#8 WATER GOVERNANCE

#8 WATER GOVERNANCE

What do we do in the Water Governance team?

We contribute to preserve and improve traditional and historical irrigation systems.

Our aim at MEMOLab is to support and provide recognition to traditional and historical irrigation systems in Sierra Nevada, and also to do research on their complexity and document it. On the one hand, we develop governance and management tools for irrigation communities who manage the systems of irrigation canals (acequias) in a communal manner. On the other hand, we map, study, and document such systems, and this turns out to be very useful not only for the communities that manage them, but also for all of us, as it helps us understand and value them better.

The tools mentioned above include management plans, land custody agreements, agreements between key stakeholders, voluntary service, scientific advice, mediation, and constructive resolution of conflicts.

What is a traditional and historical irrigation system?

Find out how this traditional and historical irrigation system works.

What is a traditional and historical irrigation system?

Find out how this traditional and historical irrigation system works.

Descubre como la salud de los ríos empeora debido a la actividad humana.

Desde su nacimiento en la cabecera de los valles glaciares de Sierra Nevada, el estado de los ríos empeora debido a la actividad humana.

Gira tu dispositivo

Which benefits does our support provide?

We provide irrigation communities with tools so that they may continue to improve the water management and governance systems.

With our work we help irrigators to preserve traditional and historical irrigation systems. These communities, with scarce resources and little administrative and social recognition, manage to keep many territories alive from an economic, ecological, and social point of view. For further information, visit the website on historical irrigation systems.

  • Sustain a high level of agricultural and ecological diversity, and they are prime examples of green and blue infrastructure.
  • They are an example of resilience and sustainability, foster circular economy and reduce the external dependence of territories; they slow down privatization, commodification, and the cornering of natural resources.
  • They are an example of social cohesion, contribute to a more participatory, democratic society and foster taking common responsibility for essential resources. This reinforces the legal and institutional framework that prevents and reverses initiatives against common interest from other public or private stakeholders.
  • They are a front-line tool against climate change, to slow down the loss of biodiversity and the population decline and to prevent natural disasters, erosion, and desertification.

Data generated by the team

Learn more about the data we are generating
  • Cartography of historical irrigation and artificial recharge systems.

  • Sustain a high level of agricultural and ecological diversity, and they are prime examples of green and blue infrastructure.
  • They are an example of resilience and sustainability, foster circular economy and reduce the external dependence of territories; they slow down privatization, commodification, and the cornering of natural resources.
  • They are an example of social cohesion, contribute to a more participatory, democratic society and foster taking common responsibility for essential resources. This reinforces the legal and institutional framework that prevents and reverses initiatives against common interest from other public or private stakeholders.
  • They are a front-line tool against climate change, to slow down the loss of biodiversity and the population decline and to prevent natural disasters, erosion, and desertification.