The Bardenas Canal is an aqueduct that carries water from the Navarre town of Yesa , in northern Spain , to the southern part of Navarre and Zaragoza .
84-956: It originates at the dam of the Yesa reservoir , where the Pyrenean waters of the Aragón river accumulate to be transferred to irrigate the Bardenas Reales and the Aragonese region of Cinco Villas , and ends at the Ardisa reservoir, on the Gállego river . It contributes 8 hm³ (cubic hectometers) to the El Ferial reservoir in Bardenas . The length of the Bardenas canal is 132 km, with
168-687: A Resolution of the General Directorate of Hydraulic Works. In 1926 it was estimated that Yesa reservoir would only be used for irrigating of the Bardenas and the Cinco Villas region, and its possible contribution to the Imperial Canal of Aragón was rejected. In the 1st General Plan of Works and Miscellaneous Works of the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation , in 1926, the construction of Yesa reservoir
252-426: A canal (which had its source at a similar level to the present Bardenas ), which would irrigate the region of Cinco Villas and Bardenas, with a total of 15,228 ha of irrigated land, as well as the construction of 18 new urban settlements. In 1865 a company was created for the construction of an irrigation canal to go down to the Bardenas. The project was designed by Antonio de Lesarri. The company would be in charge of
336-542: A capacity of 470 hm³ for the Bardenas Canal and the irrigation of the farming area of the basin itself, some 15,000 ha, although the possibility of a contribution to the Imperial Canal was still being discussed so that it would free up resources for the Lodosa Canal. The forecasts for the Bardenas canal, which was to reach Ardisa from Yesa, were for a dam outlet of 60 m/s, of which 39 m/s would reach Ardisa. In
420-607: A change that took place in the ordinances in 2007. Although an industrial use of the Yesa reservoir was foreseen for electricity production at the foot of the dam, the power plant has never been built. However, in the Bardenas Canal there are several mini-power plants, managed by the Bardenas Irrigation Community, which use the water transferred from the Aragón to generate electricity. Tiermas Tiermas
504-509: A criminal complaint against three former senior officials of the Ministry of Environment, and a complaint for destruction of Historic-Artistic Heritage in reference to the Camino de Santiago which has also been denounced before Unesco . The legal actions were sentenced between 2006 and 2007 and all of them were adverse to the plaintiffs, declaring innocent and acquitting those responsible for
588-689: A dam outlet of 60 m³;/s, of which 39 would reach Ardisa. In the II Works Plan of the Confederation, which was published the following year, the works were delayed as it was considered that the studies on the regime, flow and layout of the canal and the capacity of the reservoir had not been carried out properly. That same year the Agronomic Service of the Hydrographic Confederation prepared and published
672-419: A flow capacity of 60 m /s (cubic meters per second), making possible the irrigation (as of 2006) of 81,107.64 ha (hectares) of irrigated land, 18,941.61 ha (23.35%) in the province of Navarra and 62,166.03 ha (76.65%) in the province of Zaragoza, which together with the supply to the 54,777 inhabitants who depend directly on the system, demand an average annual flow of 467 hm³ of water. The average annual demand
756-504: A grant given by the Diputación de Zaragoza , and that today receives large subsidies for its maintenance while the village is in absolute abandonment. When the water level allows it, usually from September onwards, the ruins of the ancient Roman baths emerge from the bottom and again people can access the spring of sulfurous waters. In this season the old tradition of bathing in its waters which has been practiced since immemorial times
840-409: A guarantee of acceptable supply to the present and future agricultural requirements of Bardenas, more economical, with less environmental impact and which generates less social conflict. It was based on the construction of lateral reservoirs to the Bardenas irrigation system. Another proposal was to lower the height of the heightening, limiting it to between 510 m and 512 m, which would leave
924-456: A hydraulic complex appeared, consisting of the Bardenas de Yesa, Foz de Biniés , Salvatierra , and Usún canals, each of them with a reservoir. This complex would generate an irrigated area of 30 000 ha in several towns of Navarre and Zaragoza . The reservoirs would be located as follows: Yesa, where the current one is located; Foz de Biniés in the waters of the Veral river ; Salvatierra, on
