Implementation of the European Water Framework Directive: Integration of hydrological and regional planning at the Segura River Basin,southeast Spain

The implementation of the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) is a great challenge for a catchment area such as the Segura River Basin. An intense use of hydrological resources has taken place in this semi-arid region of southern Spain, with the huge territorial transformation, demonstrated in the expansion of the irrigated areas and the growth of urbanization, principally in the last few decades. The provision of water to the population in particular has improved since the middle of the 20th century owing to the Mancomunidad de los Canales del Taibilla (MCT) and to their extraordinary development of hydrological infrastructure. The MCT also has to manage various resources, principally the transfer from the Tagus River to the Segura.