A recent study reveals that 59% of the ponds in Doñana have not been flooded since at least 2013. Water abstractions from the aquifer are one of the main reasons behind the demise of this iconic wetland.
It’s hard for me to guess what consequences this will have for the rest of Europe’s ecosystem. For me, this news is more of a warning: for centuries, people have believed that deforestation and draining wetlands for agriculture is the right direction for the humanity. And because we didn’t even think that fresh water could ever run out, we didn’t optimize use of water in agriculture and industry. We were simply maximizing profits without caring about costs. We must optimize water and industrial space and keep our water underground. If we don’t make up for this time, there will be many more places like this all over Europe.
It’s hard for me to guess what consequences this will have for the rest of Europe’s ecosystem. For me, this news is more of a warning: for centuries, people have believed that deforestation and draining wetlands for agriculture is the right direction for the humanity. And because we didn’t even think that fresh water could ever run out, we didn’t optimize use of water in agriculture and industry. We were simply maximizing profits without caring about costs. We must optimize water and industrial space and keep our water underground. If we don’t make up for this time, there will be many more places like this all over Europe.