Basque Government Invests in Environmental Improvement to Combat Flooding

The Basque Government is investing nearly three million euros in environmental improvements along the Estepona River in Bakio. The project aims to reduce flood risk by 90% by creating an inland marsh and a floodplain forest using natural solutions.

This intervention, part of the LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050 project co-financed by the European Commission, will span approximately 10 months. The LIFE IP Urban Klima 2050 project seeks to strengthen the resilience of the Basque territory against climate change by coordinating 40 climate change adaptation projects. The project also includes the construction of a public park.

The project aims to recover the river's physical and biological processes, providing more space for its natural channel and reducing the effects of downstream flooding. Special measures will be implemented to preserve and favor the presence of avifauna in the area, including amphibians, reptiles, birds, and the European mink. The project will also eradicate exotic and invasive flora and include the planting of native vegetation.