Collective management of irrigation in eastern Spain. Integration of new technologies and water resources.

Abstract

Vicent Andrés EstellésLes pedres de l'àmfora. Obra completa 2, (1972, p.252), L'Estel, Valencia (Spain) The aim of this thesis is to analyze how farmer-managed systems adapt to the changes related to the integration of new water resources and drip irrigation technologies. This work includes two main parts. The first one focuses on traditional gravity irrigation and the emergence of new water resources. The second one looks at irrigation systems that have been transformed to drip irrigation. All the studies included in this dissertation centre the attention in understanding aspects of collective management. For this reason, special consideration is placed on the perceptions of farmers and managers of Water User Associations by means of semi-structured interviews.Chapters two and three study the operating principles for water management.These principles, when applied by farmers as collective rules, result in interactions that create equity on water rights and transparency. The study area includes the irrigation system of the Huerta of Valencia (Spain). This system, well known internationally, has traditionally used surface water from the Turia River. Though recently, the use of groundwater and treated wastewater have been integrated with surface water. In this context, the analysis evolves around the subject of how the rules, developed for the sharing of surface water, have been adapted for conjunctive use of these new water resources. In addition, attention is also placed on how this process was crucial for the management of the 2005 -2008 drought period.Results show that the operating principles, based in the proportionality and uniformity on irrigation frequency between users, underlie a system of distribution that is equitable, transparent and robust. In addition, the use of drought emergency wells and the reuse of treated wastewater have not resulted in any important conflict. These resources are used together with surface water during drought periods, increasing the guarantee of supply. However, treated wastewater use affects the uniformity on irrigation frequency among Water User Associations. Besides, Groundwater User Associations overlap in irrigated surface, farmers and infrastructure with Water User Associations Chapter five discusses and compares the implications of the previous chapters.Some aspects of irrigation management and governance are assessed in a more detailed manner for the case of gravity irrigation Water Users Associations. In addition, the changes related to the introduction of drip irrigation technologies and new water resources are further compared. The two processes present challenges for irrigation organization. Meanwhile the integration of new water sources has been gradual and does not entail major changes for self-organization, drip irrigation promotes a fundamental institutional change. This change may have a disruptive effect on self-organization if this new community-based drip irrigation does not manage to adapt and include braoder aspects of irrigation management beyond pu...

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