, no major adjustments were necessary. The recent evolution of economic issues is based on AMECO (An-

nual macro-economic database) of the European Commission and Andalusian GDP data (section 5.1.2.3.1 in

the Annex).

For the 2021 scenario, the application of the Programme of Measures should lead to are more substantial

changes. Several developments - improved irrigation efficiency, new desalination plants, enhanced reuse of

urban wastewater and transfers from neighbouring systems - will facilitate a reduction of the exploitation of

groundwater. The effect of the new or improved UWWTPs on emissions accounts has also been assessed.

Finally, the recent prospective of public investment in water related services elaborated for the Water Direc-

torate of the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment (MAGRAMA) and other prospective based as-

sumptions have been considered (section 5.2.2.3.1 in the Annex).

Starting from the methodological developments of Activity 2, no major difficulties have been encountered,

except for the uncertainties of the economic projections. Eventually, two packs of tables (one for 2015 and

another for 2021) have been produced in addition to the one reflecting the baseline scenario (2009) completed

in the framework of Activity 2.

3.5.2. Indicators

The vast amount of information presented in SEEAW makes it difficult to easily draw useful conclusions for

water resources planning and managing. To overcome this problem, a new activity has been created aiming

at selecting and calculating a pack of relevant indicators (section 5.3 in the Annex). Occasionally, the support

of intermediate/auxiliary tables has been necessary.

The following indicators have been calculated for 2009, 2015 and 2021 scenarios under normal supply condi-

tions:

A) Water resource availability D) Water cost, pricing and incentives for conservation

A1. Renewable resources D1: Average water costs

A2. Per capita renewable resources D1-a. Agriculture

A3: Consumption index D1-b. Industry

A4: Exploitation Index D1-c. Households

A5: Use of renewable vs. non-renewable water resources D2: Average water productivity

B) Water use for human activities D2-a. Agriculture

B1-a: Water use per unit produced. ISIC I-3 D2-b. Industry

B1-b: Water use per unit produced. Rest of human activity D3: Stocks of water supply fixed assets per m3

B2-a: Water Productivity Ratio. ISIC I-3 D3-a. Agriculture

B2-b: Water Productivity Ratio. Rest of human activity D3-b. Water supply (ISIC 36)

B3: Water pollution per person. ISIC-37 D3-c. Rest of industry

B5: Decontamination ratio. ISIC-37 D4: Subsidies per m3

C) Opportunities to increase effective water supply D4-a. Agriculture

C1-a: Quantity of return flows to continental surface waters D4-b. Industry

C1-b: Quantity of return flows to ground water D4-c. Households

C1-c: Quantity of return flows to soil water E) Supplementary indicators (from WWDR 2006)

C1-d: Quantity of return flows to seawater E1: Share of urban and rural population

C2: Reuse of water as a share of total water use E2: Relative weight of agriculture in the economy

C3: Losses in distribution E3: Relative weight of agricultural abstraction in water balance

C3-a. Irrigated Agriculture E4: Irrigated land as a percentage of cultivated land

C3-b. ISIC 36 E5: Rate of cost recovery Wastewater management

E5: Rate of cost recovery Water supply


10

Additionally, WEI+ estimates have been made for the 2015 scenario at subsystem level, under the formula:

WEI+ = Abstraction – Returns / Outflows + Abstraction – Returns + Δ Artificial Storage

Differences are not significant at RBD scale. Nevertheless, other indicators, e.g. A5: Use of renewable vs. non-

renewable water resources shows some positive trends even though a substantial increase of pressures is

noticeable (e.g. A2. Per capita renewable resources).

3.6. Proposal of measures

This activity was focused on the identification and assessment of the feasibility of implementing innovative

measures, from the revision of the MBA RBMP and the integration of other experiences acquired in the WFD

implementation process across Europe. It must be noted that the MBA RBMP-15 includes a comprehensive

DPSIR analysis to support the identification of main drivers as well as to propose best lines of action. All the

measures considered in the analysis - even if not specifically included in the Programme of Measures - and

others suggested by the Project Team have been structured and classified as follows:

Increase of water availability from public works and facilities

Artificial recharge of aquifers Opening of new boreholes or wells

Construction of new reservoirs Enhancement, dredging or rehabilitation of existing reser-voirs

Desalination of brackish water and/or distribution to users Saline discharge amendment

Desalination of sea-water and/or distribution to users Water transfers (intra-RBD)

Facilities for reusing urban waste-water Water transfers (to/from the rest of the world)

Change(s) in water sources

Infrastructure for water conveyance, internal regulation and distribution to users

Joint exploitation of water resources compatible with envi-ronmental objectives

Reduction of water abstraction from public works and facilities

Improvement and modernization of irrigation schemes Improvement and modernization of urban networks

Fig. 9. WEI+: seasonality and evolution from 2009 to 2021

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0

50

100

150

200

250

oct nov dec jan feb mar apr may jun jul aug sep

hm3

Water Resources WEI+

WEI + 2009

MBA RBD

WEI + 2015

MBA RBD

WEI + 2021

MBA RBD

oct 54,75% 54,36% 54,79%

nov 22,30% 22,74% 22,26%

dec 28,81% 29,28% 27,77%

jan 26,28% 26,85% 26,27%

feb 25,76% 27,16% 27,12%

mar 42,76% 45,50% 43,41%

apr 57,63% 58,18% 58,56%

may 81,25% 81,59% 82,60%

jun 88,46% 88,45% 89,42%

jul 91,40% 90,01% 90,67%

aug 91,82% 90,63% 90,97%

sep 91,47% 90,32% 90,28%

Year 56,70% 56,63% 57,18%


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Reduction of water abstraction linked to better management

Awareness raising campaigns to promote water savings and educational programs

Promotion of saving through rain water management

Control, sanctioning and elimination of irregular/illegal uses

Promotion of the shift to less water-consuming crops in ag-riculture

Enforcement of e-flows regime Readjustment of irrigation demand on areas with signifi-cant water sustainability problems

Enforcement of overall water abstraction limits to reach good status

Reinforcement of the consumption control system

Prevention of reservoir silting processes by afforestation and hydrological restoration

Reduction of water abstraction through economic tools

Exchange of water rights and between users Stronger enforcement of cost-recovery principle and pric-ing policies to promote efficient water use

Public Water Banks

Reduction of emissions from public works and facilities

Construction or upgrading of WWTPs Treatment and management of specific pollutants

Improvements in sanitation networks

Reduction of emissions linked to better management

Application of codes of good practice for agriculture and livestock to reduce non-point emissions

Regulation, control and sanctioning of contaminated dis-charges to urban networks or to the environment

Prevention and remediation measures for adequate man-agement of contaminated soils and landfills

Training programs to disseminate better farming practice

Promotion of integrated production and ecological farming

The abovementioned responses (measures) have been characterized in terms of their main incidence in phys-

ical accounts, economic and hybrid accounts, other incidences (if any), as well as their eventual inclusions in

the MBA PoM. For each entry, other basic data are also identified: supplier, user, metering and assessment

methodology. An example is shown below:

Group of Measures Construction of new reservoirs

Response to Insufficient availability of natural water resources

Main incidence in physical accounts

Increase in the use of surface water (Table IIIA, ↑1.i.1 Surface water). May imply reduction in other sources (mainly GW). It also affects water assets (tables VI-1 and VI-2), modifying all the balance components of EA.1311 Artificial Reservoirs and its interchanges with other resources.

Main incidences in economic and hy-brid accounts

Tables V-1, V-2 and V-3. ↑ Water production. Capital and operational costs derived from the new infrastructures and exploitation (↑gross fixed capital formation, ↑stocks of fixed assets for water supply, ↑intermediate con-sumption, etc.) Tables V-5, V-6 and V-7. Changes arising from the financial structure of pro-jects, depending on involvement of public subsidies (↑governmental collec-tive expenditures); ↑National expenditures

Supplier ISIC 36 and/or Government

User Any

Metering Increment in the availability of water resources (hm3)

Assessment Data according to projected exploitation (water released for supply to users) or from simulation models.

Programme of Measures

3 measures in the PoM: 1 new dam (Gibralmedina) to be operative after 2027) and 2 other kind of regulation / impoundment infrastructure. Total budget: €66.0m (probably not properly updated).

Additional infor-mation

If it involves new modifications to the physical characteristics of SWB or al-terations to the level of GWB, conditions stated in article 4.7 of WFD (and ar-ticle 20 of RD-RBMP) should be met.


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A similar characterization has been made for the main drivers: increase in water demand from households

and other urban activities, new irrigated land, increases in industrial, energy and recreational water demand.

4. Outputs of the Project

Along with the methodological developments, the main outputs of the Project are:

a) Complete Water Resources Assessment has been made with the EVALHID tool for:

GWB 060.044 Sierra de Líbar (subsystem I-2) (section 2.5.2 of the Annex)

Guadiaro River Basin (subsystem I-2) (section 2.5.3.2 of the Annex)

Vélez River Basin (subsystem II-1) (section 2.5.3.1 of the Annex)

Guadalfeo River Basin (subsystem III-2) (section 2.5.3.3 of the Annex)

b) The conceptual design of a tool for data acquisition/transfer from the AQUATOOL DSS to SEEAW sheets

(section 4). Moreover, an instrumental tool for extracting information from SIMPA covers has been de-

veloped (section 2.5.2 of the Annex)

c) Three collections of SEEAW tables have been completed for the following scenarios:

2009 (base line), reflecting the reference situation of the RBMP-09 (sections 2.6 and 2.7 of the Annex).

2015, corresponding to the current situation of the RBMP-15 (section 5.1 of the Annex). A specific

analysis of the effect of drought in water assets has also been made for this scenario.

2021, corresponding to the 2021 scenario of the RBMP-15 (section 5.2 of the Annex).

Table Time scale Spatial scale Scenario(s) Time reference

Table III.1. Standard physical supply and use tables for water

Year RBD 2009 / 2015 / 2021 Normal supply conditions

Table III.2. Matrix of flows of water within the economy


Table III.3. Detailed physical water supply and use tables


Table IV.2. Emission accounts Year RBD 2015 / 2021 Normal supply conditions

Table V.1. Hybrid supply table Year RBD 2009 / 2015 / 2021 Normal supply conditions

Table V.2. Hybrid use table Year RBD 2009 / 2015 / 2021 Normal supply conditions

Table V.3. Hybrid account for supply and use of water


Table V.4. Hybrid account for water supply and sewerage for own use


Table V.5. Government accounts for water-related collective consumption services


Table V.6. National expenditure accounts for wastewater management


Table V.7. Financing accounts for wastewater management


Table VI.1. Asset accounts

Year / Month RBD 2009 / 2015 / 2021 Normal supply conditions

Year / Month Subsystem 2015 Normal supply conditions

Year RBD 2015 1994/95 (driest year)

Table VI.2. Matrix of flows between water re-sources

Year / Month RBD 2009 / 2015 / 2021 Normal supply conditions

d) A collection of thirty-five indicators relevant for water planning and management (section 5.3.2.2.1 of

the Annex).


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e) The calculation of WEI+ for the different scenarios (section 5.3.2.2.1 of the Annex).

f) The characterization of the effects of main pressures and proposed responses in the water accounts. Four

pressures and thirty-four lines of actions are included in this analysis (section 6.2 of the Annex).

5. Conclusions and lesson learned

5.1. Regarding technical difficulties

Difficulties Proposed solutions

Lack of direct datasets from some water cycle components (snowpack, actual evapotranspiration, soil water, ground-water reserve)

Increase of monitoring data: stream flows, snowpack, wa-ter abstraction.

Use of rainfall-runoff model properly calibrated (natural or re-naturalized regime) with available measured dataset to estimate the hidden components of the water cycle.

Lack of data on volume, quality and destination of water returns to the environment after use

Available information from the RBMP has been used (par-ticularly, efficiency in irrigated areas). If absent, general criteria from expert judgement have been applied to de-termine the fraction of water evapo-transpired and the destiny of effluents from UWWTP and irrigation returns (surface water, groundwater, soil or the sea).

Emissions accounts are not exhaustive, limited to available information.

Complex calculation of physical tables when mixing data from different information sources, deriving in lack of in-ternal consistency of water assets.

Integration of rainfall-runoff models and water manage-ment simulation (EVALHID + SIMGES or similar tools). If possible, models must integrate all the demand units and their supply sources. Validation of estimated data with measured data is a key issue.

Significant potential improvement of water resources knowledge is foreseen from the integration of EVALHID during the coming RBMP cycle.

The component other changes in volume calculated as a residual, quantifies maladjustments, helping to prioritize further work.

Different alternatives with regard to calculation period for water assets.

The selected option (percentile 50 of the series) intends to translate the “normal supply conditions” of the Spanish Regulation.

Consideration of hydrological irregularity. Water assets have been calculated also for the last hydro-logical year of driest historic period.

Environmental water allocation not properly considered in SEEAW.

Additional assessment is necessary. CAUDECO or similar tools may be useful once e-flows regimes and water needs of lakes and wetlands are determined.

WEI+ provides a first approach of human pressure on wa-ter systems.

SEEAW provides a great load of data, difficult to handle and to extract conclusions

Selection and calculation of relevant indicators from the SEEAW tables.

Economic information scale corresponds to administrative basis.

Use of proxies for territorial distribution of regional data. Hybrid accounts not artificially broken down in smaller hy-drographic units.

Aggregation of ISIC activity sectors, relevant for SEEAW in Input/Output Tables and other macroeconomic datasets.

Criteria for distribution have been used.

Original (statistical) broken down of ISIC 35 (differentiating Hydropower) and the group ISIC 37-39 in its constituents would be beneficial for better SEEAW application.


