The Generalitat Valenciana is extending the floodable parks project by around four kilometres to the Barranco de l’Horteta in Torrent (province of Valencia). The aim is to better slow runoff during periods of heavy rain, create retention areas and increase protection against extreme weather events. The project concerns a tributary of the Poyo and complements the programme already under way at Túria and Poyo.
According to the regional government, the new section at Barranco de l’Horteta is to link retention and flood areas with improved riverbanks and recreational spaces. The focus is on hydraulic functionality: paths, green spaces and recreational uses will be planned so as not to compromise the area’s flood-management function. In this way, the Generalitat is following the approach of the so-called “parques inundables”, conceived as integrated flood-protection and renaturalisation measures.
The Ayuntamiento de Torrent had described the inclusion of Barranco de l’Horteta as a priority. The city cites the tributary’s hydrological role in relation to the Poyo, which has repeatedly been critical during heavy rainfall. The series of storms DANA 2024 had caused considerable damage in parts of the Comunitat Valenciana and accelerated planning work on the network of floodable parks. Specific measures being discussed by the Generalitat and the municipality include additional retention areas, riverbank renaturalisation, the control of invasive reed beds and a secure access route for emergency vehicles along the watercourse.
Timetables for individual construction phases, cost estimates and the legal arrangements for making the land available have yet to be determined. These points are to be clarified in further discussions between the Generalitat Valenciana, the Diputación and the municipalities concerned. According to the authorities, responsibilities, funding shares and environmental assessments are among the matters to be addressed in the upcoming planning rounds.
With the extension, the regional government is moving closer to its goal of creating a connected network of retention and green spaces along the Túria and Poyo. In the planners’ view, this serves two purposes: reducing flood risk in densely populated areas of metropolitan Valencia and improving the ecology of heavily burdened water corridors. Statements about its effectiveness refer to the expected flattening of flood peaks and reduction of local flooding; reliable figures on future protection are not yet available and are expected only once detailed plans and permits are in place.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).