The lack of water that plagues Catalonia continues unabated. After the Urgell canal closed the gates of its main canal on Tuesday, the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation (CHE) declared yesterday the “exceptional situation” for the Segre basin, given the “extraordinary drought” it is suffering.

For now, the declaration only affects this area, but the CHE does not rule out extending it to other counties in the coming weeks. “It is intended that this system be left open to gradually incorporate other territorial units foreseen in the special plan as the situation worsens”, pointed out its president, María Dolores Pascual.

Among the territories that have the most ballot papers to enter, he cited the Eix de l’Ebre and Baix Ebre, the Aragon and Arba basins or the Iregua basin, in La Rioja. In the future, he did not rule out the addition of others that go through an “even less serious” situation, such as the Upper Aragó, the Aragon and Catalonia canal or the Huerva basin.

In practice, this inclusion results in more legal coverage to apply restrictive measures, more support for those affected – mainly irrigation – to process aid and the creation of a permanent commission that is “more agile” when it comes to monitor the situation.

Since last year, the Ebro River has seen a reduction in terms of water contributions, although the campaign was able to be completed thanks to reservoir reserves. However, in the first months of 2023 the swamps have not recovered and restrictions have already been decreed at different points. Pascual confirmed that the contributions in April are “much worse than the initial estimates, which were already pessimistic”, so that the current situation of the rivers is more like the summer period than the spring.

Regarding the Urgell canal, Pascual said that the decisions taken have been “right and sensible” and that they have worked responsibly to guarantee supplies. Of course, he ruled out that the CHE determines a rule to force the municipalities to adopt restrictions; these decisions are left in the hands of the irrigator community.