Els Canals d'Urgell close for maintenance with six stoppages of the main canal

The General Irrigation Community of the Urgell Canals has announced the closure schedule of its canals for the usual maintenance, conservation, and consolidation tasks. The agreement, adopted unanimously by the Plenary of the Governing Board in the session of September 10, is published in the Official Gazette of the Province of Lleida (no. 176, edict 7676, of September 15, 2026), signed by the president, Amadeu Ros Farré, from Mollerussa.

The closure directly affects the irrigation planning of farmers in the area, who will have to adjust their crop calendars to the shutdown periods. The Community reserves the right to modify the schedule if circumstances so advise.

Main Canal Schedule

The Main Canal will be closed in six consecutive periods, extending from late September until early March:

• From September 26 to October 18.
• From October 24 to November 15.
• From November 21 to December 13.
• From December 19 to January 10.
• From January 16 to February 7.
• From February 13 to March 7.

Prolonged Closure of the Auxiliary Canal

The Auxiliary Canal will have a much longer shutdown: it will remain closed from September 26, 2026, until the next irrigation campaign, scheduled for March 2027. This difference in treatment is due to the nature of the consolidation works that must be carried out there.

Body and Procedure

The agreement was reached by the Plenary of the Community’s Governing Board in the session of September 10, 2026, unanimously, for the purpose of carrying out maintenance, conservation, and consolidation tasks on the canals. The document, signed by president Amadeu Ros Farré, was issued in Mollerussa on the same day, September 10, and was published in the provincial gazette on September 15.

The official publication ensures the publicity of the decision to the irrigators and the citizenry, and establishes the timeframe in which users can plan their irrigation.

Impact for Irrigators

The closure schedule conditions the agricultural campaign of the Urgell region, one of the most extensive irrigated areas in Catalonia. Farmers will have to anticipate the shutdowns of the Main Canal and the prolonged suspension of the Auxiliary to organize their harvests and water supply, in a context where the efficient management of the resource is key to the sustainability of irrigation.

Source: Official Gazette of the Province of Lleida, no. 176, September 15, 2026, Miscellaneous Announcements - Irrigation Communities, p. 1-1 (official reference: CVE BOP-2026_0_176_7676).