Tonight I heard Manolo Tomas, leader of the Platform in defense of the Ebro River, discuss the cancellation of inter basin water transfer from the Ebro to the Barcelona Metropolitan region. Hard rain fell on Catalonia this May 2008. The water was sorely needed as the region was facing one of the worst droughts in 70 years. The reservoir network jumped from 20% to 50% capacity in hardly a mont. And so this week the government cancelled plans to transfer water from the Ebro to Barcelona. The Platformin Defense of the Ebro led the charge against the infrastructure project, and they very pleased that no more water will be removed from the Ebro.About 7 years ago, when another water transfer project threatened to remove water from the Ebro, the Platform successfully campaigned against and defeated the proposal to transfer water to the Levante coast of Spain. The group has been successful in combining environmental, agricultural and local interests. They have admirably prevented private interests from taken water to lubricate their business machines. Farmers and real estate speculators were the most likely benefactors of new water resources to formerly dry lands.
There was one point where I disagreed with Mr. Tomas: I don't believe in the conspiracy theory that claims the drought was manipulated to create a crisis that would allow for the passage of inter-basin connections. There is also a lot of rhetoric. It is unclear if the Platform is really for sustainble management or simply the status quo. What influence to current irrigation communities have in the platform? Are they willing to invest in water saving technologies? 80% of Spain's water is destined to agriculture, and farmers have benefited from highly subsidized water. Agricultural runoff transports pesticides, fertilizers and nutrients that strangle ecosystems. Is the platform in defense of the Ebro taking on these issues to restore the Ebro? My impression is that economic interests, especially agricultural interests, are behind the Platform, and yet they use the environmental discourse to gain more widespread support.
If this were not the case, we would be hearing much stronger ecological arguments and criticism of the irrigation community. Their silence on these issues speaks volumes.
