The impact of water quality changes on the socio-economic system of the Guadiana Estuary: an assessment of management options

Tourism related to bathing has a growing economic importance in the Guadiana Estuary in southern Spain and Portugal. Polls of local public opinion showed an awareness of potential and current threats to the aquatic environment posed by regulation of river flow and untreated/poorly-treated urban sewa...

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Main Authors: Mª Helena E. Guimarães, André Mascarenhas, Carlos Sousa, Tomasz Boski, Tomaz Ponce Dentinho
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Resilience Alliance 2012-09-01
Series:Ecology and Society
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol17/iss3/art38/
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spelling doaj-4ff1bd6f4b784958a12575a5576c4bf42020-11-24T23:31:26ZengResilience AllianceEcology and Society1708-30872012-09-011733810.5751/ES-05318-1703385318The impact of water quality changes on the socio-economic system of the Guadiana Estuary: an assessment of management optionsMª Helena E. Guimarães0André Mascarenhas1Carlos Sousa2Tomasz Boski3Tomaz Ponce Dentinho4Centre for Marine and Environmental Research - CIMA Office for Sustainable Regional Development- GDRSCentro de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental - CIMACentre for Marine and Environmental Research - CIMACentre for Marine and Environmental Research - CIMAOffice for Sustainable Regional Developement - GDRSTourism related to bathing has a growing economic importance in the Guadiana Estuary in southern Spain and Portugal. Polls of local public opinion showed an awareness of potential and current threats to the aquatic environment posed by regulation of river flow and untreated/poorly-treated urban sewage discharge. Because of this strong concern for water quality, it was selected as the policy issue for our application of the Systems Approach Framework (SAF). We developed an integrated simulation model of the Guadiana estuarine system in which the ecological system and socioeconomic components are linked by means of beach eco-label (Blue Flag Award) through its dependence on fecal bacterial thresholds. We quantified the socioeconomic impacts of water quality through an Economic Base Model that is used to portray the effect of increasing employment on resident population as a result of change in coastal water quality. A Cost-Benefit Analysis provides monetary indicators for scenario evaluation. It includes a monetary valuation of changes in water quality on human welfare using a Contingent Valuation Method. Because the population has a strong seasonal influence on the wastewater discharge into the estuary, we were able to simulate the feedback loop between the human activities that control water quality and those that benefit from it. We organized a critical evaluation of our efforts with the stakeholders, which allowed us to better understand their perceptions of the strengths, limitations, and opportunities for future SAF applications. Here we describe several aspects of our efforts that demonstrate the potential value of the SAF to environmental managers and stakeholders in clarifying some of the causal mechanisms, management options, and costs for resolution of the conflictual problem between water quality and tourism in the Guadiana estuary.http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol17/iss3/art38/blue flag awardcost-benefit analysiseconomic base modelGuadiana estuarysystems approachtourismwater quality
collection DOAJ
language English
format Article
sources DOAJ
author Mª Helena E. Guimarães
André Mascarenhas
Carlos Sousa
Tomasz Boski
Tomaz Ponce Dentinho
spellingShingle Mª Helena E. Guimarães
André Mascarenhas
Carlos Sousa
Tomasz Boski
Tomaz Ponce Dentinho
The impact of water quality changes on the socio-economic system of the Guadiana Estuary: an assessment of management options
Ecology and Society
blue flag award
cost-benefit analysis
economic base model
Guadiana estuary
systems approach
tourism
water quality
author_facet Mª Helena E. Guimarães
André Mascarenhas
Carlos Sousa
Tomasz Boski
Tomaz Ponce Dentinho
author_sort Mª Helena E. Guimarães
title The impact of water quality changes on the socio-economic system of the Guadiana Estuary: an assessment of management options
title_short The impact of water quality changes on the socio-economic system of the Guadiana Estuary: an assessment of management options
title_full The impact of water quality changes on the socio-economic system of the Guadiana Estuary: an assessment of management options
title_fullStr The impact of water quality changes on the socio-economic system of the Guadiana Estuary: an assessment of management options
title_full_unstemmed The impact of water quality changes on the socio-economic system of the Guadiana Estuary: an assessment of management options
title_sort impact of water quality changes on the socio-economic system of the guadiana estuary: an assessment of management options
publisher Resilience Alliance
series Ecology and Society
issn 1708-3087
publishDate 2012-09-01
description Tourism related to bathing has a growing economic importance in the Guadiana Estuary in southern Spain and Portugal. Polls of local public opinion showed an awareness of potential and current threats to the aquatic environment posed by regulation of river flow and untreated/poorly-treated urban sewage discharge. Because of this strong concern for water quality, it was selected as the policy issue for our application of the Systems Approach Framework (SAF). We developed an integrated simulation model of the Guadiana estuarine system in which the ecological system and socioeconomic components are linked by means of beach eco-label (Blue Flag Award) through its dependence on fecal bacterial thresholds. We quantified the socioeconomic impacts of water quality through an Economic Base Model that is used to portray the effect of increasing employment on resident population as a result of change in coastal water quality. A Cost-Benefit Analysis provides monetary indicators for scenario evaluation. It includes a monetary valuation of changes in water quality on human welfare using a Contingent Valuation Method. Because the population has a strong seasonal influence on the wastewater discharge into the estuary, we were able to simulate the feedback loop between the human activities that control water quality and those that benefit from it. We organized a critical evaluation of our efforts with the stakeholders, which allowed us to better understand their perceptions of the strengths, limitations, and opportunities for future SAF applications. Here we describe several aspects of our efforts that demonstrate the potential value of the SAF to environmental managers and stakeholders in clarifying some of the causal mechanisms, management options, and costs for resolution of the conflictual problem between water quality and tourism in the Guadiana estuary.
topic blue flag award
cost-benefit analysis
economic base model
Guadiana estuary
systems approach
tourism
water quality
url http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol17/iss3/art38/
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