This study identifies protected natural areas that are related to groundwater in Spain. The methodology used has been applied to the natural areas covered within the scope of the three legal frameworks established in Law 42/2007, 13 December 2007 on Natural Heritage and Biodiversity. These are as follows: (a) areas protected by the Spanish State or its Autonomous Communities; (b) areas protected by the Natura 2000 Network and (c) areas protected by international instruments. Within the first typology the Natural Parks, Natural Reserves, Natural Monuments and Protected Landscapes are analyzed. The second includes the protected areas of the Natura 2000 Network and the third the Wetlands of International Importance of the Ramsar Convention; natural sites of the World Heritage List; Convention for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the north-east Atlantic (OSPAR); Specially Protected Areas of Mediterranean Importance (SPAMI); GEOparks declared by UNESCO; Biosphere Reserves declared by UNESCO and European Network of Biogenetic Reserve. Finally, a hydrogeological characterization of each of the 15 National Parks in Spain is carried out.The aim of the paper is to identify and propose a first catalogue of protected natural areas that have a relationship with groundwater either from recharging the aquifer or drainage through rivers, springs or wetlands.

This paper shows a study on the viability of an artificial recharge in the flood-plain aquifer of the Guadalquivir River (Andalucía, Spain). The method used to the evaluation of the artificial recharge project is as follows: A simple model (one cell). The code has been made on the use of an EXCEL spreadsheet. A distributed parameters-flow model using a standard code (Modflow). A pilot recharge plant. The simple model has been applied in different zones. The model has only 5 parameters. It evaluates the artificial recharge by means of the depletion coefficient. The model was calibrated for a monthly time-step, although the water balances in the soil and in the aquifer were calculated daily. The calibration the distributed parameter-flow model shows a high transmissivity, storage coefficient and porosity. The pilot recharge plant is a trench with recharge wells within it. The water available for recharge is obtained from an irrigation canal. A network of control points has been established to monitor the piezometric levels. The results obtained show a high storage coefficient and porosity. These parameters show a rapid groundwater velocity. Finally, the paper compares and contrasts the results obtained with the simple model, distributed parameter-flow model and the pilot recharge plant. The results are quite similar. The groundwater velocity is rapid. Water remains in the aquifer for a few days before returning to the river.