Agricultural Drought Indices - US Department of Agriculture

During the years 2007 and 2008, for the first time the acquisition of water rights, with
environmental objectives, to the users closest to the river was applied, together with the application
of saving measures. The objective of the PORAs was to reduce the affections to circulating flows
in the Júcar river and to guarantee the continuity of the Júcar river, particularly in the section
between the Alarcón reservoir and the gauging station Los Frailes. The PORA of 2007 developed
a purchase of water of 27.3 hm 3 for an amount of 5.5 million Euros, and the PORA of 2008 meant
the purchase of 50.6 hm 3 for an amount of 12.7 million Euros. Both PORAs, together with the rest
of measures carried out, allowed to guarantee the continuity of the Júcar river in this section (Fig.
3).
Figure 3. Circulating flows in the section and water gains and losses accumulated in the
Júcar river in regards to the aquifer Mancha Oriental.
The Albufera of Valencia, considered a protected zone highly vulnerable to droughts in the SDP, is
one of the areas with highest environmental protection in the JRBA. During the whole drought
period, a special surveillance has been developed in the evolution of the Albufera lake, through the
measurement of the water level in the lake, and the water inflow in the Natural Park of Albufera,
and through the measurement of the water outflow through five existing canals (“golas”), canal of
Pujol, canal of Perelló, canal of Perellonet, canal of Rei and canal of San Llorenç.
The water levels in the Albufera lake have continuously ranged between 0.1 and 0.4 m.s.n.m.,
values considered normal, depending more on the management carried out during the opening
and closing of the canal gates than on the hydrological conditions of the basin. Surveillance on the
water renovation in the Natural Park of Albufera of Valencia has been carried out through the
control of circulating flows in the river. To this end, flow meters were used in the water outlets of
the Natural Park, corresponding to the five canals. The registered data indicate (Fig. 4) that
circulating flows in the Natural Park of Albufera of Valencia ranged from 240 hm 3 in hydrological
year 2006/07 to 480 hm 3 in hydrological year 2008/09.
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