Water management in the Iberian península: new solutions for old problems?

Abstract

The increasing demand of fresh water from different sectors puts pressure in scientists and engineers to develop more effective ways of using the available water resources. In Spain and Portugal, countries of Mediterranean climate with hot and dry summers, the allocation of water resources is especially controversial. This emphasises the need for a rational use of water. We present features and recent developments of Spanish and Portuguese water policies and some consequences on the use of land and water. We consider how social, economic and environmental problems might evolve in the expected scenarios of population growth and climatic change, and analyse the response from the scientific community to the new challenges. Finally, we pointed out that the combined efforts of professionals and users provide useful tools for satisfying the consumers demand at the same time that the environmental foot¬print is minimized.