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#17327768269881008-500: A reservoir. This complex would generate an irrigated area of 30,000 ha in several towns in Navarra and Zaragoza . The reservoirs would be located as follows: that of Yesa, where the present one is located; that of Foz de Biniés in the waters of the river Veral ; that of Salvatierra, on the river Esca ; that of Usún would be located in the valley of Salazar , 6 km from Lumbier . Together with this proposal there were also those of
1092-432: A spillway system consisting of four shafts with independent tunnels of an average length of 600.5 m ending in a common damper for all of them. The four spillways are equipped with concrete gates with a floating sector of 20 m in span and 6 in height. They are located on the left side of the dam. The height of the fixed lip is 482,61 m and they allow outflows of: The reservoir occupies an area of 2098 ha of
1176-423: A study in which it foresaw the conversion of 80 000 ha to intensive irrigation and another 30 000 ha to semi-intensive irrigation. For this purpose, it estimated that 619 952 hm³;/year of water were needed, with incidence of use in the summer months. On 13 November 1928 the foundation works for the dam, which had been put out to tender in the third Works and Works Plan, began. With respect to
1260-607: Is 28,000 ha (totaling about 15% of all irrigated land in the Ebro basin using canals). At the end, when the third section is completed, the irrigable area will be about 88,000 ha, although the canal capacity was designed to cover 110,000 ha. Water is distributed by means of a network of irrigation ditches, the main ones being those of the La Pardina Canal, the Navarra, Cinco Villas and Saso irrigation ditches in Bardenas I, and
1344-409: Is 2800 m³/s. The crest height is 490.9 m, the spillway height is 482.61, while the maximum filling height in normal situation is 488.61 m and 490.00 m in floods. The minimum level of use is 453.35 m, while that of the riverbed is 427.90 m with the bottom outlet at 428.00 m and the intakes of the Bardenas canal at 453.35 m. The sheet of water can be accessed from
1428-529: Is 467 hm³ and its section is trapezoidal. The intake of the dam for the Bardenas canal is at an elevation of 453.35 m (meters) on the left side. It is composed of three 2 m diameter pipes governed by ring-seal valves and Tainter type gates. The total normal flow is 90 m/s (30 m/s each). The canal crosses a tunnel, the Cáseda tunnel, 6.3 km (kilometers) long. The route is divided into three sections called Bardenas I, Bardenas II and Bardenas III, which in turn
1512-772: Is a proposal to build a reservoir at Marracos, with a capacity of 422 m, which would be filled with the waters of the Bardenas canal to assist irrigation in Alto Aragón and could be conveyed to the Sotonera reservoir, from where the Monegros canal flows, and could also regulate the waters of the Gállego. The link between the Aragón and the Gállego, which would complete the Plan Bardenas-Alto Aragón , forming an irrigated area of 268,000 ha. The development of
1596-446: Is also used for water supply and as a power station. It has a capacity of 446.86 hm³ (although it has held 488.10 hm³ ), reaching the following elevations: minimum, 435.00 m; crest, 490.00 m; spillway, 482.61 m and maximum normal reservoir elevation of 488.61 m. The length of the tail end of the reservoir is 10 km with widths varying between 1 and 2.5 km. It occupies an area of 1900 hectares. It
1680-586: Is an uninhabited settlement in the province of Zaragoza , in Aragon ( Spain ), belonging to the municipality of Sigüés in the comarca de Jacetania . It is on the banks of the Aragón river next to the Yesa Reservoir that partly floods it. Of what was the old village, only the upper part of it remains, since the lower part has disappeared under the waters, as has most of its municipal district, along with those of Escó and Ruesta . The construction of
1764-436: Is below the filling level of the reservoir, reappear during periods of time when the level of the reservoir is low. Many people take advantage of this circumstance to continue using these waters and the mud that is formed, which has therapeutic properties for the skin. In the area of the reservoir, agricultural activity continues to be one of the pillars of the economy. The farms are, in general, of cereal monoculture (90%) which
