Interbasin water transfers in Spain: Interregional conflicts and governance responses

Abstract

Semiarid and drought-prone Spain has managed to meet ever-increasing water demands for more than 50 years through the construction of publicly funded hydraulic infrastructure. Interbasin water transfers are the most expensive and complex supply-side tool used. They are also the most controversial, often associated with such unintended consequences as deteriorating freshwater ecosystems, disappearing recreational opportunities provided by aquatic ecosystems, and the loss of development opportunities for downstream communities. This situation has become increasingly unstable over the past decade due to the scarcity of new supply augmentation alternatives, political changes involving European Union (EU) environmental legislation, new political power in upstream regions, and the appearance of new stakeholders at the decision-making table. As a result, competing demands over available resources and interregional conflicts are delaying water planning efforts, signaling the end of an era and demanding a shift from a competitive using water toward a sharing water risk and trade-off governance approach.