In such daunting conditions, it is difficult to evaluate accurately the true value of
the investments made in hydro-technical systems – as these require complex and
most expensive works prior to their deployment, such as the fitting of dewatering
systems or the waterproofing of the canals supplying water to the crops. Therefore,
the Head of the National Institute of Research and Development for Land Reclamation “ISPIF” described the costs involved in reclaiming an area of 224 thousands
ha in the Danube Delta’s floodplains as follows: “The defence works i.e. the canal
embankments of 1158 kilometres in length and the adjacent dewatering and excess
water drainage systems represent a fourteen billion US$ investment.” Yet, the
World Bank’s global estimated that the costs of the land reclamation investment
that was needed here were fifty billion US$.
41.2.3.3 The Exploitation of the Irrigation Systems
Upon becoming operational, these systems were plagued by never-ending dysfunctions and penury affecting the resulting yields – which were way below their
Fig. 41.7 Water loss owning to inadequate transport and distribution equipments of water to
parcel (Source: Aurel Lup’s personal photo archive)
670
A. Lup et al.