Irrigation grants: La Rioja awards 175,593 euros to irrigation communities

The General Directorate of Rural Development of the Government of La Rioja has resolved the 2026 call for grants for small-scale irrigation infrastructure works for irrigation communities, with a grant of 175,593.87 euros and the cancellation of 124,406.13 euros of the initially planned credit. The decision is formalized in Resolution 488/2026, signed in Logroño on October 22, 2026, by the general director, David Martín Civera, and published in the Official Gazette of La Rioja number 208, dated October 28, 2026 (reference BOR-A-20261028-III–4049, file 202610260125193).

The call was approved by Resolution 1969/2025, of December 11, from the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural World and Environment, and is processed in accordance with the regulatory bases established by Order ATP/28/2022, of June 3. The maximum budget availability limit was set at 300,000 euros, charged to expenditure project 60.001 and item 05.03.4121.780.01 “Improvement of agricultural irrigation infrastructures,” for the 2027 fiscal year.

Sixteen applications and five files excluded from the grant

The managing body received 16 applications submitted on time by irrigation communities. Of these, four files did not prove the eligibility conditions required by Order ATP/28/2022 and the call, and are therefore denied for the reasons set out in Annex IV of the resolution. In addition, a withdrawal was submitted on April 21, 2026, by the General Irrigation Community of Calahorra for file Reg-PA-26-0012, which is considered withdrawn and will not proceed with processing.

The resolution grants the remaining subsidies according to Annex III, commits the expenditure of 175,593.87 euros for 2027, and cancels the uncommitted credit, 124,406.13 euros, in the same item. The auditing of the files was favorable on the part of the department’s Delegated Comptroller.

Amount adjustments and dismissed allegations

The project of the Valle del Yalde Irrigation Community (file REG-PA-26-0008) included two maintenance budget units, current expenses excluded from the grant by article 3.3.b) of the regulatory order. Units 01.01 and 01.04 are excluded, leaving the eligible amount at 47,817.42 euros.

In the case of the “Balsa de Hormilla” (file REG-PA-26-0016), an unfavorable report from the Water Resources Management Service of the General Directorate of Environmental Quality, Climate Change and Water, issued on April 22, 2026, considered the budget to be “significantly higher” than usual market prices, with no technical circumstances justifying the deviation. The amount is adjusted from 10,890 to 8,470 euros, VAT included, using the offer from the same engineering firm in file Reg-PA-26-0004 as a reference.

The two appeals submitted regarding the proposal report, published in the BOR on July 1, 2026, are also dismissed:

• C.R. Tirón Rioja Alta: submitted an installer’s quote instead of a project in accordance with the order of bases.
• C.R. Manzanares de Rioja: claimed a subsidy percentage of 65% and the inclusion of fees; this is not accepted because the municipality is not in a disadvantaged area and the eligible investment is the execution budget for the contract, excluding fees.

Previously, a request for correction had been published in the Official Gazette of La Rioja number 73, dated April 20, 2026.

Execution period and means of appeal

Beneficiaries must execute the investment and submit the payment request before June 30, 2027, the deadline set for the 2027 annual period. The resolution concludes the administrative process: a request for reversal may be filed with the Counselor of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural World and Environment within one month from the day following its publication, or a contentious-administrative appeal may be filed before the Contentious-Administrative Chamber of the High Court of Justice of La Rioja within two months.

The distribution leaves more than 40% of the budget enabled for the improvement of irrigation infrastructure uncommitted, which directly affects the Riojan irrigation communities facing modernization and maintenance works funded by this line. The resolution further details the criteria applied in the exclusion of current expenses and in price adjustments, which serve as useful references for entities preparing applications for future calls.

Source: Official Gazette of La Rioja, no. 208, October 28, 2026, section III, pp. 18016-18018 (official reference: BOR-A-20261028-III–4049).