Groundwater Modeling to Assess the Potential Impact of a Port Enlargement over a Coastal Wetland (South of Spain)
Please login to view abstract download link
The Charca de Suárez is a 15 ha wetland located a few hundred meters from the sea on the south coast of Spain. It is a Protected Nature Reserve with ecological interest due to its high biodiversity and its role as a refuge for permanent and migrant species, some of which are in danger of extinction. The wetland depends hydrologically on the surface water from excess irrigation and water from nearby rivers and groundwater. The wetland is surrounded by undeveloped, industrial and residential areas. The port of Motril, located 500 m from the eastern border of the Charca de Suarez wetland, has been proposed to be expanded by an increase of 60% in dock capacity. The port of Motril has an extension of 91 ha and provides services for commercial, fishing and marina uses. This expansion would involve digging inland to increase the number of boats that could be docked. The engineering activity would involve the modification of the hydrogeological conditions of the region by decreasing the water table and favoring the encroachment of the saline wedge; however, it is unclear whether this would affect the Charca de Suarez wetland. For this purpose, a groundwater model with density-driven flow was developed using SEAWAT to assess the impacts on the groundwater heads and salinity distribution within the aquifer. In addition, potential solutions for compensating these effects have been proposed by implementing different recharge methods like injection wells, recharge along trenches or increasing the surficial inputs to the wetlands.