Groundwater role in the analysis of the water footprint

Maite M. AldayaM. Ramón Llamas

University of Twente – the NetherlandsWater Observatory – M. Botin Foundation

The role of the groundwater silent revolution:‘more cash and nature per drop’

IUCN and M. Botin Foundation: Side event5th World Water Forum, Istanbul, 20 March 2009

Water footprint of a product

► the volume of fresh water used to produce the product, summed over the various steps of the production chain.

► when and where the water was used:a water footprint includes a temporal and spatial dimension.

► type of water use:

Green water footprint - volume of rainwater evaporated.

Blue water footprint - volume of surface or groundwater evaporated.

Grey water footprint - volume of polluted water.

Water footprint of a nation

► total amount of water that is used to produce the goods and services consumed by the inhabitants of the nation.

► two components:• internal water footprint – inside the country.• external water footprint – in other countries.

Export

Consumption

Impo

rt

Pro

duct

ion

Virtual water import for re-

export

Water use for export

Virtual water export

External water

footprint

Internal water

footprint

Water footprint

+

+

=

=

Virtualwaterimport

Water use within

country

++

= =

Virtual water

budget

+

+ =

=

National water accounting framework

The traditional statisticson water use

Water footprint with distinction of green and blue water (surface and groundwater) and related economic analysis for the Guadiana basin

Source: CHG (2008)

Guadiana WF

Agricultural use of water resources in the Guadiana (Mm3/year) (2001)

0 50 100 150 20025 Km

PROVINCES

LOWER GUADIANA

FORMER LOWER GUADIANA II OR TOP DOMAIN

UPPER GUADIANA

MIDDLE GUADIANA

GREEN WATER

BLUE SURFACE WATER

BLUE GROUNDWATER

Source: Aldaya and Llamas (2009)

BADAJOZ

CÁCERES

CUENCATOLEDO

SEVILLA

ALBACETE

CÓRDOBAHUELVA

CIUDAD REAL UPPER GUADIANA

MIDDLE GUADIANA

LOWER GUADIANA

1286

93

835

905745

142

7443

34

21103

TOP DOMAIN

Guadiana WF: Water consumption

Water economic productivity

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Upper Guadiana Middle Guadiana TOP Lower Guadiana

Humid (1997)

Average (2001)

Dry (2005)

€/m

3

Water economic productivity

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

2.5

3.0

3.5

Upper Guadiana Middle Guadiana TOPTOP Lower GuadianaLower Guadiana

Humid (1997)

Average (2001)

Dry (2005)

€/m

3

Total blue water economic productivity (€/m3) concerning agricultural sector per year

Guadiana WF: Water consumption

Legal restrictions in GW use

One of the most regulated basins

Groundwater role within the water footprint

► Cash crops are usually obtained with groundwater irrigation

► Green water and most surface water irrigation systems cannot guarantee supply due to climate variability

► Relevant role of groundwater to achieve ‘more cash and nature per drop’

Thank you