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The 1927 Convention for the Douro River

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The 1927 Convention for the Douro River BLUE GOLD TASKFORCE Water: A factor of instability or an opportunity for cooperation? SESSION 2 WATER AS AN OPPORTUNITY FOR COOPERATION THE IBERIAN TRANSBOUNDARY WATERS Pedro Cunha Serra Brussels December, 9th, 2014 The Iberian Transboundary River Basins Frontiers and Rivers The border between the kingdoms of Portugal and Castilla-Leon (latter Spain) dates from the end of the 13th century and the rivers were important for this purpose as natural barriers. But rivers also created links between the populations who shared them as means for navigation and the transportation of goods. Borders were not that important at that time for the populations living as neighbors, irrespective of nationality. The first conventions The first water conventions (1927, 1964, 1968) The rational of the first Iberian Convention Portugal and Spain adopted a convention for industrial usage of transboundary watercourses in 1912. But none of the parties to the convention exercised his rights until 1927, when a first treaty for hydropower development of the Douro boundary section was signed. The 1923 Geneva Convention Relating to the Development of Hydraulic Power Affecting more than one State, approved under the umbrella of the League of Nations, was the basis of this treaty. The 1927 Convention for the Douro river The two countries decided to partake of the hydropower potential of the mainstream border portion of the Douro river in equal shares, ü The upstream part being allocated to Portugal ü The downstream part to Spain, Industrialization was starting in both States and electric power generation was part of the package. Environmental impacts Environmental impacts were neglected and natural values were diminished. Beautiful landscapes and natural habitats of avifauna were sacrificed. 1968 Convention for the Minho, Lima, Tejo and Guadiana rivers Sharing the hydropower of the other transboundary rivers proved to be more complicated for several reasons: 1. It was the interest of the two Parties to give other uses to the waters, namely irrigation and transfers to other basins; 2. The best technical solution was no longer the sharing of the hydropower potential of each border stretch of each river in two equal parts, but the sharing of the joint potential of the border stretches of all rivers; Finally it was possible to arrive to an agreement and a new treaty was signed in 1968. • The mainstream border stretches of the Tejo and Chança rivers were given to Spain, • Those of the Lima and the Guadiana rivers to Portugal and • The Minho river was used to balance the share of hydropower potential between the two States. The 1968 Convention The rivers only were concerned and in these mainly the mainstream border portions, and the uses of the waters were only considered, not the protection of the water bodies. No reference was made to other uses or for hydropower production in the national mainstream stretches and the tributaries, and the words sustainability, sustainable uses, environment protection, or environmental impacts were never used in these conventions. The 1998 Convention on the Cooperation for the Protection and the Sustainable Use of the Waters of the Spanish-Portuguese River Basins Background to 1998 Between 1960 and 1993 the construction of new dams and the accompanying regulation of river flows and water consumption, mainly in irrigation and water transfers in Spain, hugely increased and contributed to diminish the amount of water flowing into Portugal. The same policy at a smaller scale was being adopted in Portugal and as consequence the cumulative environmental impacts were very significant downstream. As Member-States of the EU both States had new obligations and things could not go on as they were. Business-as-usual was no longer a legitimate option. Dams in Douro and Tejo River Basins B.Casares rio Porma B. Cervera B. Duerna [37] B. Vidrieros [10] [32] B. Riaño [86] B. Porma [664] [317] B. Requejada B. Eria [65] [62] B. Camporredondo rio Ricobayo [70] B.Barrios de Luna B. Cernadilla [308] B. de Aguilar del Campo [255] [247] B.Uzquiza B. Cuerda del Pozo B.Valparaíso B. Compuerto [73] B. Arlazon [169] [229] rio Esla [95] rio Arlazon [20] B. N.S.Argav alanza Tâmega [49] B. Pereira B. Tuela rio Carrion [2] [2] B. los Rabanos B.Ricobayo rio Valderaduey +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ [6] Cávado +++ [1148] B.Arlanza +++ +++ B. Roman rio Pisuerga [140] Alto Rabagão +++ B.Castro B. Veladro +++ [1.5] (569) Tua ++++ [350] Sabor ++++ [27] Vinhais +++ Vidago B. Miranda + Mente Alto (28) (134) (296) Rabaçal B.S.Jose rio Riaza Tâmega Sampaio + B.Villalcampo B.Picote + [6] rio Eresma (800) [66] (63) + Alvão ++ rio Guareña (71) rio Duraton Padroselo