Duero river basin hub – STARS4Water

Duero river basin hub

At a glance

79,000 km²

spanish surface of the Duero river basin
80 / 20

80% of its territory in Spain, 20% in Portugal (Transboundary river)
618 mm / yr

precipitation
2.1 million

inhabitants
28.1

inhabitants / km² average population density
148

lt / hab / day water use
49

reservoirs
64

groundwater bodies
162

hydroelectric power plants

Water users:

Increasing resilience to climate change is the major goal with special emphasis on the risks of droughts and floods.
The challenge of achieving sustainable groundwater management is being addressed on several fronts, including an internal working group to analyze and discuss possible policy reforms related to the legal regime for groundwater.
Improvement and consolidation of monitoring programmes for the status of water bodies.
Understanding the behavior of nitrates in the unsaturated zone and it effects on the saturated zone, is a challenge which is being currently studied.
Determine the necessary adaptation of resource-compatible water uses available, once the impacts of climate change have been considered, and with the maintenance of the conditions of good condition of the water bodies.

Main challenges exacerbated by climate change: