Agricultural Drought Indices - US Department of Agriculture

Table 1. Reuse from treatment plans in the different irrigators communities (G for gravity, B through
pumping).
EDAR (Waste
Water Treatment
Plant)
UDA
User
Pinedo II. Extension
Traditional
Irrigation.
Valencia
Vega.
Rest of
Acequias
Acequia of
Favara (B)
Acequia
del Oro
Acequia
del Oro
(G)
Quart-
Benatger
Traditional
Irrigation.
Valencia
Vega.
Rest of
Acequias
Acequias of
Andarella
(B), Xirivella
(B), Benager
(B), Faitanar
(B) y Favara
(G)
Carraixet
Traditional
Irrigation.
Valencia
Vega.
Rest of
Acequias
Acequia of
Rascanya
(B)
Paterna-Fte. del
Jarro
Traditional
Irrigation.
Valencia
Vega.
Rest of
Acequias
Acequia
of Tormos
(G)
Traditional
Irrigation.
Valencia
Vega.
Ac of
Moncada
Acequia
of
Moncada
(B)
TOTAL
(thousand (thousand (thousand (thousand (thousand (thousand (thousand
m3) m3) m3) m3) m3) m3) m3)
2005/06 6.014 22.156 - - - - 28.170
2006/07 6.781 50.153 9.008 3.791 603 829 71.165
2007/08 9.946 66.857 12.782 3.444 214 913 94.157
2008/09 4.732 64.082 13.407 3.313 45 850 86.429
Investment
The development and application of this group of measures required the approval of a set of
emergency works for a total amount of 75 million euros, initiated during the years 2005 (19 million
€), 2006 (35 million €), 2007 (15 million €) and 2008 (5 million €). These works were destined for
environmental protection, improvement of the guarantee and quantity of water for urban use,
improvement of efficiency of water use for agriculture and improvement of infrastructures of water
supply.
Conclusions
As a result of the efficacy of proactive and reactive measures, the worst drought in modern times in
the Jucar basin, lasting from year 2005 to 2008, passed with relatively low economic and
environmental damages; urban supply was always fulfilled; and conflicts among users were solved
in an atmosphere of transparency and cooperation promoted by participatory approaches.
Some of the measures mentioned to deal with the drought were implemented for the first time in
Jucar basin, as for instance: water rights purchases (PORA); voluntary cuttings in groundwater
extraction from Mancha Oriental Aquifer; direct treated wastewater reuse by traditional irrigation in
lower Turia basin; conjunctive use of surface and groundwater by traditional irrigation in the lower
Jucar Basin, with energy expenses paid by users with junior rights; and improved control measures
for control of water use and environmental flows. And they proved to be very effective in the
mitigation of the drought impacts. Therefore, many of these measures adopted in the campaign
plans approved by the Permanent Droughts Commission will become permanent practices, after a
convenient remodeling to adapt for ordinary management, and the lessons learned from this
experience will help in the production of new versions of the Basin Plan, and of the Special
Drought Plan of Jucar basin.
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