title: A geochemical approach to the restoration plans for the Odiel River basin (SW Spain), a watershed deeply polluted by acid mine drainage.
abstract: The Odiel River Basin (SW Spain) drains the central part of the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB), a world-class example of sulfide mining district and concomitantly of acid mine drainage (AMD) pollution. The severe AMD pollution and the incipient state of remediation strategies implemented in this region, coupled with the proximity of the deadline for compliance with the European Water Framework Directive (WFD), urge to develop a restoration and water resources management strategy. Furthermore, despite the presence of some reservoirs with acid waters in the Odiel basin, the construction of the Alcolea water reservoir has already started. On the basis of the positive results obtained after more than 10 years of developing a specific passive remediation technology (dispersed alkaline substrate (DAS)) for the highly polluted AMD of this region, a restoration strategy is proposed. The implementation of 13 DAS treatment plants in selected acid discharges along the Odiel and Oraque sub-basins and other restoration measurements of two acidic creeks is proposed as essential to obtain a good water quality in the future Alcolea reservoir. This restoration strategy is also suggested as an economically and environmentally sustainable approach to the extreme metal pollution affecting the waters of the region and could be considered the starting point for the future compliance with the WFD in the Odiel River Basin.
authors.affiliation: Earth Science Department, University of Huelva, Campus "El Carmen," Av. 3 de Marzo s/n, 21071, Huelva, Spain. francisco.macias@dgeo.uhu.es.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Macías
authors.affiliation: Earth Science Department, University of Huelva, Campus "El Carmen," Av. 3 de Marzo s/n, 21071, Huelva, Spain.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pérez-López
authors.affiliation: Mining Engineering Department, University of Chile, Avda. Tupper 2069, 8370451, Santiago, Chile.|Advanced Mining Technology Center, University of Chile, Avda. Tupper 2007, 8370451, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: Manuel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Caraballo
authors.affiliation: Earth Science Department, University of Huelva, Campus "El Carmen," Av. 3 de Marzo s/n, 21071, Huelva, Spain.
authors.forename: Aguasanta M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Sarmiento
authors.affiliation: Earth Science Department, University of Huelva, Campus "El Carmen," Av. 3 de Marzo s/n, 21071, Huelva, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Cánovas
authors.affiliation: Earth Science Department, University of Huelva, Campus "El Carmen," Av. 3 de Marzo s/n, 21071, Huelva, Spain.
authors.forename: Jose M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nieto
authors.affiliation: Earth Science Department, University of Huelva, Campus "El Carmen," Av. 3 de Marzo s/n, 21071, Huelva, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Olías
authors.affiliation: Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research, IDÆA-CSIC, Jordi Girona 18, 08034, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ayora
mesh_terms: D000143:Acids; D008906:Mining; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D013030:Spain; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000143:Acids; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Acid mine drainage; Alcolea reservoir; Dispersed alkaline substrate; European Water Framework Directive; Odiel River Basin