Besòs estuary restoration will create new lagoons by 2028 to attract wildlife and eliminate invasive reeds. This ambitious environmental project aims to return the river delta to its natural state after decades of pollution and channelisation.
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Historic Transformation for Besòs Estuary
The Besòs river, once considered one of Europe’s most polluted waterways, continues its remarkable recovery journey. Furthermore, the new project will restore approximately 13 hectares at the river’s mouth between Sant Adrià’s beaches. Consequently, this represents the latest phase in the river’s rehabilitation after its dramatic pollution during the second half of the 20th century.
The initiative will recreate the lagoons that existed before the river’s channelisation in the 1970s. Meanwhile, the transformation aims to make the area wilder and more marsh-like, similar to its original condition. Additionally, the project has secured significant European Union funding through FEDER grants.
Funding and Timeline for Besòs Restoration
The European Union has committed €1,088,000 to the project through FEDER funding. Moreover, the Barcelona Metropolitan Area and Sant Adrià Town Council will jointly cover 60% of the remaining €2.7 million cost. Therefore, the complete transformation must be finished by August 2028 to comply with funding requirements.
Álvaro Sainz, head of projects and works for the AMB technical office, explains the ecological importance. “We need wetlands to generate biodiversity,” he states. “We’re trying to renaturalise a river that, fundamentally, remains a channel.”
Wildlife and Biodiversity Enhancement
The restoration specifically targets several key species as indicators of environmental health. Particularly, project leaders hope to attract kingfishers, otters and eels back to the area. These species serve as important markers for soil and water quality improvement.
The project also aims to reintroduce the ‘fartet’, a threatened fish species that has disappeared from the Besòs. Furthermore, planners are considering creating a saline pool in the delta to facilitate its return. Accordingly, conditions will be developed to encourage birds to nest in the estuary area.
Vegetation Management and Public Access
Project managers plan significant vegetation diversification alongside invasive species removal. Native riverside and fluvial plants will be reintroduced while American cane, an invasive species that has proliferated during drought conditions, will be eradicated.
Access restrictions will be enhanced to protect the sensitive habitat. Although the area is currently off-limits, many people ignore the fencing. Consequently, a groundwater channel will be created as a natural barrier between public areas and the protected zone.
José A. Gras, Sant Adrià’s deputy mayor for Territory, describes the project as “the icing on the cake for recovering a river that was little more than an open sewer.” The Besòs estuary restoration represents a crucial metropolitan-scale environmental initiative that completes the river’s remarkable transformation from pollution to ecological treasure.
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