The sustainable, integrated, representative and participatory management of water is one of the main challenges faced by governments worldwide, especially in those countries and regions where water resources are not abundant. In southern Europe, the Ebro river basin is one of the largest, occupying almost 20% of Spain’s peninsular territory. Its unitary management dates back to the beginning of the twentieth century, with the creation of the Ebro River Basin Confederation. As the Spanish State has decentralised, the granting of powers in matters related to water has adhered to the principle of basin unity, thus giving rise to intra- and inter-community basins. The main objective of this study is to examine the specific case of water management in Catalonia, specifically in the territory assigned to the State water organization of the Ebro River Basin Confederation. To do so, the study has employed a methodology based on the bibliographic review of scientific, technical and legal documentation, as well as on a series of interviews conducted with professional experts in fluvial ecology and representatives of the water organizations operating in the study area (namely, the Catalan Water Agency and the Ebro River Basin Confederation). The resulting characterization of the administrative functioning of the Catalan part of the Ebro basin highlights the distribution of powers, existing dysfunctions, immediate challenges and future approaches that might be adopted in orienting Catalonia’s self-government policies.

Albert Santasusagna Riu
University of Barcelona

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ID Abstract: 41