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(2004/C 84 E/0837)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-3870/03

by Alexander de Roo (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(16 December 2003)

Subject:   Ecological volume of the river Júcar and the Júcar-Vinalopó water transfer

The gauge readings for the volume of the river Júcar at Cullera (the last gauge before the river reaches its mouth), which have been taken every day from 1 January 1995 until 24 November 2003 by the Júcar Hydrographic Confederation, give an average of 80,4 hm3 per year (minimum 25,1 hm3 in 1999 and maximum 175,3 hm3 in 1997). The Júcar-Vinalopó canal which the Commission is supposed to be funding provides for a water transfer of 80 hm3 per year, a figure which is totally unviable for a river as exhausted as the Júcar. It should be remembered that its total ‘natural contribution’ is officially of the order of 1 600 hm3 per year, barely 5 % of which reaches the sea at present. And it is precisely the average of what reaches the sea that is supposed to be going to be transferred. On certain days, the gauge readings are effectively zero, which means that there is either no water passing or the levels are so low that the flow meter does not register them (i.e. a few litres per second). After this gauge, the river has no further tributaries other than a few irrigation drains, of no significance, because most of these irrigation drains run into the sea elsewhere. In the natural year 2002, the Júcar registered no contribution at all at its mouth on 219 days (i.e. 60 % of the year), which means that it ceased to flow out at Cullera. It should be noted that both the Júcar Basin Hydrological Plan and the National Hydrological Plan assign the total remaining resources of the Júcar in Tous to various uses or reserves for extraction. This explains the tiny ecological water flow between Tous and Antella, and the absence of any ecological water flow from Antella onwards: the planning administration was aware that it had assigned the river's entire resources to various users, and was therefore unable legally to establish an ecological water flow, since there were no resources to do so.

How does the Commission intend to apply the principle of ‘no deterioration’, and demand a minimum ecological water flow, in accordance with Framework Water Directive 2000/60/EC (1) under these conditions, considering, furthermore, that the middle and lower reaches of the Júcar are a Site of Community Interest under Habitats Directive 92/43/EEC (2)?

And how can the Commission claim that this water transfer is ecologically viable, when it is obvious that for half of most years the river cannot supply the water transfer even if its own flow were completely eliminated, and taking account of the fact that the envisaged savings in traditional agriculture are utterly implausible and would be to the detriment of the Albufera Natural Park?

Answer given by Mrs Wallström on behalf of the Commission

(17 February 2004)

The Commission is aware of the extremely low flows in the lower reaches of the Júcar river.

The proposed transfer of water from the Júcar to the Vinalopó is based on the assumption that significant savings of water use will be made in the upper reaches of the Júcar as a result of improvements to be made to the irrigation systems in the region. The water which is ‘saved’ as a result of these improvements in efficiency will be transferred to the Vinalopó. Given that the water which is planned to be transferred will become available as a result of savings in current water use, the Commission does not believe there will be any deterioration in the status of the Júcar as a result of the proposed transfer.

The Hydrological Plan of the Júcar river watershed also considers the improvement of the traditional irrigation systems deserved by the ‘Acequia Real del Jucar’, which may result in new ‘saved’ resources available for the lower reaches of the river.

With regard to the implementation of the Water Framework Directive (3), the requirement to achieve good ecological and chemical status by 2015 will apply to the river Júcar in the same way that it applies to all bodies of surface water in the EU. Similarly, the requirements of the Habitats Directive (4) must also be respected.

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(1)OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1.

(2)OJ L 206, 22.7.1992, p. 7.

(3)  Directive 2000/60/EC of the Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 192, 20.7.2002.

(4)  Council Directive 92/43/EEC of 21 May 1992 on the conservation of natural habitats and of wild fauna and flora, OJ L 206, 22.7.1992.

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