Diaries of the Ebro Field Trip
Students in Murillo de Gállego
Each year Water Science, Policy and Management MSc and MPhil students embark on a journey to the Ebro Basin in Spain to contextualise all the dense course information and to have a break before the exams. This year’s cohort shared their takeaways with the Oxford Water Network.
The “source to mouth” journey starts from the Pyrenees and goes to the Delta illustrating multi-faceted dimensions of the taught core modules on the MSc course. Learning about the interdisciplinary nature of water management, students get an opportunity to develop a fuller appreciation of the scientific, political and management components of how water is represented and contested in a diverse landscape.
The Ebro delta
Within less than a week, students follow a packed itinerary crossing three autonomous regions of Spain. They stop at Murillo de Gállego, visit the abandoned village of Ruesta and Yesa Dam area, drive to the Canal de Monegros and Sotonera Dam and then continue to Zaragoza to visit the headquarters of the Ebro River Basin Authority (Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro). Afterwards, they drive to Monegros to see a Ramsar site of salt pans and the Flix reservoir, which faces chemical contamination issues. The Ebro delta is another stop followed by the drive to Barcelona – the final destination where students get a chance to visit the desalination plant, supplying water to the urban population - a virulent issue given the ongoing drought conditions in Catalonia.
Sotonera Dam
The Basin has a complex historic-social context, characterised by political controversy in its economic, institutional and infrastructure development. This legacy coupled with hydro-climatic risks presents further challenges in managing increasingly competitive demands between agriculture, industry, municipalities and ecosystems. This makes the future for the Ebro River Basin Authority turbulent and uncertain.
“Across varied landscapes, vegetation, sectors, and stakeholders in the Ebro basin, one thing stayed constant: the essential need for water.”
Pema Lhamo, WSPM 2023-2024
To navigate all these complexities and stimulate discussions among students, the group is joined by representatives of government, civil society, academia, agriculture and business, who sometimes provide competing visions and views on the nature of water management.
“This trip was so fun because I got to know a lot about the Ebro Basin, but I also got to learn from all of my classmates! Everyone in our cohort has such deep knowledge about certain parts of Water Management, and it was cool to see everyone's interests and backgrounds highlighted throughout the trip.”
Greta Markey, WSPM 2023-2024
Students and the Course Director Kevin Grecksch at the Ramsar Site
The Ebro form the observation deck
The trip tends to be the highlight of the MSc programme helping students to put the puzzles of the course together and often guiding them in their future decision-making in the water sector.
“The Spain trip was a beautiful moment to reflect on our opportunities—as humans and water professionals—to enjoy the good, challenge current systems, and imagine other possibilities.”
Fernanda Diaz Osorio, WSPM 2023-2024
Photo credits: Fernanda Diaz Osorio, Pema Lhamo
