Puntos de Interés
Hydrography
San José Canal
The San José Canal is situated in the provinces of Valladolid and Zamora. The primary objective of this infrastructure is to facilitate the delivery of water to regions where it is required for agricultural purposes.
The initial section of the route begins at the Castronuño reservoir, which is situated in the extreme west of the province of Valladolid. A significant portion of the flow of the River Duero is diverted from its original course through a bifurcation in its left bank, originating from a large complex dam.
The canal was constructed a few years after the dam itself. While the dam was built between 1941 and 1945, the canal was built a year later, in 1946. The proposed work would be constructed using concrete and would have a length of approximately 51 km. Of this total length, 8 km would be within the province of Valladolid, while the remaining 43 km would be located within the province of Zamora.
The water distribution network is intricate, comprising siphons, pumping stations, a circular section, tunnels, aqueducts, and irrigation ditches. This has enabled the delivery of water to an irrigated area of 4,188 hectares, where a diverse range of crops, including corn, sugar beet, wheat, barley and alfalfa, among others, are cultivated.
A plan is currently being developed with the objective of modernising and improving the San José Canal. The proposed improvements include the implementation of a system for sprinkler or drip irrigation, which would increase the distribution network and efficiency in water use. A remote control system supplied by renewable energy is to be considered. This system ensures control over irrigation schedules based on real data, which is communicated in real time. Furthermore, it enables the issuing of alarms, events and data storage. The following example illustrates the progressive development of the agricultural sector, which has resulted in a more efficient use of water.