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#17327768269881848-466: Is complemented with leguminous crops and vegetable gardens dedicated almost entirely to their own consumption. The Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro owns about 20% of the arable land, which it managed unilaterally until 1983, when it ceded these lands to the municipalities of Artieda , Mianos , and Sigüés for a period of ten years. Livestock farming is focused on the sheep sector with approximately 5,000 head distributed in six flocks. The livestock
1932-582: Is fed in the large areas of scrubland and forest that occupy almost 60% of the land. A very high part of the labor force employed is foreign, since the population of the area is highly aged and there has been a very high rate of management by state agencies, the Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro and the ICONA , which has inhibited the initiative of the native settlers. A new activity is that derived from reforestation, carried out to protect
2016-716: Is located in the Pyrenees , and is formed with the damming of the Aragon River , in the Navarre town of Yesa ( Spain ), although the largest area of the reservoir is located in the province of Zaragoza , extending from east to west. It is located to the northwest of the Aragonese province of Zaragoza and to the east of Navarre . Most of it floods lands of the Berdun Canal , in the Aragonese region of Jacetania in
2100-409: Is subdivided into another seven sections (Bardenas III is still under construction). The initial capacity of 60 m/s (some sources indicate 64 m/s) is reduced to 30 m/s in the last section. The irrigable area of Bardenas I is about 60,000 ha (40,000 ha of Zaragoza and 20,000 ha of Navarra); the irrigable area extends from Sangüesa in the north to Tauste in the south. The irrigable area of Bardenas II
2184-453: The Aragón river valley, in the Berdún canal, a length of 18 km, and a shoreline perimeter of 48 km. The surface area of the river basin that corresponds to it is 2170 km . It has a capacity of 446.90 hm³, of which 411 are usable and 114.60 are for storage. The average annual inflow is 1322 hm³, being the highest recorded flood of 2625 m³/s, while the expected one
2268-818: The Ezka River , Usún would be located in the Salazar Valley , 6 km from Lumbier . Along with this proposal were also those of the Canal Imperial de Aragón and the Lodosa Canal, which made the need to dam the Aragón and its tributaries more evident. On 2 March 1909 the Ebro Hydraulic Division was commissioned to study the project for the Yesa Dam. This project was carried out by the engineers Cornelio Arellano, first, and then Manuel Abascal, who completed it in 1912. The canal project
2352-631: The Garcipollera valley , now belonging to the municipality of Jaca and Cenarbe in Villanúa . 2408 hectares of farmland were flooded, of which 1000 were of very good agricultural quality. On the other hand, the waters of the Aragón river transferred by the Bardenas canal to the region of Cinco Villas and the Bardenas Reales have led to the creation of 81 107.64 ha of irrigated land, 18 941.61 ha (23.35 %) in
2436-653: The II Plan de Obras de la Confederación , which was published the following year, the works were delayed because it was considered that the studies of the regime, flow and layout of the canal and the capacity of the reservoir had not been carried out properly. That same year the Agronomic Service of the Hydrographic Confederation prepared and published a study in which it foresaw the conversion of 80,000 ha into intensive irrigation and another 30,000 ha into semi-intensive irrigation. For this purpose, it estimated that 619,952 hm³/year of water would be needed, with an incidence of use in
2520-509: The Official State Gazette (BOE) the award of auxiliary works not included in the heightening project for an amount of 24 209 381 euros to the joint venture formed by ACS Proyectos Obras y Construcciones S. A., Ferrovial Agroman S. A., and FCC Construcción. These works consisted of: stabilization of the right bank of the dam and improvement of the waterproofing and drainage of the right abutment support, thus increasing
2604-521: The monastery of Leyre or the Castle of Xavier or the bridge of the Roncaleses of Roman origin and rebuilt in the 11th century. Some of the villages on the banks of the Aragón river have been abandoned since the construction of the dam and the subsequent filling of the reservoir flooded the valley's farmland. In Tiermas , among the ruins, an alternative social experience has arisen as a result of
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2688-403: The 1970s, the idea of a new regulation of the Aragón and Irati basins arose and, after various proposals, the proposal to heighten the Yesa dam was adopted. In 1983, a first project was presented which aimed to achieve a new reservoir with a capacity of 1525 hm³ (three times the current one) making it a hyperannual reservoir (whose cycle is greater than one season). This project was rejected by
