The regional government of La Rioja presented the project on 6 November in Huércanos the project for a diversion channel for the Arroyo Valdulce to the Río Yalde The measure is intended to protect the town from future flooding of the kind that occurred after heavy rain in 2023 and 2024. A new route is planned to run south-west of the built-up area and join the Río Yalde.
According to the Department of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Affairs and the Environment, a channel around 2.3 kilometres long is planned. It will have a bed approximately 15 metres wide, banks with a 1:3 gradient, gravel reinforcement in the lower section and hydroseeding for vegetation. Two culverts will provide crossings for the regional roads LR-427 and LR-321. The regional government puts the investment at just under three million euros. Construction is expected to take around ten months, with work scheduled to begin in early 2027.
The responsible Consejera Noemí Manzanos presented the progress of the plans at a public information event for residents. Also in attendance were the Director General for Environmental Quality, Climate Change and Water, Isabel Vitoria, and the Mayor of Huércanos, Roberto Varona, together with experts from the Consejería's water resources service.
The administration stressed that the project is at the planning stage. The necessary permits, including those from the Confederación Hidrográfica del Ebro and the Dirección General de Infraestructuras, are being obtained or have been applied for. The construction works can only be put out to tender once the design work is complete, the project has been formally approved and funding is secured.
The planned diversion channel is La Rioja's response to repeated flooding in the centre of Huércanos, attributed to the Arroyo Valdulce overflowing. The regional government expects the measure to significantly reduce flood risk in the affected stretch. Beyond the key details given, no specific information is currently available about possible follow-up costs, nature conservation requirements or changes to the timetable. Information about the operation and maintenance of the new channel is expected after the approval procedures are complete.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).