B. Bempost a B.Linares del Arroyo Azibo (129) + B.Lastras (68) Daivões + rio Adaja [58] Rebordelo (35) ++ (66) (312) [97] Quinta das Laranjeiras B.las Venencias (966) + [5] ++ rio Tormes Fridão + B.Aldeadavila (210) [115] Feiticeiro B. Almendra ++ [2649] B. Burgomillodo (32) ++ Torrão Régua FozTua ++ B. Saucelle [15] (115) Carrapatelo Pocinho ++ B.Voltoya (340) (83) + [169] (148) (95) ++ [6] ++ ++ B. Seropes ++ B. Villagonz alo Valeira ++ Crestuma Castelo + [6] (99) + (110) Paiva ++ B. El Milagro ++ rio Águeda B. Cogotas (44) Varosa Vilar + [2] [59] (15) (100) Foz Coa + B. Águeda + B. S.Teresa (702) + [22] Alvarenga + Castillejos [496] + B. Torreiglesias (842) + [140] + [96] Pero Mart ins + (380) + + Castro Daire + Fuenteguinaldo Távora + LEGENDA (65) + [175] B.Aravale El Duque B.Torrecaballeros Sra. Monfort e + (263) + [2] ES PANHA + Portela + + B. Iruena Barragem construída (151) + [210] Paiva + + At alaia + + ESPANHA Barragem em project o PORTUGAL (460) + + + + + PO RTUG AL + + + Barragem construída + + Hidroeléctrica + Sabugal + Hidroagricola + Coa (114) + Barragem em project o +++++++ Fronteira APROVEITAMENTOS HIDRÁULICOS EXISTENTES E EM PROJECTO NA BACIA DO DOURO Guadiana River Basin In the Guadiana river basin water is used mainly for irrigation, a highly consumptive use and one who requires very intensive seasonal regulation of flows. Cancho del Fresno(15) Transvase do Segura La Garita Puertos (91) Abrilongo Ruecas (44) Guarranque (21) Villar del Rey Sierrra Torre de Abraham(78, 190) (58) (123) Brava(232) A. Ruecas (0) Piedrala (15) Boqueron Bejida(15) (6) Aljucen Proserpina Cubillar Gargaligas(21) Riscos (102) (11) (10) Caia Higuelas (21) (203) Hornotejero (24) Alcobilla(42) R. Gévora Cerros Alcolorin Gasset R. Zápaton Cornalbo Verdes(20) (51) (42) (10) R. Ruecas R. Bullaque R. Ciguela Canchales Burdalo(68) R. Bañuelos (40) El Canal Garcia de (25) R. Caia R. Burdalo Sola(427) Los Orellana Reznos(32) R. Guadiana (478) R. Guadiana Montijo(11) El Vicario Zujar Cijara(1416) (52) Vallehermoso R. Olivenza R. Matachel (301) (7) Golodron Alange (93) La Serena R. Jabalon Lucefécit Piedra (845) Peñarroya (2828) Tirteafuera(74) (10) Aguda (47) Nogales Vigia (16) Las Cruces Piedraescrita Vega del Pardiela (15) Marisanchez (17) R. Lucefécit (33) (81) Jabalon (33) (41) R. Alcarrache Aguijon(11) Molino Villalba de (34) R. Degebe los Barros (80) Llerena R. Zucar Brovales Ardila Monte Alqueva (7) (7) (100) Novo (3150) (15) R. Ardila Valuengo (10) Tentudia Pedrogão (5) (60) R. Enxoé Enxoé (10) Legenda Oeiras R.Oeiras (12) Chança (386) Barragem em exploração em Espanha R Chança (25) Capacidade útil Açude Guadiana Barragem em exploração em Portugal (25) Capacidade útil Alcoutim Andevalo Barragem em projecto ou construção (25) - Capacidade útil Foupana S.Lucar (1025) (130) (94) Canal de rega Canal Chança-Piedras R.Odeleite Odeleite (130) Beliche R. Beliche (48) DAMS AND WATER TRANSFERS IN THE GUADIANA RIVER BASIN ATLANTIC OCEAN The 1993 Spanish Hydrologic Plan In 1993 the Spanish Government submitted to public consultation without even previous communication to the Portuguese Government the Spanish National Hydrologic Plan where huge transfers of water from the shared river basins in direction to the Mediterranean region were considered. News on the eminent approval of this Plan reached Portuguese press and created a commotion in the public opinion. A clamor from civil society constrained the Portuguese government to become concerned and raised the question to the top of the agenda at the highest level. The Albufeira Convention In 1994 the Governments of the two States decided to launch the negotiations for a new water convention. It was then decided, that this new convention should be based on the concepts of environment protection and sustainable use, should encompass all the transboundary watercourses, the whole river basins and all water uses. It was an ambitious project that took 4 years to conclude. The parties decided to analyse the situation in each river basin, to inventory all uses, present and foreseen in the horizons 2012 and 2020, to perform backwards reconstitution of the situation of river flows in pristine conditions and perform hydrologic and hydraulic studies to simulate future conditions for different scenarios. Key issues Ø Cooperation Ø Coordination Ø Environmental protection Ø Sustainable development Ø Exchange of information Ø Consultation Ø Impact mitigation Ø Flow guarantees Key challenges CHALANGESCHALLENGES ) DESCRIPTION)IN)THE)CASE) Water& Water&demand&is&very&important&in&some&of&the&Mediterranean&basins&in& demand/water& Spain&and&in&some&cases&is&clearly&unsustainable.& allocation& Because&of&this,&Spanish&authorities&envisaged&to&transfer&water&from&the& Douro&and&Tejo&rivers&towards&those&basins&(Segura,&Sur).& On& the& other& hand,& Portugal& was&
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