PATRIMONIO, URBANISMO Y MEDIO AMBIENTE DEL AULA A LA RED

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Water Crisis in Rural Areas: Los Pedroches and Guadiato

8 enero, 2025 por anabelen.berrocal@upm.es | Sin comentarios

Celia Montesinos Gañán. MICCP Student. ETSICCP. UPM   

Can you imagine not having access to drinking water at home in 2024? This situation has been repeated on several occasions in recent years in areas where territorial planning has been underestimated. As a civil engineer, the lack of access to potable water in the 21st century is an issue that has sparked my interest. It is surprising how the quality of life for Spanish citizens can vary depending on the location of their homes. Despite being a developed country with water infrastructure to supply clean and safe water, there are areas that, due to a combination of factors, stand out for their lack of investment, maintenance, or efficient planning.

In the north of the province of Córdoba, in the heart of Sierra Morena, lies the region of Los Pedroches and the Guadiato Valley. Los Pedroches region is known for its vast dehesa, a landscape of holm oaks and cork oaks. Meanwhile, the Guadiato Valley, named after the river that runs through it, is characterized by its gentle hills and river valleys, as well as its mining history.

Illustration 1 Location of Los Pedroches Region and the Guadiato Valley [1]

Los Pedroches region has a population of approximately 55,000 inhabitants [2], while the Guadiato Valley has around 23,000 people. Together, these two regions account for about 78,000 inhabitants. This represents approximately 9.7% of the population of the province of Córdoba, which has 805,000 inhabitants. At the level of Andalusia, with a population close to 8.5 million, the two regions together contribute less than 1% of the total population. In proportion to the area they occupy, they are characterized by a low population density, which continues to decrease over time due to emigration and demographic aging. This trend has led to these areas being included in repopulation plans promoted by the Regional Government of Andalusia [3].


This progressive depopulation is aggravated by the limited job opportunities, the precariousness of public services, and the reliance on the primary sector. All of this is compounded by problems with water resources due to a combination of climatic, management, and pollution factors. Extreme drought has been one of the main triggers, as seen in the Sierra Boyera reservoir [4].

Illustration 2 Graph of water levels in the Sierra Boyera reservoir from 2022 to 2024 [4]

The graph shows the water levels of the Sierra Boyera reservoir in recent years. In 2022, water levels were extremely low, between 5-10% of its capacity, due to a severe drought. In 2023, the problem worsened, with levels hovering around 0%. However, in 2024, there was a significant improvement after week 12, reaching nearly 75% of capacity due to intense rainfall, exceeding the historical average, which ranges between 70-90%.  

Another relevant issue is the contamination of La Colada reservoir, whose water was declared unfit for consumption due to the presence of organic carbon and other pollutants from intensive livestock farming activities. Livestock farming can have a significant environmental impact depending on the type of farming system and the species involved. While beef cattle and Iberian pigs are usually raised in semi-free range systems (with a lower concentration of animals per hectare) and therefore have a more moderate environmental impact, intensive livestock farming (such as dairy cattle farming, exemplified by the COVAP company) operates in confined spaces and generates a high pollutant load due to the accumulation of manure and the poor management of waste [5].  

This situation forced the authorities to supply the population with water through tanker trucks for more than a year, affecting over 80,000 inhabitants of both regions [6].  

The mismanagement of water resources has prolonged the crisis. Although solutions such as filtration using osmosis and ultrafiltration were proposed, the underlying problem (the lack of adequate infrastructure) remains unresolved to this day [7]. This water crisis has affected households and key economic activities in the local economy, such as agriculture and livestock farming. The reduction in water availability has increased the cost of water transport for livestock farms and reduced agricultural productivity, forcing some farmers to cull less productive animals in order to reduce costs.  

In this research, I have reached several conclusions. Water planning must be coherently integrated with territorial planning, especially in rural areas, which are more demographically vulnerable. In this case, the impact has been greater and more noticeable due to extreme climatic conditions. Coordination between land-use policies, agricultural development, environmental protection, and climate change adaptation is essential to achieve long-term sustainability. Additionally, this approach aligns with the principles established by the EU Water Framework Directive, which promotes both the preservation of water resources and the active participation of local communities.

To prevent this water crisis from recurring, it is essential to have water planning aligned with territorial management. This involves the construction of infrastructure that responds to the specific needs of these areas. Another indispensable measure is the restoration of aquatic ecosystems, as in the case of contaminated La Colada reservoir, for example, by promoting sustainable livestock management. The participation and education of the local population are essential for long-term sustainability. Community involvement in decision-making regarding water management fosters greater co-responsibility and awareness in the use of this resource. 

This example once again demonstrates that water management in Spain is influenced by climatic diversity, but above all, by geographical diversity, leading to significant territorial differences. From the perspective of the European Charter for Territorial Management, this crisis violates basic principles such as territorial cohesion and risk prevention. Inequality in access to water widens socio-economic gaps between regions, increasing the current territorial injustice and highlighting the need for development plans adapted to the reality of each territory.

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