The Spanish Programme of Improvement and Modernisation of Traditional Irrigation Systems - Water and Agriculture: Sustainability, Markets and Policies - page 167

Achieve a technological shift, by using new technologies in irrigation, in order to
upgrade farm management and increase productivity as a main objective. This is a
horizontal need linked to other objectives of the Programme, as well.
Use of sewage water , as an additional resource of water.
Some specific actions that are carried out include:
Replacement of conveyance systems : from channels to pressured or low-pressured
pipelines. This will save water, reduce wasted water through leakage and allow a better
water distribution.
Replacement of application systems in farms. Of course, this action needs to be taken
by the farmers, but what the Programme of Improvement and Modernisation does is to
improve the irrigation networks of irrigation districts so that they provide enough water
(water resources reliability) and in optimum conditions of pressure. This way, every
farmer will take advantage of this situation and will replace their application systems
from flood irrigation to sprinklers or drippers. Please note that 60% of irrigated land
uses flood irrigation, whereas sprinklers and drippers are used only in 24% and 17% of
the irrigated land respectively.
Improvement of conveyance management . More control of water distribution (canals)
in irrigation districts leads to lower water return flows and to an optimal supply-demand
balance between basin authorities and users associations. This is not only a consequence
of the two above-mentioned actions, but it implies the use of new technologies and an
overall rationalisation.
Similarly, a better control of water in irrigation districts is achieved by metering the
water consumed by farmers. New technologies can help, not only in metering but also in
management, at the irrigation district level, of water demands and real water use on
farms.
It is clear that new technologies are a key issue. Examples are: automation of the
irrigation networks (improving working conditions and quality of life), geographical
information systems implemented in irrigation district centres (where the management
of the irrigation associations is carried out) and linked with automatic devices of the
network …
Other actions are complementary, so they do not directly affect irrigation systems. For
example: pathway improvement and land consolidation (necessary in some areas,
otherwise this will affect competitiveness through aged infrastructure and it will be
impossible to take advantage of the upgraded irrigation system), improvement of drain
systems, repairing of channels …
The goals of the programme are socio-economic and environmental. At the socio-
economic level, the programme strives to increase and ensure farm income by upgrading
crop-market adaptability and by lowering the outcome risk, which improves quality of
work and rural life in general and prevents depopulation. Among the environmental
goals, the programme will achieve water savings or the reduction of diffuse pollution by
decreasing run-off and leaching.