Mitigation cost of desalination intake impact on coastal wetlands

Abstract

In this study, the cost of environmental protection practices established by environmental licenses to protect the Agua Amarga saltmarsh were quantified. The goal of the protection practices was to prevent the lowering of the ground water level due to the intake systems of the Alicante desalination plants. To this end, a seawater irrigation program was established. The volumes oscillated between 216,000 m3 during the 2013–2014 campaign and 1,171,200 m3 in the 2017–2018 campaign. The irrigation program had an average cost of €7,342/y, with a maximum of €14,004 for the 2017–2018 campaign and a minimum of €2,329 for the 2013–2014 campaign. The irrigation program maintained the groundwater level in the saltmarsh and compensated for the effect of the intake system on the saltmarsh.