CARTAGENA. The farmers of the Campo de Cartagena affirm that there are not enough technicians to process the 25,000 agricultural plots in the 42,000 hectares of existing crops that must present, before September 8, a certificate to prove that they comply with the precautionary measures to protect the aquifer and avoid contamination of the Mar Menor. The Segura Hydrographic Confederation gave a period of two months for the 9,800 owners to certify that they meet the requirements, but will cut off the supply of water for irrigation if they are not presented or justified.
“It will be impossible for all the community members to arrive on time to provide the documentation, first because there are not enough technicians to inspect the 25,000 agricultural plots,” stressed Manuel Martínez, president of the Community of Irrigators of Campo de Cartagena, who added that “in a month’s time we believe that it will be insufficient. It will have to be expanded, whatever it may be. Furthermore, we are in August. We are providing all the documentation”. The president recalled that 2,500 certifications have already been signed and that a total of 14,000 hectares have been accredited to date, for which he foresees that by September 8 a maximum of 80% of the accreditations can be reached.
The measures required of irrigators were published by the BOE on August 1, 2020 and declare the body of groundwater 070.052 Campo de Cartagena at risk of not achieving good quantitative and chemical status as the existence of a situation of poor status has been confirmed. quantitative in the northern area of the mass and of poor qualitative or chemical status in practically all of it (territorial area of the Quaternary aquifer of Campo de Cartagena). For this reason, they adopted, among others, the Impossibility of infiltrating the aquifer with water from irrigation returns with nitrogen content and limitation to organic and inorganic fertilization. On the other hand, limitations are imposed on fertilization and the notebook or registry of the agricultural exploitation is implemented, as well as a monitoring system for the use and application of irrigation water.
On the other hand, a monitoring, control and follow-up system for mineral fertilization carried out through irrigation and the creation of Collaborating Entities of the Agrarian Administration must be set up. There is a limitation to the application of fertilizer in rainy periods and to maximum flows and irrigation times. In addition, direct discharges to the land and authorizations or concessions intended to modify the characteristics of pre-existing uses are limited.
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