Interested parties have a period of 20 days for public consultation, during which they may submit any allegations and comments they deem appropriate.
The Eonfederation of the Ebro River (CHE) has initiated the public information process of Phase 2 of the project for the morphological adaptation and environmental restoration of the Ebro River in the “El Ortigoso” site, located in the municipality of Milagro (Navarra).
This initiative, part of the second phase of intervention, is part of the combined actions developed by the Ebro Resilience Strategy and aims toreduce the risk of flooding in the area, improve the environmental quality of the river ecosystem and promote a sustainable public use of the environment.
The Phase 1, completed in 2023, focused on the islands and the right bank of the Ebro and involved the recovery of 6.4 hectares of river space, therestoration of two lost branches of the river, each over 400 meters long, and the planting of more than 12,000 native plants . These works, the first of the Ebro Resilience Strategy completed in Navarra, demonstrated their positive effect on the recovery of the river’s natural dynamics and the reduction of flood damage.
The project and the detailed list of assets and rights affected by the intervention will be available for consultation for a period of 20 working days. Interested citizens may review the documentation at the offices of the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation in Zaragoza, by appointment, or access it in digital format through the organization’s website (www.chebro.es). Likewise, this information will be posted on the bulletin board of the Milagro Town Hall.
During this period, allegations and observations may be submitted to the CHE, either electronically or through the aforementioned town hall.
Morphological adaptation and environmental restoration
The project, authorized by the Directorate General for Water of the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge, seeks to correct the current narrowing of the riverbed, increase its drainage capacity and recover the native riverside vegetation. To this end, several actions will be carried out, among which the following stand out:
- Dike removal: The existing flood defense dike will be removed along a 1,838-meter stretch, excavating a volume of 44,595 cubic meters of material. Part of these materials will be reused for the construction of new defenses further away from the riverbed.
- Construction of a new recessed defense: With a length of 1,098 meters, this structure will expand the river’s mobility space and improve flood management.
- Recovery of native vegetation: Invasive exotic species will be eliminated and 1,875 specimens of trees and shrubs characteristic of the riparian ecosystem will be planted. In addition, 11.57 hectares will be treated to favor the natural regeneration of the vegetation.
- Improved public use: An informative sign will be installed about the project and the paths used during the works will be replaced to guarantee access to the public. Ditches that have fallen into disuse after the intervention will also be removed.
- Control and monitoring of the works: Regular technical tests will be carried out and a photographic and audiovisual record of the process will be kept to document progress and ensure compliance with environmental objectives.
This project is a further step in the environmental restoration of the Ebro River, in line with the objectives of the Ebro Hydrological Plan, the Water Framework Directive and the Natura 2000 Network, thus contributing to improving the biodiversity and resilience of the ecosystem in the face of extreme climatic phenomena.