The demolition work on the dam of the old Bera Central and the Endarlatsa dam has been completed. Both dams have been demolished, under the LIFE IREKIBAI project, during the months of September and October 2016.
Both dams were located in the area called Río Bidasoa, designated as a Special Conservation Zone (ZEC) due to its natural values, among which its fish farming community and natural habitats, flora and wildlife representative of Navarra’s biological diversity.
The existence of dams and rivers in rivers is considered one of the main causes, although not the only one, of the regression suffered by populations mainly of salmon and migratory species in rivers. These dams influence in this sense the population of tarpon, sea lamprey and salmon, but also in the eel, trout and other fish species.
The Endarlatsa dam was the first obstacle in the Bidasoa river since its mouth with the sea. After the performance it has been achieved that the last 12 km. Bidasoa are free of transversal obstacles, in addition to eliminating almost 2000m backwater generated by the dam. The dam of the old Central de Bera, was the third dam on the axis of Bidasoa, which were the fish species that migrate from the sea on the main axis of Bidasoa. The azure of the Central de Bera generated over 1,500 m a backwater that modified the characteristics of the river bed replacing the succession of rapids, ponds and tables typical of a river and that generates the environments that most species of fauna need of the ZEC.
These obstacles also represent an inconvenience in achieving the “good ecological state” of the Bidasoa River, since they alter the structure and substrate of the riverbed, and worsen river connectivity. They also modify the banks and natural processes as relevant as sediment circulation and nutrient capture. These two actions seek to continue improving both the conservation status of river habitats and species, and the state of water bodies of the Bidasoa River.
We would like to highlight the two videos on the demolition of the Bera and Endarlatsa dams, as well as the reports of these actions.