2772-681: The Aragon River has been considered since the Middle Ages : as early as 1498, a proposal was made to the King of Aragon, Ferdinand the Catholic , to divert water from the river to be used for irrigation by the Council of Tauste. In 1622 it was proposed to build a canal to the Bardenas to irrigate the lands of an abbey that was planned to be built there. In 1702 the engineer Josef Estorguia and
2856-406: The Aragonese region of the Cinco Villas . Soon after, another project was presented, this time by Captain J. A. Monroy, who proposed a canal (which was born at a similar level to the current Bardenas) that would irrigate the region of Cinco Villas and Bardenas, with a total of 15 228 ha of irrigated land, as well as the construction of 18 new urban settlements. In 1865 a company was created for
2940-496: The Asociación Río Aragón and COAGRET , together with environmental associations such as Ecologistas en Acción , Greenpeace , SEO/BirdLife , WWF/Adena , AEMS-Ríos con Vida, Amigos de la Tierra , and others, which make up the platform "Yesa No". The sectors that oppose these works affirm that the tripling of the damming capacity of the Yesa river would lead to serious effects on the natural environment, flooding
3024-416: The Bardenas canal, it was decided to reconsider the route. In 1931 the Yesa swamp project was carried out, which was a complement to the 1924 project. It defined the body of the dam and everything related to it, such as the outlets and intakes. By then, the problems that had arisen with the settlement of the right abutment and the doubts about the capacity of the inflows had already been solved. This project
3108-415: The Berdún canal area was flooded. Such is the case of El Bayo , to which many families from Tiermas had to emigrate. The dam is located 400 m from the urban center of Yesa in a northerly direction. It is a gravity dam with a straight ground plan built of concrete (480 000 m³ were used) with a vertical slope at the top and a stepped slope, with steps 2 m high and 1,60 m wide at
3192-567: The Dirección General de Obras Hidráulicas. Ten years later, in 1993, the Modified Project 03/1993 was presented, which maintains similar technical characteristics to the previous one with a heightening level of 521 m and a volume of water of 1525 hm³. The purpose of the dammed water would be for the maintenance of current and future irrigation, as well as the supply of drinking water to Zaragoza and its surroundings and
3276-737: The General Communities of Bardenas, Riegos del Alto Aragón and the UTE of construction companies awarded the work tender. The ruling reads as follows: DISMISSAL of the contentious-administrative appeal filed by the Town Council of Artieda de Aragón (Zaragoza) and the Legal Association against the extension of the Yesa reservoir "RÍO ARAGÓN" represented by the Attorney Isacio Calleja García against
3360-478: The General Directorate of Hydraulic Works. In 1926 it was estimated that Yesa Reservoir would only be used for the irrigation of the Bardenas and the Cinco Villas region, and its possible contribution to the Imperial Canal of Aragón was rejected. In the I Plan General de Obras y Trabajos varios de la Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro , in 1926, the construction of Yesa Reservoir was proposed. This would have
3444-412: The Imperial Canal of Aragón and the Lodosa Canal, which made the need to regulate the Aragón and its tributaries even more evident. On March 2, 1909, the Ebro Hydraulic Division was commissioned to study the Yesa Dam project. This project was carried out by the engineers Cornelio Arellano, first, and Manuel Abascal later, finishing it in 1912. The canal project was not approved until 1917. The dam designed
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3528-725: The Sora irrigation ditch (A-5), which is 55.3 km long, ending in Pradilla de Ebro, forming an irrigated area of 28,610 ha. In the Gállego basin, section VII and the Zuera irrigation ditch, which ends in Villanueva de Gállego, covers an irrigated area of 11,625 ha, making the total area of the Bardenas II section 40,235 ha. The Bardenas III, or VII, section was submitted for public information in 1975 and has not yet been built. There
3612-507: The Sora irrigation ditch in Bardenas II. The first part of the canal, Bardenas I, from Yesa to the Arba de Luesia river, is 72 km long. In this part the canal is derived in the following irrigation ditches: Once the Arba de Luesia river is crossed, the second section, Bardenas II, begins. This area is divided in two, in the basin of the Gállego and in that of the Arba. The Arba basin is irrigated with sections V and VI (40.8 km) and with
3696-518: The Zaragoza towns of Ejea de los Caballeros , Luna , Sierra de Luna , Tauste , Pradilla de Ebro and Remolinos . On May 10, 1973, the Plan General de Transformación de la Zona Regable de la Segunda Parte de Canal de Bardenas was approved, this plan was modified in 1973, delimiting the irrigation area. On July 14, 1980, and July 22, 1982, the coordinated works plans were approved, allowing
3780-558: The arm of the hijosdalgo knights launched the proposal to divert the river so that it would run through Aragonese lands, thus avoiding the payment of tariffs and tolls to the Navarrese. 54 years later, in 1756, a project was drawn up for the construction of a canal that, originating in Tiermas , was to irrigate the Aragonese region of Cinco Villas. Soon after, another project was presented, this time by Captain J. A. Monroy, who proposed
3864-431: The bottom, which generates a slope of 0,78. It is equipped with a surface spillway located on the left bank and formed by four large mouths (which are striking for their depth as they can be seen from the upper edge), intermediate and bottom drains. It has two intakes for the hydroelectric plant and another for the Bardenas canal . The length at the crest is 398 m, with a height over foundations of 76.5 m and over
3948-466: The capacity of the reservoir at 1100 m³. This proposal would be completed with other small actions to mitigate the damage caused, such as the construction of a wall around Sigüés. It is estimated, according to a study by the Universidad de Alcalá de Henares , that this reservoir capacity would be sufficient to meet the demands and needs described above. On 4 January 2011 it is published in
4032-583: The completion of the canal and the extension of irrigation to another 30,000 ha, also taking advantage of the Sora irrigation ditch. The Bardenas II section is under construction while the third and last Bardenas III section has not yet been started. In order to increase the inflow of the Bardenas canal, it has been decided to increase the Yesa dam to triple its capacity, turning it into a hyperannual reservoir. The construction of three lateral reservoirs, those of Malvecino, La Berné and Carcastillo, has also been proposed. Yesa Reservoir The Yesa Reservoir
4116-559: The concern of a group of young people. The same happens in Ruesta, which has been ceded for exploitation to the trade union Confederación General del Trabajo de España . Before the filling of the reservoir, there was a famous spa that took advantage of the sulfurous water springs there and that had been used since times before the Roman Empire conquest. The waters gush forth at a temperature of 42 °C. The installations, whose level
4200-437: The consolidation of the left bank, where large cracks appeared in 2004 and in 2006 there was a landslide of 3.5 million cubic meters that threatened to fall into the reservoir. In 2007, cracks and holes reopened and the track along the left slope collapsed. Since a plan to increase the height of the Yesa dam was made public in 1983, various actions have been carried out to oppose the project by several affected associations led by
4284-427: The construction in exchange for the concession of the use of the water and the irrigators paying the corresponding alfardas . In 1880 the concession was declared null and void, since the works had not begun. In 1902 a Royal Decree of April 25 proposed a Plan Nacional de Obras Hidráulicas in which a hydraulic complex appeared, consisting of the Bardenas de Yesa, Foz de Biniés , Salvatierra and Usún canals, each with
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#17327768269884368-435: The construction of an irrigation canal to go down to the Bardenas. The project was carried out by Antonio de Lesarri. The society would be in charge of the construction in exchange for the use of the water and the irrigators paying the corresponding alfardas . In 1880 the concession was declared null and void, since the works had not begun. In 1902 a Royal Decree of 25 April proposed a National Plan of Hydraulic Works in which
4452-607: The dam's heightening, has pointed out that "geologists have repeatedly warned that these landslides are not going to stop occurring" The climatology of the area where the reservoir is located is mild, with more sunny days than in the Cuenca de Pamplona . It is worth mentioning the north wind ( cierzo ) which enters in gusty form from the mountains, reaching force 5, as well as the more frequent south wind. This wind characteristic makes it very favorable for sailing, especially with light boats and windsurfing . The richness of fish in
