The economic value of conjoint local management in water resources: Results from a contingent valuation in the Boqueron aquifer (Albacete, SE Spain)

In the field of water resources management, the Water Framework Directive is the first directive to adopt an ecosystem approach, establishing principles and economic tools for an integrated management of water resources to protect, conserve and restore all water bodies. The incorporation of local authorities in this management involves quality benefits that are perceived by users in an effective and lasting way. The purpose of this paper is to present the economic value of the environmental recovery of the overexploited Boqueron aquifer in Hellin (Albacete, SE Spain) and all of its associated ecosystems. This aquifer operates as a regulating reservoir for the surface waters of the Hellin Canal. The contingent valuation method (CVM) applied in this environmental assessment of the aquifer showed that its non-use value was (sic)147,470 per year, due to the high environmental awareness of the Hellin people, which is enough to ensure the survival of the ecosystems linked to the aquifer. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.