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 Spain
General view
Water scarcity affects all the Spanish Mediterranean basins and provokes many impacts on environment and on local societies and farmers. Wetlands are in danger. The water demand is not covered by the surface water resources and the over-exploitation of groundwater is a common problem everywhere. Thus, the Government propose, for many years ago, a National hydrologic plan which consist to organise a big transfer of water resources from the northern basins to the mediterranean southern ones, trough the construction of dams and canals. This project is debated in the country where regional reactions are very strong, and where new stakeholders appear, as the "new culture of water". In fact, besides the ancient irrigation areas, Spain has encouraged people to develop new schemes through pumping stations, sometimes individuals, others collectives with users' association. At local level, Spain has a long tradition of self-organised irrigators communities and many people use to cultivate small plots. The examples of Jucar and Genil basins (Valencia and Grenada), make it possible to understand how users' syndicates are preparing to modernise and adapt to new context and conditions : less water available for agriculture.
The Case studies
Jucar Watershed
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 The Júcar hydrological district covers 43 998 Km2 and provides 238 600 m3/year, which supplies a population of 4 million residents, 1,7 million of seasonal inhabitants and nearly 300,000 ha of irrigable lands. Agricultural demand represents around 80% of the total of the water uses.
The distribution of the irrigation water is mostly carried out in collective form by local farmer entities created solely with this objective. We can differentiate between entities that use surface waters and those that use groundwater. The first are, in general, very old - some were created in the middle ages - and they using more water than the crops need. They use traditional technologies for water allocation, which are generally inefficient from both technical and economic points of view. By contrast, the associations using groundwater are of recent creation - almost all starting in the sixties and seventies. They were promoted by the farmers themselves who wish a more efficient production, but they have a strong environmental impact.
The impact of the agriculture in the hydraulic system is very strong because of unsustainable rates of use. Moreover, the intensive use of fertilizers causes diffused contamination, creating risks for urban uses in certain areas.
The Hydrological Plan for the basin has limited the maximum volumes for agricultural use. The objective for the next ten years is a reduction of the consumption of 200 Hm3 per year. The plan proposes actions to modernise traditional irrigable land areas.
This process is causing technical problems related to the change of irrigation infrastructures but also to administration and management. This will demand significant changes in technologies for handling and distributing water.
Our first partner in the project, "Acequia Real del Júcar (USUJ)" distributes water for 22.000 Ha of small farms (1,1 Ha on average), producing oranges, other fruit, vegetables and rice. The Hydrological Plan for the basin has foreseen to reduce the use of water by 100 Hm3 per year. Technical and managerial modernization is urgent.
USUJ is leader of a group of six collective irrigation communities (Comunidades de Regantes) that distributes and uses all the water supply from the Alarcon's reservoir (1.100 Hm3 of capacity). These communities are all pushed to undertake a similar process of modernization.
Plan hidrológico nacional (España)
Greenpeace and the National Hidrologic Program
Cacin - Genil Watershed
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 The 6 255 ha irrigated Cacín area is situated on the south-western edge of the Granada basin, at an altitude of 600 to 700 metres above sea level. The area is supplied with regulated water from the Bermejales reservoir which increased its catchments area thanks to a transfer from the river Alhama, both tributaries on the left bank of the river Genil in the province of Granada. Since five years ago, the channel and the irrigation network have been managed by the Board and the Communities, which are made up by six full members and a seven associate members.
Water supply in this area is among the highest during dry and medium years, and among the lowest during wet years, within the body of the 22 irrigation areas of public promotion in the Guadalquivir basin. This data indicates better water management. In 1995 the area's irrigation systems were: 83.5% gravity, 10.5% sprinkler and 6% localized. This situation is changing due to the increase in olive groves with localized irrigation, even outside the legal limits of the irrigation area.
Users tendency is to increase the irrigation area in their own region. In collaboration with the Andalucian Autonomous Government, works have been undertaken to modernise the irrigation systems.
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