Cross-border cooperation in the management of river conques to the Franco-Andorran-Spanish border

Abstract

Setting international borders involves sometimes the division of water basins between two or more sovereign states. They can also leave on each side of the border previous rights on water use. The management of water resources and the maintenance of these rights have driven to several tensions and conflicts. Such conflicts have been often aggravated by changes in the use of water, the amount of water taken, the dam and divert of water courses or pollution. In opposition to that, it has been developed some mechanisms for joint management and conflict resolution. It has been established agreements and international commissions at state level and several cross-border cooperation projects at sub-state level (local and regional levels). The communication is a brief geographical and historical analysis about the management of the cross-border (and sometimes border) river basins in the Catalan sector of the border between Spain, France and Andorra: the Garonne, Segre, Valira, Carol, Ter and Tech rivers, and hydraulic infrastructures such as the Canal de Puigcerdà. Both state and sub-state levels has been studied according the international freshwater agreements, the changes on water use, the conflicts and the cross-border cooperation objectives.