Antecedents at the great irrigation projects in the plane of the Alto Ampurdán county. The unsuccessful choice of the catalonian great irrigation lands in the XIXth century

Abstract

Several projects of great irrigation in the lands with better possibilities to be successful were conceived in Catalonia during XIX century. We find examples of this in Lleida Central Depression, in Ebro River Delta or in Llobregat River lowlands. The Empordà County plane was the exception, particulary the north half. Nevertheless, the number of projects is high, but no one would be a fact until XX century sixties. This is the reason that the old projects have remained unknown, and this paper wants to palliate this lack of knowledge. First, we’ll review the travellers and scholars writings, between XVII and XIX centuries, that give us information about several existing irrigating projects in the time and also describe some improving proposals. On the other hand, we’ll analyse the three more significant attempts to extend the irrigation in the second halfh of the XIX century. Also, we’ll discuss their aims, their peculiarities, their promoters, their justifications and the reasons of their failure.