SCHEMA OF IMPORTANT ISSUES

The River Segura Hydrographic Confederation continues to progress with the measures set out in the Water Framework Directive for the production and drafting of a new Hydrological Plan, the approval of which is scheduled for December 2009.

The next step in the planning procedure consists of producing a document entitled ‘Schema of Important Issues’, the content of which is regulated in Article 79 of the Hydrological Planning Regulation (HPR) (RD 907/2007), which states that the document must contain the description and assessment of the main current and expected water related problems of the demarcation and the possible alternative actions, in accordance with the programmes of measures drawn up by the competent administrations.

Due to its importance, the Hydrographic Confederation is initiating a public consultation and active public participation process, with the goal of enhancing and achieving a consensus regarding the aforementioned document, both with the contributions from the different administrations and from the interested parties and the public in general.

• What is the Schema of Important Issues?
• Why is it important?
• What is the territorial scope?
• What is the structure of the document ‘Schema of Important Issues’?
• What ‘Important Issues’ does the Schema propose?

Image of the River Segura, Abaran

What is the Schema of Important Issues?

The content of the Schema of Important Issues is regulated in article 79 of the HPR, which states that the document must contain the description and assessment of the main current and expected water related problems of the demarcation and the possible alternative actions, in accordance with the programmes of measures drawn up by the competent administrations. The possible decisions that may be adopted to determine the different elements that make up the Plan must also be specified as well as including proposals to address the problems enumerated. The document must specifically describe:

• The principal pressures and impacts that must be addressed in the hydrological plan, including the sectors and activities that may entail a risk with regard to achieving the environmental objectives. Specifically, the possible impacts generated in coastal and transition waters as a consequence of the pressures brought to bear on the continental waters will be analysed.
• The possible alternative actions to achieve the environmental objectives, in accordance with the programmes of basic and supplementary measures, including their economic and environmental characterisation.
• The sectors and groups affected by the programmes of measures.

Image of the River Segura, Guardamar del Segura

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Why is it important?

The ‘Schema of Important Issues’ is the first document of the new Hydrological Plan to enter into the contents and, even more so, into future proposals. Here, all interested parties may consult the status of the basin and see what issues the Hydrographic Confederation considers most important in terms of achieving the planning objectives by 2015.

The document constitutes a key component in the process of producing the Hydrological Plan and will serve as the basis for providing a preview of the programme of measures that will be implemented as from 2010, and for consulting the different alternatives that will be studied for implementation, comparing their environmental and socio-economic effects.

The ‘Schema of Important Issues’ is, therefore, a document that all those interested in the management of the water and the aquatic ecosystems of the Segura Hydrographic Demarcation should be familiar with, and regarding which they should address their comments and observations during the 6 months it will be available for public consultation.

Image of the River Segura, Contraparada

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What is the territorial scope?

Section 2, Article 2, of Royal Decree 125/2007, of 2 February, which regulates the territorial scope of Hydrographic Demarcations stipulates that the Segura Hydrographic Demarcation comprises the territory of the hydrographic basins that flow into the Mediterranean Sea between the estuary of the river Almanzora and the left bank of the Gola del Segura at its estuary, including the transition waters; in addition to the hydrographic sub-basin of the Canales Watercourse and the endorheic basins of Yecla and Corral-Rubio. The southern boundary of the coastal waters is the 122º orientation line that crosses Puntazo de los Ratones, to the north of the River Almanzora estuary, and its northern boundary is the 100º orientation line that crosses the coastal boundary between the municipalities of Elche and Guardamar del Segura.

Unlike the previous planning scope, this one includes the transition and coastal waters.

The single transitory provision of the Royal Decree clarifies that the inclusion of certain hydrographic basins in the scope of a demarcation is provisional in nature when the basins are intraregional and entirely contained in a specific autonomous region.

Image of the River Segura, Las Norias (Orihuela)

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What is the structure of the document ‘Schema of Important Issues’?

It is a document containing over 140 pages plus appendices, which includes extensive graphic explanations through photos, maps, satellite pictures, in addition to other diagrams and tables.

The principal sections will be as follows:

• Introduction
• Basic Features of the Demarcation
• Water Uses
• Status Assessment
• Important Issues
• Action Strategies and Sectors Involved

In addition, with regard to each of the important issues set out in the aforementioned document, two or three action alternatives will be drawn up to address the problems identified, combining different viable measures.

With regard to Alternative 0 (Current Situation), actions mainly reflecting continuity with the current situation are considered, including the application of agricultural good practices, the measures already provided for in the National Water Quality Plan and the AGUA programme or the application of the Nitrates Directive.

With regard to the other alternatives assessed, the following issues are included, among others: the extension or exchange of resources arising from desalination, the payment capacity of agrarian use compared with external contributions, the socio-economic cost of reducing irrigation surface, the expropriation of irrigation rights, additional measures (improvement of the drains network, DHP improvement and defence), or modification of the single system resource management.

In addition to the selection of alternatives for each of the important issues, a record will be kept on each one with the following content:

• Characterisation and location of the problem
• Competent authorities
• Principal effects on the underground and surface water masses
• Description of the significant elements of the problem
• Evolution and trends observed
• Objectives
• Sectors and activities generating the problems
• Measures to resolve the problems: Measures currently being implemented; possible measures analysed in the basin plan; economic, social and environmental characterisation of the measures.
• Sectors and activities affected by the measures planned.

Image of the River Segura, Archena

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What ‘Important Issues’ does the Schema propose?

For the purposes of the Schema of Important Issues (SII), Important Issues in the sphere of water management is understood as issues that put achieving planning objectives at risk. These issues may be placed in four categories:

• Achievement of environmental objectives (26)
• Meeting demand and rational use (3)
• Security in the face of extreme weather phenomena (1)
• Knowledge and governance (2)

For the purpose of ordering, prioritising and selecting the important issues, indicators that quantify the overall repercussion of the issues in the scope of the Demarcation have been taken into account, as well as the results of the public participation processes.

Image of the River Segura, Rojales

The selection criteria used to draw up the Provisional Schema of Important Issues are as follows:

• Environmental impact: this concept encompasses assessing the risk of failing to meet the environmental objectives imposed by the Water Framework Directive, the non-compliance with regulations in the sphere of water quality, supply, washing water etc., and the impact on protected areas, the extinction of species, the invasion of allochthonous species, the deterioration of ecosystems and/or biodiversity in protected spaces.
• Socio-economic impact: this concept assesses whether the environmental problem may also have economic or social effects, such as possible impacts on human health, the sectors affected, and the deterioration or territorial imbalances.
• Territorial scope: area affected by the problem.
• Expected future evolution: this concept includes the trend of the problem and the possible harmful effects due to climate change.
• Social perception: society's awareness of the problem is analysed, with special consideration of the contributions received in the public participation process.

• Document "Provisional Schema of Important Issues for the Segura Hydrographic Demarcation" (2.63 MB)
• Appendix A. (54.2 KB)
• Appendix B. (Record pages) (6.44 MB)
• Appendix C. (41.5 KB)
• Appendix D. (527 KB)

For the purpose of facilitating active public participation of all interested citizens, administrations and organisations in the Segura Hydrographic Demarcation’s Hydrological Planning Process, the e-mail address
and the telephone no. 902 91 00 88
is put at their disposal to request information about this process.

Public opening hours:
From 10:00 to 14:00, Monday to Friday

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