Demolition of the Retuerta Dam on the Aravalle River. Umbrías. Ávila (Spain)

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Environment launched in 2007 the National Strategy for River Restoration to, in keeping with the Water Framework Directive, achieve a good ecological status of rivers. One of the main lines of action is the demolition of transversal obstacles that are in a state of abandonment and have a great impact on the longitudinal connectivity of rivers.

 

In the Duero River basin, more than 80 obstacles have been demolished in recent years. During the months of February and March of 2013,

the works to demolish the Retuerta Dam, on the Aravalle river, located in the municipality of Umbrías (province of Ávila) took place. The dam is approximately 14 metres in height and 55 metres in length, making it the highest dam demolished to date. The removal of this dam was contemplated as a compensation measure in an Environmental Impact Statement, with the purpose of recovering the longitudinal connectivity of the Aravalle River in this stretch, which constitutes a rich fluvial ecosystem, torrential in nature, and with abundant ichthyofauna. In fact, the Aravalle River is one of the most relevant courses for sustaining fish populations within the Tormes River system.

There has also been work related to monitoring the mobilization of sediments and the recovery of the fluvial ecosystem, as well as public information and participation seminars.

All this process is shown in the next link.