One hundred years ago, Spain proposed a new way of understanding water, one that would change the course of the country's progress and modernization: the creation of river basin authorities. This stamp pays tribute to this revolutionary idea and its principal architect, Manuel Lorenzo Pardo (1881-1953).
Faced with the economic and territorial challenges of the early 20th century, and in a context marked by the unequal distribution of water and frequent periods of drought, Lorenzo Pardo, a visionary man ahead of his time, understood that Spain's agricultural, energy, and economic development depended on the rational and coordinated management of water resources. To achieve this, he proposed an innovative idea: managing water according to the natural boundaries of river basins, not political or administrative borders. Based on this premise, he launched the Ebro River Basin Authority in 1926, the world's first river basin authority and the origin of the current Spanish model of water management by river basins.
A century later, the nine current river basin authorities keep alive a legacy that has become an international benchmark. Adapted to modern times, these organizations now manage and protect public water resources, safeguard aquatic ecosystems, manage extreme weather events, and involve all sectors of society in decision-making.
This anniversary is commemorated on the stamp by incorporating a geometric illustration of the engineer's face against a historical map background—the original map of the Ebro Reservoir project, designed by Lorenzo Pardo himself in 1915. The design also includes the silhouette of the nine river basin authorities over peninsular Spain, accompanying the official logo for the centenary of the River Basin Authorities (1926-2026).
