Comprehensive Proposal for the Rehabilitation of the Acequia del Diablo (Teruel, Spain): Revitalizing Irrigation and Cultural Heritage

Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri (), María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero, Claudia P. Romero-Hernández, Pilar Bernad-Esteban and Elena Benito Ruiz
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Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri: Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y del Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero: Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y del Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Claudia P. Romero-Hernández: Instituto de Ingeniería del Agua y del Medio Ambiente (IIAMA), Universitat Politècnica de València, 46022 Valencia, Spain
Pilar Bernad-Esteban: Facultad de Derecho, Universidad de Zaragoza, 50009 Zaragoza, Spain
Elena Benito Ruiz: Asociación Gugaia Para La Conservación del Reino Vegetal de la Sierra de Gúdar-Javalambre, 44479 Olba, Spain

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 10, 1-28

Abstract: The preservation of historic irrigation infrastructure is vital for sustainable water management, especially in regions grappling with rural depopulation, land degradation, and wildfire risk. This study presents a rehabilitation framework for the Acequia del Diablo (Teruel, Spain), a centuries-old gravity-fed canal that supported 60 hectares of agriculture and contributed to ecological connectivity. Its deterioration—following landslides in 1992 and water source loss in 2020—has led to land abandonment, biodiversity decline, and increased wildfire vulnerability. The proposed solution, centered on restoring the original intake at the Azud de Fonseca and stabilizing damaged sections, reestablishes water autonomy and integrates heritage conservation into water governance. A multi-criteria analysis identified this gravity-based alternative as the most technically, economically, and environmentally viable. Drawing from precedents in the literature, the conservation and rehabilitation of historical irrigation systems play a crucial role in sustainable water management in rural areas; this initiative offers a replicable model for other Mediterranean and semi-arid areas. However, challenges include engineering complexity in unstable terrain, administrative delays, and long-term maintenance. Despite these, this intervention enhances rural resilience, wildfire prevention, and biodiversity, while aligning with circular economy principles and European Green Deal objectives.

Keywords: hydraulic heritage; traditional irrigation; sustainable water management; rural resilience; cultural landscape conservation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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