Balancing Groundwater Conservation and Rural Livelihoods under Water and Climate Uncertainties: An Integrated Hydro-Economic Modeling Framework

The study evaluates water policies in a central arid region of Spain, finding that current quota-based systems are insufficient to recover overexploited aquifers or protect rural incomes. It suggests that while larger, diversified farms with modern irrigation adapt better to water stress, long-term sustainability requires additional measures like controlling illegal abstractions and establishing water banks.

• Current quota-based water policies in the studied region may lower farm water consumption, but they are insufficient to restore the aquifer and result in income losses for rural communities.
• Adaptation to water stress is more effective for larger farms that employ cropping diversification and modern irrigation equipment.
• Achieving long-term aquifer sustainability and maintaining rural livelihoods requires the implementation of additional policy measures, specifically the establishment of a water bank and the control of illegal water abstractions.

APA

Stockholm Environment Institute (2011). Balancing Groundwater Conservation and Rural Livelihoods under Water and Climate Uncertainties: An Integrated Hydro-Economic Modeling Framework. https://www.sei.org/publications/balancing-groundwater-conservation-and-rural-livelihoods-under-water-and-climate-uncertainties-an-integrated-hydro-economic-modeling-framework/

Chicago

Stockholm Environment Institute. Balancing Groundwater Conservation and Rural Livelihoods under Water and Climate Uncertainties: An Integrated Hydro-Economic Modeling Framework. 2011. https://www.sei.org/publications/balancing-groundwater-conservation-and-rural-livelihoods-under-water-and-climate-uncertainties-an-integrated-hydro-economic-modeling-framework/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Stockholm Environment Institute |title=Balancing Groundwater Conservation and Rural Livelihoods under Water and Climate Uncertainties: An Integrated Hydro-Economic Modeling Framework |date=28 September 2011 |url=https://www.sei.org/publications/balancing-groundwater-conservation-and-rural-livelihoods-under-water-and-climate-uncertainties-an-integrated-hydro-economic-modeling-framework/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{stockholmenvironmentinstitute2011balancing, author = {{Stockholm Environment Institute}}, title = {{Balancing Groundwater Conservation and Rural Livelihoods under Water and Climate Uncertainties: An Integrated Hydro-Economic Modeling Framework}}, institution = {Stockholm Environment Institute}, year = {2011}, month = sep, url = {https://www.sei.org/publications/balancing-groundwater-conservation-and-rural-livelihoods-under-water-and-climate-uncertainties-an-integrated-hydro-economic-modeling-framework/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }