Public Funding

Groundwater withdrawal by desalination plants might lead to a drop of the piezometric levels of aquifers,causing negative impacts, especially in water-dependent ecosystems. Management strategies are necessary to overcome these potential problems, particularly in abandoned solar saltworks, wetlands which are particularly prone to degradation by desiccation. This proyect aims to asses a pioneer programme of irrigation with seawater to correct the environmental impacts of two desalination plants in Agua Amarga salt marsh, SE Spain.

A detailed study of soil-plants-hydromorphy interactions is proposed which includes ecotoxicologycal aspects jointly with the identification of biomarkers of pollution in areas with high biodiversity. The research will be developed in two salt-marshes located in the coastal area of the Mar Menor (SE Spain). These sites are characterised by soils polluted by metal mine wastes, they have a high biodiversity and they suffer an intense human pressure.