Witnessing the end of the drought in Los Pedroches

During the last week of March and early April 2025, Nikoletta Ropero and María Fernández carried out the fifth and last field campaign to measure groundwater levels in the Los Pedroches aquifer in Andalusia. The aim was to assess the evolution of the aquifer and better understand its response to rainfall and climate change, in order to contribute to more sustainable water management.

During this fifth and last field campaign of the I-CISK project, groundwater levels were measured in 55 wells of the Los Pedroches aquifer. The measurements revealed a general rise in groundwater levels following heavy rains during in March 2025. However, deep boreholes show that they have not yet fully recovered, which is consistent with the hydrogeological behaviour of deep aquifers, whose response to precipitation is slower.

Since April 2023, five campaigns have been carried out to monitor the transformation of the landscape and the evolution of aquifer levels during two years marked by extreme contrasts: a prolonged drought followed by abundant rainfall. This change has been captured in images that accompany this news item and reflect the dynamics and fragility of the water resources in the region.

The fieldwork aims to improve understanding of groundwater dynamics of the Pedroches aquifer system, a critical resource for dryland extensive livestock farming and dryland olive production that are characteristic in Los Pedroches. The conservation of groundwater quality becomes essential given its function as a strategic reserve at critical times. Collaboration with local farmers and residents has been key to the success of the monitoring, allowing access to private land and the sharing of valuable information.

The I-CISK Project, through its Living Laboratory in Los Pedroches, promotes a more informed and participatory water management. The data collected in the field will be processed to develop a hydrogeological model of the aquifer, the results of which will be available on a virtual platform of climate services. This tool is designed to support decision-making by farmers, ranchers and land managers in the face of the challenges of climate change.