Saturday, June 07, 2014

A precious commodity

The market garden of the Vega Baja would not survive without an ample supply of water to irrigate the crops. Rainfall in the area is rarely sufficient and this year it has been lower than normal with just 71 litres per square metre compared to the average of 223 litres average. The pipelines just outside Orihuela are used to transfer water from the Tajo to the Segura to provide the extra water needed.

For this summer season, the Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (CHS)  has agreed to release 200 cubic hectometres of water from the reservoirs of which 70 are destined for the Vega Baja. Due to the high level of rainfall in 2013, the Fuensanta, Cenajo and La Pedrera reservoirs are well filled. However, the CHS is mindful of the affects on water levels that the last ten years of drought caused and urges irrigators to save as much water as possible.

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