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 |
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