Assessment of Pollution Risk in the Western La Mancha Carbonated Aquifer Due to Anthropogenic Degradation of the Tablas de Daimiel National Park (Spain)

The inversion of the hydraulic gradient, primarily due to overexploitation and inadequate hydraulic management of the Western La Mancha carbonated aquifer, has led to the desiccation of the Tablas de Daimiel National Park (TDNP). As a consequence, a permanent unsaturated zone (UZ) has appeared beneath the former wetland area, making the carbonated aquifer extremely vulnerable to contamination. Besides, the strong human induced disturbance of the UZ (i.e. smouldering peat fires) is releasing nutrients that used to be retained in the soil matrix under natural conditions. The present research demonstrates how this degradation process might result in aquifer contamination.