4536-455: The definitive project for some sections of the canal was already being carried out, following the route indicated in the previous plan, and the following year the decision was already taken to build it. By 1933, construction had already begun. After the Civil War , in which the works were stopped, they were resumed with the construction of the variant of the race in 1940 and the excavation of
4620-705: The environment, and falsification of public documents, of which they have been accused. and the resolution of November 27 of 2007 by the Audiencia Nacional on appeal no. 121/01 filed by the Artieda Town Council and the Río Aragón Association against the decisions of the Ministry of the Environment dismissed the appeal and gave permission to the work. Together with the Ministry, the following organizations were defendants:
4704-503: The gates of the Yesa dam caused the abandonment of several villages, Ruesta , Tiermas, and Escó , with an affected population of more than 1500 people and flooded the valley leaving 2400 ha of arable land under water, of which 1000 were of excellent quality. The 8528 ha that were expropriated in the affected municipalities were distributed among the municipalities of Sigüés , with 3752; Urriés , with 1498 ha, Undués de Lerda , with 1754 ha and Los Pintanos , with 1524 ha,
4788-785: The irrigable areas of Bardenas I was carried out by means of coordination plans made by the National Institute of Colonization , which was in charge of the construction of the secondary networks, complementary works, land leveling, reforestation, construction of new villages and settlement of farmers in the new irrigated areas. The Ebro Hydrographic Confederation was in charge of the water supply. 15 new villages were founded, five in Navarra, Gabarderal, El Boyeral, Figarol, Rada and San Isidro del Pinar, and 10 in Aragón, Alera, Bardena , Campo Real, El Bayo , Pinsoro , El Sabinar, Sancho Abarca, Santa Anastasia, Santa Engracia and Valareña, which housed 1267 families that in several cases came from
4872-492: The land from erosion. In the forests that have been created, the exploitation of hunting preserves and for mushroom hunting is taking place. In the regions of Cinco Villas and Bardenas , where the water from the Aragón river is transferred through the Bardenas Canal , it irrigates some 70,000 hectares. This irrigated agriculture is mainly cereal. Currently, it is possible to plant fruit trees and olive trees due to
4956-458: The lands of an abbey that was planned to be built there. In 1702 the engineer Josef Estorguia and a group of hidalgo knights launched the proposal to divert the river so that it would run through Aragonese lands, thus avoiding the payment of tariffs and tolls to the Navarrese. 54 years later, in 1756, a project was drawn up for the construction of a canal that, rising in Tiermas, was to irrigate
5040-564: The latter belonging to the Cinco Villas region. A collateral effect was the purchase by the Patrimonio Forestal del Estado of the valley of La Garcipollera , which leads to Castiello de Jaca , by means of a decree of forced repopulation to plant laricio pine to prevent erosion and silting of the reservoir. This led to the abandonment of the villages of Larrosa , Villanovilla , Bescós de Garcipollera , Bergosa , Acín de Garcipollera , Cenarbe , and Yosa de Garcipollera . In
5124-565: The left side of the Ebro, the Aragon, the Gallego and the Cinca . On 7 May 1926, a Royal Order approved the Yesa Dam project, making it compulsory to respect the uses and exploitation of the water downstream of the dam. The same team that designed the dam designed the Bardenas Canal, presenting their work on 29 December 1924. This would be approved 8 years later, on June 30, 1932, by a Resolution of
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#17327768269885208-585: The maintenance of concessions and the ecological flow of the Aragón River. The heightening would entail the disappearance of the urban center of Sigüés and the expropriation of important areas of the municipalities of Artieda and Mianos . The heightening encountered great social opposition in the affected towns, while in those benefited by the increase in irrigated land it is supported. The works began in May 2001, although they had been affected by problems in
5292-427: The municipalities of Sigüés , Ruesta , Escó , and Tiermas . It is known by the nickname Mar de los Pirineos (English: sea of the Pyrenees) and is located at the entrance of the aforementioned. It is the largest navigable area of Aragon and it is the source of the Bardenas Canal that transfers water to the Ribera area south of Navarra and irrigates the Bardenas Reales and the Cinco Villas region of Zaragoza. It
