Water footprint and sustainability of water resources use. Water footprinto of Poniente Almeriense. Previous studies and efficiency measures

Abstract

"Water Footprint" index is a tool for assessing the sustainability of water resources. It quantifies the total amount of water needed by the inhabitants in a region. This index is useful for quantifying virtual water flows of imports and exports. At lower geographic levels it allows knowing exactly how much water, and under what conditions, it is used from local water systems. Also, it serves to estimate how much water would be needed to neutralize the waste stream. The Chapagain and Hoekstra’s methodology is the main method used today, and it has been adapted to estimate the water footprint of Poniente Almeriense. This region is the best example in Europe, and probably worldwide, of intensive agriculture under plastic. We used data from 2009/2010 cropping seasons of pepper, tomato, cucumber, zucchini, watermelon, melon, eggplant, and green beans. As conclusion, although the intensive water consumption, a high amount of virtual water exported is present, so the water footprint is smaller. High water-use efficiency and economic performance also justify the intensive water use and the external inputs required.