The Minister of Climate Action, David Mascort, announced yesterday that the different irrigating communities of the Ter, between the area of the Pasteral and the lower section of the river, will have 17 cubic hectometres of water for this agricultural campaign, of which 12 come from the Pasteral swamp. A figure that, however, the sector considers totally insufficient to save the harvests.
For example, the rice fields of the Baix Ter will be allocated only 2.5 hm3, an amount with which they will be able to work "between 15% and 20% of the surface of the rice fields, in the best case", as Albert detailed yesterday Grassot, from the community of irrigators El Molí de Pals, after leaving the meeting that Councilor Mascort held with representatives of the different communities. "It's a drastic reduction, but it's better than nothing," he said. Last year, with an approximate allocation of 6 hm3, they saved 60% of the harvest.
The president of the community of Colomers irrigators, Jordi Aulet, also left the meeting with bad feelings. "We have been assured of water for woody plants, but herbaceous plants such as corn do not appear on the list, there are people who are about to leave," he said.
One of the commitments that the irrigators' communities did make at the ministry is that the initial figure of 17 hm3 can grow if the swamps continue to fill, thanks to the latest rainfall and to what is expected to fall in the coming days. If they reached, for example, 150 cubic hectometres – they are now at 128 – then all irrigators could have the same amount of water as a year ago. "When this episode of rain is over, we will reassess and review the endowments based on the reservoir water", acknowledged Mascort.
Right now, at the next Ter-Llobregat reservoir release commission on Friday, the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) will approve releasing 12.67 hm3. A figure to which will be added 4.5 hm3 more of water from wells, rivers and streams, as long as the emergency flow of 1,000 m3/second is respected.
