With the aim of restoring and improving the river habitats associated with the Saja River, as well as the defense against floods with nature-based solutions, the Ministry for Ecological Transition (MITECO) has awarded an amount of 5,230,504.21 € for the environmental recovery of the Saja River between the bridges of Santa Lucia and Virgen de la Peña, in the municipal terms of Cabezón de la Sal and Mazcuerras (Cantabria), to the companies INGENIERÍA Y DISEÑO TÉCNICO, S.A.U, ACEINSA MOBILITY S.A. and CENTRO DE JARDINERÍA LA ENCINA. in U.T.E.,
WORKS
The performance covers a stretch of about 6 km in length from the Virgen de la Peña bridge, which links the towns of Villanueva de la Peña and Virgen de la Peña, and the Santa Lucía bridge, located in Santibáñez (TT.MM. Head of the Salt and Mazcuerras).
The project includes a series of actions that include the improvement of the margins of the Saja River through the elimination of longitudinal barriers and their treatment by means of bioengineering techniques; the elimination of transversal obstacles; the reactivation of historical arms; the management of the existing vegetation, with eradication of invasive species and planting of native species; the execution of motorcycles away from the riverbed, of a metre of medium height, for the delimitation of the river space and defense against floods, and the increase of the rolling in avenues through hedges, retention barriers and buffer zones. These actions, together with the implementation of green filters, the collection and management of waste, will also contribute to the improvement of water quality.
These interventions aim to recover the habitat of the different species of river ecosystems (habitats of avifauna, amphibians and wood phytophages) which, together with the creation of a network of habitat islands, will increase even the diversification of the environment and the species that depend on it.
The actions include the installation of thematic posters, environmental volunteering and outreach activities, an interactive app as well as the development of a study to evaluate the success of the proposed restoration. In addition, the necessary means have been included to facilitate an agreement of custody of the territory of this stretch of the river between the Cantabrian Hydrographic Confederation and the interested public and private persons or entities as a tool for the conservation of nature and to value the social function of biodiversity.
This project, together with the actions being carried out by the Cantabrian Government in urban areas, will contribute to very significantly reduce the risk of flooding in the inhabited areas of Cabezón de la Sal and Mazcuerras.