On the Júcar River, upstream from Sumacàrcer, lies the dam that originates the Royal Canal of Escalona on the right bank and the Canal of Antella on the left. The river landscape in this section, between Sumacàrcer and Antella, has been modified by defense works due to the steeper gradient and higher current energy during floods.
The Royal Canal of Escalona, approximately 20 km long, runs along the right bank of the Júcar River, irrigating the municipalities of Sumacàrcer, Cotes, Càrcer, Alcàntera de Xúquer, Beneixida, and Castelló de la Ribera. Its origins date back to 1593, when King Felipe II granted the license for its construction, extending an existing canal. Works concluded in 1611. The current dam, the Assut d’Escalona, was built over the old one after the Tous dam broke in 1982.
The Canal of Antella, about 7.5 km long, irrigates approximately 650 hectares in the northwestern sector of the municipality of Antella, mainly citrus crops. Its main branches include the Braçal de la Gola and the Braçal de la Xarquia. In its final stretch, the canal flows along the southern flank of the urban area of Antella.
The concession for the Canal of Escalona was granted by Felipe II in 1593 and confirmed by Felipe III in 1604. The Ordinances of 1856 state that the canal is the exclusive property of Villanueva de Castellón (Castelló de la Ribera). Since 1982, the Water Users' Community has a flow of 4,964 l./sec.
Since 1903, the “Civil Society Defense of the Right to Irrigation of the lands of the Càrcer Valley” has sought to guarantee irrigation rights for the municipalities of the Càrcer Valley. In 2000, the "General Community of Water Users of the Ribera Alta del Xúquer, right bank" was established to rationalize the use of water from the Royal Canal of Escalona.
