Case study - Water transfer in Ebro River, Spain

Question 1

What did Spanish govt approve 2001 and what is happening to the scheme now?

Answer 1

1. July 2001 Spanish govt approved scheme to divert water from lower Ebro valley to supply cities, farmers + tourists in parched southeast of country
2. 3 years later, newly elected govt cancelled diversion project + replaced it with cheaper more localised schemes e.g. desalination plants

Question 2

In favour of scheme

Answer 2

1. Big international investors concerned as they marketed south-east of Spain as ‘new Florida’
2. Vast tourist attractions, golf course, created were to be supplied by Ebro River
3. People living in south-east Spain saw scheme as beginning of new future
4. Head of Murcia govt claimed desalination was unproven and expensive

Question 3

Against the scheme

Answer 3

1. environmentalists in north protested that diversion scheme was misuse of scarce resource + would have drastic impact on Ebro and its fragile delta
2. Environment Minister claimed desalination plants would provide same amount of water sooner and cheaper
3. New national govt promised to improve water recycling + make irrigation systems more efficient
4. Environmentalists also claimed aquifers of Ebro basin were already drying out because of over extraction