TY - JOUR AU - Gómez-Espín, José María PY - 2019/06/14 Y2 - 2024/03/28 TI - Modernization of irrigation in Spain: experiences in control, saving and effectiveness in the use of water for agriculture JF - Agua y Territorio / Water and Landscape JA - AYT-WAL VL - IS - 13 SE - Dossier DO - 10.17561/at.13.3972 UR - https://revistaselectronicas.ujaen.es/index.php/atma/article/view/3972 SP - 69-76 AB - <p><em>Modernization of irrigation stands out among the management policies of water demands in Spain, which is the main consumer of water. The National Irrigation Plan preview (PNR) preview, the PNR horizon 2005 and subsequently the 2008 horizon, as well as the 2006-2008 Action Plan have been approved, and several strategies have been developed, such as the Strategy for Sustainable Modernization, horizon 2015, the National Irrigation Strategy, horizon 2020 and the National Irrigation Strategy 2018-2025. From 1996 to 2017, more than half of the irrigated area has been modernized (out of 3.79 million ha of irrigable land, more than 50% receive irrigation under localized pressure). The improvements of the conductions, the automation, the change of systems of irrigation, etc., have created a saving of water (more than 1800 hm<sup>3</sup>/year). A new National Plan is needed, where the joint effort of the General Administration, the Autonomous Communities and irrigators manages to provide solutions to problems like the energy needed for irrigation by elevation, deficit irrigation in situations of drought, the use of flows from regeneration and desalination, sustainability of irrigated systems and landscapes, etc.</em></p> ER -