Junta approves law to repair riverbeds and other damage following storm damage

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The regulation also includes actions to repair water infrastructure and rural roads damaged by the last round of winter storms to batter Andalucía

José Luis Piedra

Seville

Thursday, 26 February 2026, 14:47

The regional government of Andalucía approved a decree-law on Wednesday with measures to address the aftermath of the severe winter storms that battered the region between November 2025 and February 2026. These measures are especially focused on repairing damage to agricultural production potential, water infrastructure and the public water domain.

To this end, the regional ministry of agriculture, fisheries, water and rural development plans to declare work on the repair of riverbeds, rural roads and infrastructure for water supply and control to be of regional interest and priority. Furthermore, the Junta will consider improvements to transport infrastructure as being of regional interest where it is related to the regulation of public water resources within the intra-regional river basin districts - namely, the Andalusian Mediterranean, Guadalete-Barbate and Tinto-Odiel-Piedras-Chanza basins - as well as repairs to irrigation infrastructure also impacted by the storms.

Among the incidents recorded that will be dealt with are damages to facilities for the collection, regulation, storage and transport of water to the delivery points right through to the distribution system of various irrigation communities.

The new decree-law provides for a 100 per cent deduction in the water regulation fee and usage charge during 2026 for certain groups particularly affected by the recent storms. These are irrigators who benefit from hydraulic infrastructure projects in the Guadalete, Barbate, Campo de Gibraltar and Guadalhorce water systems, the most affected basins.

The Andalusian government is also expanding the scope of the regional improvement levy to allow these funds to be used for financing repairs and improvements to waterways and hydraulic regulation infrastructure.

In the livestock sector, a temporary exemption from the fee for veterinary services is being applied. This measure, which will be available from the moment the decree-law comes into effect, will remain active until 31 December, helping livestock breeders reduce their annual expenses related to animal health.

Another measure included in the decree-law is the extension of the deadline for submitting the 2026 single application for the EU's common agricultural policy (CAP). The Junta is postponing the deadline for this procedure by two weeks, extending it to 15 May instead of 31 April.

The Junta de Andalucía will accept modifications to aid applications, requests for allocation of basic income support entitlements for sustainability and any supplementary documentation received until 31 May.

This will give producers time to make decisions adapted to the reality of a food-producing season marked by the aftermath of these storms and which, unfortunately, may not end up unfolding as farmers and livestock breeders had initially planned.