The controversial scheme to transfer water from the Ebro river, which takes its source in Cantabria in northern Spain, to the thirsty southern Valencia region has been reviewed. The route alignment has been shortened from 1,063 km to 912 km. Canals, tunnels and ducts representing 432 km already exist and 480 km of new canals, syphons, tunnels, pipes and aqueducts are necessary. The scheme affects four protected areas instead of 18. Still, 87 km of tunnels will be built to mitigate as much as possible the impact on the environment. In the Valencia region, there will be six tunnel sections. Two of these will be bored under the Espadí¡n and Calderona mountains. The Calderona will be crossed by a 12 km tunnel, to be TBM-driven. The Ricote-La Navela mountains in Murcia will require 4 km of tunnel. Total cost of €4.2 billion, 30% of which will be financed by EU funds. Visit www.mma.es 14/02. Two open calls for bids, deadline 14th February, 2003 for consultancy services in civil engineering for the Calderona tunnel (12 km) and the Fuente La Higuera tunnel on the Ebro river diversion scheme. The Calderona tunnel will be TBM-driven. Visit http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=189841-2002 and http://ted.eur-op.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=189842-2002, OJ S 238, or contact Infraestructuras del Trasvase, Madrid, fax +34 911024701. 50/02. Open call for bids, deadline 19th March, 2003 for consulting and assistance for the detailed design of the south branch including the Ulldecona tunnel and connection to the Xerta-Cí¡lig canal. Tender value: €790,000. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=015145-2003, OJ S 19, or contact Infraestructuras de Trasvase, Madrid, fax +34 911024701. 06/03. Open call for tenders, deadline 14th May, 2003 for engineering studies for a section of the Ebro River diversion between the south entrance of the Onda tunnel and the south entrance of the Vall d'Uxí³ tunnel. Tender budget: €1.7 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=049845-2003, OJ S 57, or contact Infraestructuras del Trasvase, Madrid, fax +34 911024701.14/03. Open call for bids, deadline 30th June, 2003 for civil engineering detail design for the south section from Rambla de la Chiva syphon to the south portal of the Montroy tunnel. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=082895-2003, OJ S 92, or contact Infraestructuras del Trasvase, Madrid, fax +34 911024701. 22/03. Infraes has been awarded a €1.3 million contract for detailed design of the Calderona tunnel (11.7 km). 25/03.Geocontrol won a €945,335 contract for detailed design of the Fuente La Higuera tunnel. Visit www.geocontrol.es 25/03. Open calls for bids, deadline 24th July, 2003 for engineering and consultancy services for the design of sections from the Enguera tunnel to the Vallada pumping station and from the Llombay tunnel to the Tous pumping station. Budget: €1.4 million and €1.9 million respectively. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=097867-2003 and http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=es&docid=097874-2003, OJ S 109, or contact Infraestructuras del Trasvase, Madrid, fax +34 911024701. Subscribe to E-News Weekly 25/2003. 26/03. The design studies for the Ulldecona tunnel and the connection to the Xerta-Cí¡lig canal has been awarded to a JV between Vigiconsult and ICYF for €724,000. 28/03. A €687,800 contract has been awarded to Esteyco for the design of section from the Campillo tunnel to the south entrance of the Onda tunnel. Visit www.esteyco.es 30/03.A €1.3 million contract has been awarded to Control y Geologí­a for the design of section from the Rambla de la Viuda tunnel to the north entrance of the Campillo tunnel. 30/03.Open call for bids, deadline 2nd October, 2003 for design of section from the Salinas (or Collado) tunel to Casas de Vilaire. Tender value: €1.1 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=138532-2003, OJ S 152, or contact Infrastructuras del Trasvase, fax +34 911024701. 36/03.Open call for bids, deadline 2nd October, 2003 for design of section from the Salinas (or Collado) tunel to Casas de Vilaire. Tender value: €1.1 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=138532-2003, OJ S 152, or contact Infrastructuras del Trasvase, fax +34 911024701. 36/03.A €1.5 million contract has been awarded to Geocontrol to design the section running from the south end of the Onda tunnel to the south end of the Vall d'Uxí³ tunnel. Visit www.geocontrol.es 39/03.A €970,300 contract has been awarded to Apia XXI to design the section from the end of Rambla de Chiva syphon to the south entrance of the Montroy tunnel. Visit www.apiaxxi.es 41/03.AEPO won a €1.3 million contract for the design of the section from the Enguera tunnel to the Vallada pumping station. The Enguera tunnel is a 3.9 km tunnel, 5.5 m in diameter. Visit www.aepo.es 47/03.Typsa clinched a €1.7 million contract for the design of the section from the Llombay tunnel to the Tous pumping station. The Llombay tunnel is a 3,320 m tunnel, 5.5 m in diameter. Visit www.typsa.es. Read the full description of the project in E-News Weekly 47/2003. 47/03.Open call for tenders, deadline 26th January, 2004 for construction of section 31 including the Fuente la Higuera tunnel in Valencia and Alicante provinces. This is a 12,481 m-long tunnel, of which 12,160 m to be driven with TBM and 321 m of umbrella vaults at the portals. Inner diameter: 5.5 m. Tender budget: €89 million. Time frame: 40 months. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=211162-2003, OJ S 237, or contact Trasagua, Madrid, fax +34 911024701. 51/03.Open call for tenders, deadline 27th January, 2004 for construction management of the Fuente la Higuera tunnel. Tender budget: €2.9 million. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=211377-2003, OJ S 237, or contact Trasagua, Madrid, fax +34 911024701. 51/03.Open call for tenders, deadline 27th January, 2004 for environmental management during the construction of the Fuente la Higuera tunnel. Tender budget: €453,600. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=211374-2003, OJ S 237, or contact Trasagua, Madrid, fax +34 911024701. 51/03.Open call for tenders, deadline 27th January, 2004 for safety and health coordination during the construction of the Fuente la Higuera tunnel. Tender budget: €734.000. Visit http://ted.publications.eu.int/udl?request=Seek-Deliver&language=en&docid=211417-2003, OJ S 237, or contact Trasagua, Madrid, fax +34 911024701. More information on this tunnel and the others within the Ebro river transfer scheme in E-News Weekly 47/2003. 51/03.Construction of the 12.5 km-long 6.3 m-diameter Fuente la Higuera tunnel between Valencia and Alicante has been commissioned to Dragados for EUR67.5 million with time frame of 40 months. Portals in cut-and-cover (321 m) and bored length (12,160 m). Read E-News Weekly 47/2003. Visit www.dragados.com 11/04.Geocontrol pocketed a EUR2.9 million contract for construction management of the 12.5 km Fuente la Higuera tunnel. Visit www.geocontrol.es 15/04.Prointec has won a EUR376,340 contract for environmental management during the construction of the Fuente la Higuera tunnel. Visit www.prointec.es 15/04.Intemac has secured a EUR734,000 contract for safety and health coordination during the construction of the Fuente la Higuera tunnel. Read E-News Weekly 47/2003. Visit www.intemac.es 15/04.The government will pay EUR12 million to cancel the contracts awarded by the previous government for the Ebro river water transfer scheme. The new government has decided to stop the project. To date, four sections had been awarded, whereof the 12 km Font de la Figuera tunnel in Valencia and Alicante provinces. 21/04.