5376-433: The project were carried out, the first one was approved by Ministerial Order on February 6 and the second and definitive one on September 15. The uses to be given to the Yesa water were definitively designated, which were the same as those foreseen in the Félix de los Ríos project, but the irrigable surface area was reduced to 110,000 hectares. The reservoir was inaugurated in 1959 and in 1960 came into service. The closure of
5460-400: The province of Navarra and 62 166.03 ha (76.65%) in the province of Zaragoza, which, together with the supply to the 54 777 inhabitants who depend directly on the system, demand an average annual flow of 467 hm³ of water. This has led to the creation of some fifteen colonization villages, which are home to some 1267 families, many of which come from the villages evicted when
5544-431: The reservoir led to the expropriation by the regime of the entire village, including orchards and farmlands, except for two neighbors who remained in the village until the day of his death. Currently, its former neighbors and descendants are working for the reversion and reconstruction of the village, still hoping that one day justice will give them the reason, since it was the mayor of Sigües who bought Tiermas in 1982 with
5628-443: The resolutions of the Ministry of the Environment dated 12 and 20 December 2000; without imposition of costs. In this judgment, the points denounced are, one by one, dismissed. In the midst of the controversy, several proposals for an alternative to the dam's heightening emerged. In 2004, the Fundación Nueva Cultura del Agua (English: New Water Culture Foundation) presented a sustainable alternative to Yesa's heightening, which offers
5712-434: The right slope. In 1945, by the hand of Rene Petit, two renovations of the project were carried out, the first one was approved by Ministerial Order on February 6 and the second and definitive one on September 15. The uses to be given to the Yesa water were definitively designated, which were the same as those foreseen in the Félix de los Ríos project, but the irrigable surface area was reduced to 110,000 ha. On October 19, 1951,
5796-408: The riverbed of 62.1 m; the width at the crest is 7 m, of which 6.5 are dedicated to a road. It consists of a perimeter gallery with five accesses, three of which are at the foot of the dam and the other two at the top, which join at elevation 460 with a horizontal gallery in the abutments, which can be accessed from the dam parameter, next to the intake for the canal. The dam is equipped with
5880-437: The safety of the area; conditioning of the land for the access road to the crest on the left bank; construction of 1580 meters of auxiliary construction of the Bardenas canal; replacement of the electrical supply connection to the dam and plant regeneration by spreading topsoil and subsequent hydroseeding. In 2013, new cracks appeared on the right slope of the reservoir, in view of this fact the association Río Aragón, opposed to
5964-430: The summer months. On 13 November 1928 the foundation works for the dam, which had been put out to tender in the III Plan de Obras y Trabajos , began. In this same Plan de Obras y Trabajos it was decided to lower the route of the Bardenas canal, especially once in the Riguel river basin. The IV Plan de Obras , that of 1929, proposes reservoirs complementary to the Yesa reservoir to supply the Bardenas Canal. In this year
6048-406: The transformation into irrigation of the area of the first part of the canal which reaches the river Arba de Luesia was declared by Royal Decree to be of high national interest. The National Institute of Colonization is entrusted with the general irrigation project for the Bardenas Canal. On February 12, 1954, the project for the first part of the canal was approved and a Joint Technical Commission
6132-564: The urban area of Sigüés and an important area of farmland affecting protected areas such as Foz de Sigüés. They also point out that there are serious geological problems, especially on the left slope of the Aragón river, which could even affect the integrity of the new dam. The historical and artistic heritage of the region would be affected since the waters would flood part of the Camino de Santiago , also affecting different Roman and medieval sites. In defense of these criteria, five legal actions have been carried out, three administrative lawsuits,
6216-401: The vicinity of the dam, on the left bank, through an entrance that leads to a pebble beach. The use of the Aragón river has been considered since the Middle Ages : as early as 1498 a proposal was made to the King of Aragón Ferdinand the Catholic to divert water from the river for use as irrigation by the Council of Tauste . In 1622 it was proposed to build a canal to Bardenas to irrigate
