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Restoration of the   River Guadiana in Mèrida

In Mérida, capital of the region of Extremadura in Spain,   the overall area adjacent to the Guadiana River was suffering a progressive   environmental degradation caused by invasion of the river margins by the   adjacent landowners, uncontrolled excavations for the extraction of gravel   and sand, dumping of debris and rubbish and degradation of the natural   vegetation. While the urban section of the river suffered from these problems   to some extent, further issues were also prevalent. One of them was the   presence of urban infrastructure very close to the river, which called for   their protection against floods. Furthermore, the Montijo dam (a dam   constructed for irrigation purposes and located downstream of the city) caused   frequent oscillations of the river’s water level, subsequently resulting in   dramatic visual impacts on the urban landscape. This became an issue as well   since Mérida is a historic city with an important archaeological and   monumental heritage (declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1993). Some   elements of this heritage are closely related to the river, as the monumental   Roman bridge, the longest (ca. 800 m) Roman bridge that still stands today.

In the late 1980s the “Confederación Hidrográfica del   Guadiana” (Spanish Water Authority in the Guadiana River basin area, a part   of the Ministry of the Environment) decided to act in the area to solve, or   at least reduce, the series of problems faced by the city and its river. In   the urban areas the project allowed to properly integrate the riverbanks with   the city, paying special attention to the aesthetic and archaeological   aspects and taking advantage of them to provide the citizens with new green   zones (parks) which in turn are compatible with occasional flooding and   prevent the improper use of the areas adjacent to the river. The restoration project on the River Guadiana was   linked to the Urban Plan of Mérida.

Urban integration has been   one of the most important targets of this restoration project and achieved to   a high extent. Currently, most of the urban river banks have become parks or   riverside promenades, allowing an adequate transition between the city and   the river and embellishing the environment surrounding the existing   monuments. The restoration measures   have been very well accepted by citizens, who widely use both the urban and   suburban restored areas for sports and recreation (e.g., walking, trekking,   cycling, fishing and kayaking).

River   Guadiana at Mérida after the restoration measures. Photo: @ Confederación Hidrográfica del Guadiana