To talk about Doñana is to talk about one of the most important natural spaces in Europe, but also about a territory subject to growing tension. The combination of prolonged drought, intensive agriculture and illegal exploitation of water resources has led this ecosystem to a critical situation that worries both scientific institutions and international organizations.
The conflict and water crisis in Doñana has become a political, economic and social problem in which agricultural interests, European regulations and the survival of key species come together.
The water disappears under Doñana: the invisible threat that worries scientists
The heart of the problem is groundwater. The aquifer that feeds the Doñana marshes has been under excessive pressure for years, mainly due to intensive agricultural use.
According to the public body Guadalquivir Hydrographic Confederation, several of the surrounding groundwater masses are in poor quantitative condition, which implies that more water is extracted than is recharged naturally.
A report from the Higher Council for Scientific Research warns that overexploitation has caused a sustained decrease in the water table, directly affecting temporary lagoons and water-dependent ecosystems.
This decline is not homogeneous, but it is persistent. In certain areas, levels have fallen several meters in recent decades, reducing the availability of surface water and altering the park’s natural cycles.
The illegal wells that accelerate the water crisis in Doñana
Much of this pressure is linked to the area’s agricultural model, especially the intensive cultivation of red fruits. The demand for water for irrigation has grown steadily, generating a network of legal and illegal collections.
The Guadalquivir Hydrographic Confederation has identified hundreds of illegal wells in the area of Doñana and has intensified inspection and closure work in recent years. According to official data collected by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition, more than a thousand unauthorized irrigation catchments and hectares have been closed.
However, experts point out that these measures, although necessary, come late and do not always offset the accumulated impact. The problem is, in addition to illegality, the structural pressure of a production model that depends on water in an increasingly dry environment.
Europe and UNESCO issue a warning about the future of Doñana
The situation in Doñana has transcended national borders. UNESCO has warned in several reports that the park could enter the list of World Heritage in danger if effective measures are not taken to protect its water resources.
For its part, the European Commission has taken Spain before the Court of Justice of the European Union for failing to comply with the Water Framework Directive. In 2021, the court ruled against Spain for failing to adequately protect the Doñana aquifers.
This ruling forces stricter measures to be adopted to guarantee the recovery of the aquifer, which adds pressure on regional and state administrations.
Less water, less life: this is how the fauna of Doñana changes
The consequences of this crisis are not abstract. They translate into visible changes in the ecosystem. The marshes, which depend on water balance, have reduced their flooded area in recent years, which directly affects waterfowl.
SEO/BirdLife, an NGO founded in 1954, has documented a significant drop in the populations of wintering and breeding birds in Doñana, especially in species linked to wetlands.
In addition, the lack of water affects food availability, reproduction and migratory routes. Doñana is a key point on the routes between Europe and Africa, so any alteration has consequences on a continental scale.
Emblematic species, such as the Iberian lynx or the imperial eagle, may also be indirectly affected, since they depend on a balanced ecosystem to survive.
Climate change: the threat that accelerates the deterioration of the park
Added to all this is a structural factor: climate change. Spain, and especially the south of the peninsula, is experiencing a reduction in precipitation and an increase in temperatures.
According to the State Meteorological Agency, drought episodes are becoming more frequent and intense. This means that the aquifer is not only overexploited, but is also recharged less, exacerbating the imbalance.
Can Doñana still be saved? The measures proposed by experts
The proposals to reverse the situation involve several lines of action. The main ones are the reduction of irrigation in sensitive areas, the definitive closure of illegal wells, the restoration of degraded ecosystems and the improvement in water management.
The central government and the Junta de Andalucía have announced different plans, but their application and effectiveness remain the subject of debate. For many scientists, the key is to change the production model and adapt the use of water to the real availability, something that is not always compatible with the economic demands of the territory.
It is indisputable that Doñana represents a paradigmatic case of the environmental conflicts of the 21st century: limited resources, economic pressure and the need for conservation.
The challenge is to save a natural park and also redefine the relationship between development and sustainability in a context of climate change. But time, experts warn, is against us.
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