ABSTRACT
Littoral zones are important places of economic development, often linked to intensive water needs. Geological, hydrogeological and socio-economic studies have been carried out as part of a multidisciplinary approach on a coastal Mediterranean aquifer – the Roussillon – in order to design effective water management strategies in areas sensitive to seawater intrusion risks. Geology provides the geometry and architecture of the different aquifers, hydrogeology assesses the seawater intrusion risk while the socio-economic study includes consulting stakeholders with the aim of suggesting water management and policy options acceptable to the majority of the population. This paper highlights the economic interests at stake, the diversity of viewpoints expressed by stakeholders and the political dimensions of the issue, which are likely to be encountered for all similar situations on both sides of the Mediterranean Sea.
