Stefano, Lucía DeFornés, Juan MaríaLópez Geta, José AntonioVillarroya Gil, Fermín Ignacio2023-06-192023-06-192015Issn90-0627 ; Essn: 1360-064810.1080/07900627.2014.938260https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/34181In semi-arid regions, aquifers provide a series of practical advantages that make them preferential sources of water supply. In Spain, groundwater meets about one-fifth of the total water demand and is used to irrigate over one-third of the total irrigated land. This article examines groundwater use in Spain from the perspective of the EU Water Framework Directive. Analysis of different sector uses suggests that core problems (and solutions) related to groundwater lie in agricultural uses and that the Directive's environmental requirements remain distant from reality on the ground, where economic, political and social reasons prevail on legal obligations set by national and supranational authorities. Keywords:: groundwater management, Water Framework Directive, irrigation, domestic supply, pollution, unauthorized use, Spainengjournal articlehttps://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2014.938260https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/cijw20restricted access556Groundwater managementWater Framework DirectiveIrrigationDomestic supplyPollutionUnauthorized useSpainHidrología2508 Hidrología