LIFE slowing the flow of River Ebro

Rising in Reinosa and running 930 kilometres to the Mediterranean Sea at Tarragona, the River Ebro is the longest river entirely in Spain. The flooding of rivers in the EU is one of the most damaging results of climate change. The Ebro’s more frequent heavy floods cause huge destruction to floodplains and the 62 towns bordering its waters. LIFE EBRO RESILIENCE P1 is intervening in the middle course of the river to build its resilience, improve ecology, and encourage local communities to protect their riverbanks.   

The six-year project is taking a two-pronged approach: implementing physical improvements to the Ebro’s structure and ecology while boosting the knowledge and skills of local groups to manage future flooding.  

Today’s human-modified landscape is less permeable, with its urban sprawl and kilometres of concrete. We have confined our rivers within channels and hard surface flood embankments. As rainfall becomes heavier – an increasing occurrence across Europe – they inevitably flood and overwhelm defences. Constricting our rivers even further, with higher, larger defences is not an environmental or economical solution. Working with the river course, allowing access to floodplains, and using natural measures are more effective. LIFE EBRO RESILIENCE P1 is removing 1 800m of levees, reconnecting two meanders, and creating two high-water channels to alleviate flood waters. It will also reclaim a 1km branch and reconnect it to the active river pathway.  

Habitat creation and protection are other effective methods to slow the flow, from restoring catchments to planting trees, woody features, and creating wetlands to absorb floodwaters. LIFE EBRO RESILIENCE P1 aims to increase the number of habitats by 15% through the recovery of 60 hectares of riverbanks and protect three regional species at risk.  

But physically improving flood routes can only go so far. Local communities need skills and autonomy to understand how floods impact their lives, how to manage them, and become more resilient. The project is empowering local groups to manage flood risks in 3 regions – home to 22 873 people. Activities include training programmes, 16 campaigns, 5 co-creation working groups, 18 information-sharing workshops, and consistent communications via a website, social media, and news.  

Over the last 40 years, Europe’s storms, heatwaves, and flooding have had devastating economic impacts – accounting for losses of around half a trillion euros. Not to mention the huge cost to human life with up to 145 000 fatalities. Improvements to River Ebro through LIFE EBRO RESILIENCE P1 are estimated to save 40% in flood risk mitigation measures and reduce the flood damages bill by 50% over 10 years.  

The project has ambitions of scaling up the engagement to other areas in the Ebro’s course, adding 307km of riverbed to the project’s remit, working with 56 municipalities, 21 interest groups and impacting 1 million inhabitants.  

LIFE EBRO RESILIENCE P1 is participating in EU Green Week 2024, at discussions about restoring and protecting a broken water cycle, on 30 May and will be present at the CINEA stand during the 2-day conference. The project aligns to three EU policies: EU Floods Directive; EU Habitats Directive; and EU strategy on adaptation to climate change.