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Impacts of abstractions and water scarcity

Water scarcity and drought events are an increasing problem in many areas of Europe, both permanently and seasonally. The environment needs water to sustain aquatic ecosystems and ecosystem services. Low water availability affects surface and groundwater, altering the hydrological regime, degrading ecosystems and leading to severe ecological impacts that affect not only biodiversity and habitats, but also the quality of water and soil (e.g. affecting water temperature, reducing the dilution capacity of pollutants or causing saline intrusions) (EEA, 2018).

In particular, (over-)abstraction of surface water bodies can cause the drying-out of water courses and wetland areas in Europe and the lowering of river water levels (EEA 2018c). This is a common problem in areas with low rainfall and high population density and in areas with intensive agricultural or industrial activity (EEA 2018c). The drying out or low flow of river courses can have adverse ecological affects, such as the decline in species richness and vegetation encroachment. For example, water abstraction converted naturally perennial-flowing rivers to intermittently flowing rivers in Spain, leading to a decline in fish species richness by 35 % (Benejam et al., 2010).

In addition, the (over-)abstraction of groundwater bodies can cause the lowering of groundwater levels (EEA 2018c) with further impacts on groundwater-dependent aquatic ecosystems.  In coastal areas, saltwater can intrude into the groundwater aquifers from which freshwater is abstracted leading to salinization and rendering the aquifers unusable as a drinking water supply (EEA 2018a).