Portugal and Spain have a long history of dispute over the two rivers that both countries share. Finally, the dispute has been settled between the two countries over the Tejo and Guadiana River. Both of them have agreed to allow minimum flow of the two rivers.

Dispute Of Tejo And Guadiana River Settles

There has been an agreement between Portugal and Spain over the daily flow of the rivers. It is first time ever that the dispute has been settled over the Tejo River. Same is the case with the Guadiana River as minimum amount of water will be allowed to flow in both rivers. This decision was taken in a meeting. This meeting was attended by both the environment ministers. Portugal will also benefit from this decision. It might be able to supply water to abstraction project in lower Alentejo. This will supply water to the eastern side of the Algarve.

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This has been the first time since the Albufeira Convention that the water will be used in common purposes. The Environment Minister of Portugal saw the commitment showed by Spain to resolve this issue of water. It is expected that this commitment will be shown for a long term to establish good flow of water. It is stated by the media:

Targets were met, but according to Spanish interests, with the flow more compensated, for example, at times when energy production is more favorable.

Environment Minister Maria Wants To Solve This Issue

The new agreement between the two European countries will result in daily supply of water rather than yearly. Portugal has one of the largest Iberian River which would sometimes have zero flow due to the issue between both the countries. It has been settled that from now on, there will be no zero flow in the Iberian River. The Environment Minister of Portugal, Maria da Graça Carvalho has stated:

It is not possible (for Spain) to pay retrospectively because there has been no accounting; the irrigators are probably no longer the same, over 25 years they will be different. Portugal hasn’t invoiced. There’s no way.

She insisted that the only way is to look ahead in the future and resolve this issue. This is why she sat with the officials from Spain to resolve this issue for good. She also said that no farmers were harmed when Spain took water from these rivers. All the farmers in the Alqueva region had access to water as always. They have been growing their crops without having to worry about the supply of water. She stated:

So it’s about looking to the future. It would be impossible to reconstruct the past, because it wasn’t done at the time; it wasn’t even asked for.

Spanish Farmers Demand Equal Water As Portuguese Farmers

It is believed by many citizens that this issue has been persistent for a long period in Portugal. There are still many things to be discussed between both the countries. All the discussion should be cleared in detail, so no problem arises in the future. One other conclusion was decided in the meeting which was the definition of rules. Spanish farmers have demanded:

Equal in volume and price to those in force in Portugal.

The farmers in Spain have urged the Government of Portugal to let them have the same amount of water available to the Portuguese farmers. These Spanish farmers grow their crops on the left side of the Alqueva dam. This practice has been going on since the creation of this dam in 1998.

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