Funcionamiento hidrológico de un humedal ribereño, El Masegar, en el conjunto de los humedales de La Mancha humeda de la cuenca alta del rio Cigüela

Fifteen years ago «La Mancha Humeda» was deelared Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO, at the request of the Spanish Government. According to a recent deelaration by UNESCO in 1995, such title could be lost if the degradation processes of the wetlands of «La Mancha Humeda» continue. «La Mancha Humeda» was formed by a hundred of small lakes or wetlands that in area totalled about 200-300 km 2 and they were distributed over an area of about 25.000 km 2 . These are different types of wetlands (saltwater and freshwater, permanent and ephimeral, riparian and closed basins, etc.). It is estimated that the actual surface of all the wetlands is about 20-30% of that occupied 20 or 30 years ago. The most famous degradation case is that of the «Tablas de Daimiel National Park» that has shrinked fram an area of about 15-20km 2 to less than 1 km 2 This article presents the general situation of the riverine wetlands of the Ciguela river and the results of the hydrological functioning of a wetland of modest dimensions, less than 1 km 2 , El Masegar. It is a riparian wetland located in the Ciguela River basin which has been severely affected by man actions. El Masegar can be considered as an artificial wetland. From an ecological point of view, this wetland seems to have been functioning in a proper way until 1988, when the so called «Plan de Regeneracion Hidrica del Parque Nacional de las Tablas de Daimiel» began. This Plan has not regenerated the Natural Park but has degradated or destroyed the riparian wetlands that existed along the Ciguela River valley which is about ISO km long. The surface of these wetlands all together was larger than that of Tablas de Daimiel National Park. The study shows that it could be feasible to restore or maintain most of the riparian wetlands of the «La Mancha Humeda» without a great economic investment and without social conflicts with the farmers.