National Water Plan: water transfers between river basins and usage rules

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The law approves the National Water Plan, which coordinates the plans of each river basin and sets goals such as good water status and a rational, sustainable use of water.
2. It authorizes water transfers from the lower Ebro to the internal basins of Catalonia (up to 190 hm3 per year), the Júcar (315), the Segura (450) and the Sur (95), under strict conditions.
3. Transferred water can only be used for urban supply, irrigation in precarious situations, improving degraded ecosystems or correcting overexploited aquifers. Never to create new irrigated land or expand existing one.
4. Donor basins are protected: no water can be taken unless the minimum environmental flow is flowing, and the donor basin's works and reserves must be secured before the transfer operates.
5. A tax called the canon del trasvaseTrasvase The specific authorization of the volumes of water moved each year from one basin to another. is created, paid by users of transferred water. It includes an environmental fee (initially 3 euro cents per cubic meter) to environmentally compensate the donor basins.
6. The Government may reserve rivers, river stretches or aquifers for conservation in their natural state, banning water concessions on them.
7. Drought planning is required: basin agencies must draw up special plans, and cities with 20,000 inhabitants or more must have emergency plans.
8. Water saving is promoted: efficient supply management, individual meters, reuse of treated water, wetland protection and education campaigns on sustainable use.

Who it affects

• Users of transferred water in receiving basins: They must pay the canon del trasvase, organize into user boards and can only use the water for the purposes allowed by the law.
• Residents of donor basins, such as the Ebro: Water for their current and future uses is guaranteed before any transfer, and they receive environmental compensation.
• Farmers with irrigated land: Transferred water cannot go to new irrigated land or expand existing one; precarious irrigation may consolidate its supply.
• Municipalities with 20,000 inhabitants or more: They must have a drought emergency plan.
• The general public: It has free access to hydrological information and to the Plan's documents.

Words worth knowing

Trasvase

The specific authorization of the volumes of water moved each year from one basin to another.

Transferencia

The general rule that allows water to be moved from one planning area to a different one.

Cuenca hidrográfica

River basin: the territory whose waters all flow toward the same river or sea.

Caudal ambiental

Environmental flow: the amount of water that must remain in the river to preserve its ecosystems.

Acuífero

Aquifer: a natural underground deposit of water between rocks or sand.

It summarizes the law as published in the BOE. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries