Spain, Duero

NEL Main Aim

This Lab will engage the Spanish Irrigation Association Río Adaja and the farmers community to maintain sustainable crop production and local economy without compromising water resources and ecosystems while managing conflicting interest of other industries requiring water and land resources.

River Basin Description:

Adaja river is one main tributary of Duero Basin, the largest Spanish river. The irrigation association “Rio Adaja” has been irrigating with subsurface waters from single wells by pressure irrigation methods for decades. The presence of arsenic concentration is now reducing water extractions. The Spanish Government and Regional Agencies recently funded the works required to build an automatic pressurized irrigation distribution network to convey surface water from Adaja river. In 2006 water users grouped in the Irrigation-District “Río Adaja” and they currently irrigate about 6500 ha by sprinkler irrigation. The farmers have increased their revenue since the first year of operation, and also, new agribusiness opportunities have arisen fostering the economic development of the rural area and maintaining the population.