The green and fertile Ebro delta is a wildlife sanctuary and a major agricultural region.
Captura de pantalla del vídeo de la BBC
Environmentalists say one of
Europe's most important wetland areas is under threat as Spain and
Catalonia argue about the future of the Ebro river.
Campaigners say Spanish government plans to restrict water flow could destroy the fragile landscape.
They are worried that ultimately these waters could be transferred to other, drier regions of Spain.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Amposta in Catalonia on Sunday to protest against the plans.
Running for 930km (578 miles) the Ebro is the third longest river flowing into the Mediterranean.
Its
journey begins in Cantabria on the north coast of Spain but it flows
through nine autonomous communities before joining the sea in a Catalan
delta that stretches over 32,000 hectares (79,000 acres).
The
delta is a national park and it is recognised internationally as being a
critical resource for birds and wildlife. In addition the rich waters
help produce huge amounts of foodstuffs including rice, fruit and
vegetables.
...
The Spanish government has been trying for decades to put in place a
plan to regulate the river and put the rights to use the waters on a
firm legal footing. In January it finally agreed on what is termed the Ebro River Basin Management Plan.
But
the approach has drawn huge criticism from local campaigners who
believe they have prioritised the interests of farmers and developers
over the environment.
"Under EU law you have to set the minimum
environmental flow to conserve the river and the delta and then you can
start to talk about any excess water and what to do with it," said Brian
Cutts, who lives in the region and is a long time member of PDE
(Plataforma en Defensa de l'Ebre).
...
Read complete article: http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-35502084
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