Water resources analysis in Riegos del Alto Aragon (Huesca) in the first decade of the 21st Century

This paper aims to analyze the evolution in recent years of the water situation in Riegos del Alto Aragon (127.210 ha), a major irrigation scheme in north-eastern Spain. We study the evolution of water demand, irrigation efficiency, cropping patterns and crop profitability for the whole irrigation area and for each of its 58 community members. We have obtained significant figures in the current levels of irrigation efficiency and they are of immediate application for the improvement of water management policy. On the one hand, the findings show the need to stop the current expansion of irrigation in this community, and on the other hand, they indicate that water scarcity is now provoking shocking changes in the cropping pattern removing towards less water demanding crops and with lower profitability, instead of the expected evolution (more weight of fruits, vegetables, corn,.).