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5.2. Regarding the potential use of the SEEAW

The SEEAW provides a useful standard for the building of water balances and a conceptual framework to

integrate economic data, describing the interaction of water resources and water use. If sustained over

time, the SEEAW can be a useful tool for monitoring the evolution and impacts of policies related to water.

The SEEAW is compatible (and may be complementary) with the traditional water balances, as those es-

tablished in the Spanish RBMPs for the allocation of water resources among users and the environment (e-

flows regime and good quantitative status of GWBs) and for establishing reserve for future use. The

WAMCD Project has assured throughout the process the consistency of water quantity data between

SEEAW tables and RBMP water balances.

The gathering and integrating the data needed for building water balance is enhanced by the use of ade-

quate modelling tools. The combination of rainfall-runoff and water management simulation models (as

EVALHID and SIMGES) enables a better integration of all available data measured, estimated and mod-

elled to obtain consistent water balances.

Moreover, the extraction of complete datasets to fill the SEEAW tables can be facilitated by specific data

acquisition applications as the one designed in the framework of the WAMCD Project. To make this fully

possible, the SIMGES models developed so far in the MBA RBD should evolve to be more inclusive, by

incorporating all water abstractions, even flowing and underground, facilitating a better interpretation of

the whole water cycle.

The coordinated use of these tools provides a huge potential for evaluating strategies (responses) of adap-

tation to changes in the drivers and pressures, by assessing their effects on water allocation and the econ-

omy. Particularly, rainfall-runoff models may be very useful to better assess the effect of climate change

on water resources: different rainfall reduction scenarios, or land use changes can be modelled, improving

the prognosis of their consequences in terms of water availability at different points of the catchment

(SWBs or GWBs).

Though water efficiency and re-use targets, as well as environmental water allocation, were already con-

sidered when drafting the RBMP, the SEEAW additionally contributes by introducing economic issues with

detailed distinctions between economic activities and sectors. The tables have also been useful to obtain

indicators to evaluate the global performance of the RBMP and also for the calculation of the cost recovery

rate as required by Water Framework Directive, that may be enhanced with the support of the SEEAW,

since interchanges among activities related to the provision and use of water are further clarified.

Summarising, the SEEAW particularly if combined with some water modelling applications can be a good

tool to support the analysis of the effect of strategic options affecting water cycle and water use.

5.3. Regarding the limitations of the SEEAW

The combination of information from different sources, which is the common case (direct data, model

results and/or other kind of estimates), causes certain problems for closing water assets balances and to

assure the internal consistency of water accounts. In addition, direct measurement (or detailed assess-

ments) of some of the components of the water cycle namely stocks of groundwater and soil water , is

not feasible for relatively large watersheds or territories because of a variety of reasons, such as technical

difficulty and high costs in relation to practical benefits. The comprehensive knowledge of water uses and

associated water returns and their distribution in time and space as required by SEEAW is not easily avail-

able even if well designed control networks are operational.


15

Thus, modelling for filling information gaps is difficult to avoid, resulting in a mix of not fully consistent

sources. As previously discussed, this problem could be solved by the joint use of models properly cali-

brated with available measured data and inclusive of water resources and demands in the entire RBD or

territory. Ideally, this (demanding) technical approach should end up in completely coherent water assets.

Although the WAMCD Project can be a first step, a long way is still ahead to improve the information and

technical tools.

The SEEAW complete structure of tables is very exigent in terms of information requirements and fre-

quently, no direct data are available to fill many of the boxes. In Spain, this is particularly true in the case

of economic statistics, forcing the user to adopt additional criteria and proxies. The lack of information

hinders practical applicability of the SEEAW and questions the uniformity and comparability of the results,

eroding, to some extent, its positive role as standard.

Though SEEAW provides useful information about the pressure exerted by human activities on water eco-

systems, environmental water allocation is not integrated into SEEAW and additional analyses have to be

developed and / or specific indicators must be calculated. Water management simulation models and spe-

cific tools as CAUDECO are useful by the consideration of e-flows regimes and water needs of wetlands in

their allocation scheme and the assessment of compliance.

Moreover, the SEEAW cannot substitute DSS tools (AQUATOOL or similar) to build significant water bal-

ances, if water scarcity and hydrological irregularity are a major issues. Proper evaluation of the impacts

on water supply and ecosystems must be introduced. For instance, in the Spanish legislation this is made

by the concept of «garantía» (level of service) meaning the maximum acceptable deficit in determined

periods throughout a series of years.

Similarly, the SEEAW is not the appropriate tool to analyse specific investment options where environmen-

tal and socio-economic impacts and benefits must be carefully assessed.

water accounting in a multi-catchment district...

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