- Segura is considering increasing irrigation restrictions by up to 50% due to the lack of rain
The Segura Hydrographic Confederation (CHS) has begun to draw up its plans in the face of a more than foreseeable absence of rain and a worsening of the current drought.
Starting in mid-February, increasing irrigation restrictions by up to 50 percent could be put on the table; and in March the situation of extraordinary drought would be declared with the drought wells put into operation.
These are the measures that the president of the Segura Hydrographic Confederation, Mario Urrea, announced on Friday, before the meeting of his governing board, a meeting in which a report was read on the decline in reserves in the basin’s swamps, which have lost 170 cubic hectometres over the last year and which are currently at 18 percent of their capacity.
All eyes are currently focused on the anticipated rains that are expected in Spain during the second half of February and that could help alleviate the dramatic loss of reserves. But it is not thought that that this rainfall will change the outlook, since, according to Urrea, it would be necessary for it to rain for a month and a half to avoid the declaration of drought.
The Drought Commission would be established towards the middle of the month, and it could them introduce the tightening of restrictions, which would affect the irrigation communities. He said that cuts to human supplies are ruled out.
On 1 March, if the current situation persists, an extraordinary drought situation would be declared, and this would see the start-up of the drought wells.
Urrea said that everything is now ready to immediately put the Calasparra Syncline into operation which would provide resources of 31 cubic hectometres annually. At the same time, the commissioning of the Vega Media and Vega Baja wells is underway, which would be used, depending on the availability of resources.
As a last resort, other wells would be launched in Albacete aimed at guaranteeing human consumption and for the supply of the Taibilla Commonwealth. This last possibility would be an emergency resource, in case of extreme need.