6300-571: The villages that were left uninhabited in the Berdún canal, as in the case of the colonization village of El Bayo , to which many families from Tiermas had to emigrate. Bardenas II, with 28,610 ha of irrigated land, has not generated any new population. The irrigated production to which the waters of the Bardenas canal are dedicated is mainly made up of extensive herbaceous crops such as corn , wheat , barley , etc. There are also vegetable gardens with products such as tomatoes and peppers , among many others, and rice fields. The use of water from
6384-575: The waters of the Aragón river, with abundance of trout , carp , and American perch makes the banks of the reservoir a very popular place for fishing enthusiasts. The location of the reservoir, at the foot of the Leire Range and the fact that its right bank is bordered by the N-240 road makes hiking and cycling activities highly recommended. The Camino de Santiago passes along its banks and nearby there are many places with relevant buildings such as
6468-475: The works and giving free rein to the heightening of the reservoir through the construction of the new dam. Judgment number 43/2006 related to the abbreviated proceeding number 5/2005 ruled as follows: That we must absolve and acquit Patricia, Lucio, Gonzalo, Rubén, Darío, and Rafael of the crimes of prevarication, catastrophic risk, negotiations and activities prohibited to public officials, against historical and archaeological heritage, against natural resources and
6552-475: Was a 53 m high gravity dam. In 1923 a new project was commissioned, drawn up by the engineers Felix de los Ríos, Mariano Vicente and Antonio Colom, who carried out the study on the basis of an irrigable surface area of 130,000 ha, to contribute 400,000 million cubic meters per year to the Ardisa dam and to supply drinking water to Saragossa . This proposal was included in the linking of the three large rivers on
6636-411: Was approved on 30 June 1934. In 1933, the contract with the builders was terminated due to different problems. By that date the Bardenas Canal was already under construction. After the Civil War , during which the works were halted, they were resumed with the construction of the variant of the race in 1940 and the excavation of the right slope. In 1945, under the direction of René Petit, two reforms of
6720-517: Was formed, which was in charge of drawing up the Plan Coordinado de Obras , which was approved on March 28, 1955. In 1959, work was completed on the dam, which came into service in 1960 together with the first part of the canal, serving 21,000 ha of the 110,000 ha planned. On July 1, 1971, the conversion into irrigated land of the second phase of the canal was declared to be of high national interest , covering an area of 27,000 ha belonging to
6804-412: Was inaugurated in 1960 and caused the abandonment of several towns: Ruesta , Tiermas , and Escó with an affected population of more than 1500 people. Collaterally, due to the expropriation and planting of pine trees to prevent the siltation of the reservoir, the following upstream towns were affected: Larrosa , Villanovilla , Bescós de Garcipollera , Bergosa , Acín , and, Yosa de Garcipollera in
6888-498: Was included in the linking of the three large rivers on the left side of the Ebro , the Aragón , the Gállego and the Cinca . On 7 May 1926 a Royal Order approved the Yesa Dam project, making it compulsory to respect the uses and exploitations downstream of the dam. The same team that conceived the dam also planned the Bardenas canal, presenting their work on 29 December 1924. This would be approved eight years later, on 30 June 1932, by
6972-418: Was not approved until 1917. The dam designed was a 53-meter-high gravity dam. In 1923 a new project was commissioned, drafted by the engineers Félix de los Ríos, Mariano Vicente, and Antonio Colom, who carried out the study based on an irrigable area of 130 000 ha, to contribute to the Ardisa dam with 400 000 million cubic meters per year and to supply drinking water to Zaragoza . This proposal
7056-524: Was proposed. This would have a capacity of 470 hm³; destined for the Bardenas canal and the irrigation of the farming area of the basin itself, some 15 000 ha, although the possibility of contributing to the Imperial canal was still being discussed so that this would free up resources for the Lodosa canal. The forecasts for the Bardenas canal, which, starting from Yesa, was to reach Ardisa , were for
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