LIFE IREKIBAI project: opening our rivers

The LIFE IREKIBAI project (LIFE14 NAT / ES / 186) concludes fulfilling its objectives: to improve connectivity and habitats in rivers shared by Navarra and Gipuzkoa. The project partners (Gipuzkoa Provincial Council, Basque Water Agency, Navarra Environmental Management and the HAZI Foundation) show their main results in this video.

Changes after removing the Olloki weir (Gipuzkoa)

In this video you can see how the Leitzaran river adapts to the two demolition phases of the Olloki weir. In the first phase, in autumn 2018, the height of the weir was lowered and a nearby stream (Santolaz) was stabilized. In the second phase (autumn 2019), this obstacle, the only insurmountable one in the Gipuzkoan section of the Leitzaran River, was eliminated.

Environmental restoration work in the area around Truchas Erreka. Leitzaran river (Gipuzkoa)

The old Truchas Erreka fish farm occupied an area of 13,000 m2 alongside the River Leitzaran. As part of the LIFE IREKIBAI Project the abandoned structures of the fish farm have been demolished, which basically consisted of numerous fish-rearing ponds, some buildings and the water inlet dam on the river next to its diversion channel. The work has been supplemented by fitting out the land, extending the fertile land and plantations, and building a lock for fish to pass through into the dam located upstream of the demolished intake weir.
The activities carried out during the three stages that the building work was divided into can be seen in this video.

Informative video about the changes to the River Leitzaran

The river adapted to the constant changes as the demolition work on the Inturia dam progressed. This video shows these changes from fixed points over the four years, during which time the level of water in the dam gradually dropped, until finally disappearing. We can see how erosion and the change in the river system are more pronounced in the immediate vicinity of the dam and that their evolution accelerates as the demolition work advances.

Demolition of the Endarlatsa dam (Navarre)

The Endarlatsa dam was formally used to produce electrical energy. It is currently in disuse. It is between 1.86-2.83m high and 46.18m long. It has 2 fish ways (trough ladders), the oldest located in the centre of the dam and the other positioned on the left-hand side (constructed in 1993), and a water intake on the right-hand side.
The complete demolition of the site has been proposed. Over 12 km of obstacle-free river will be achieved, from where the Bidasoa meets the Cantabrian Sea, along which all the fish will be able to move freely. This video shows the demolition works that have been carried out.

Demolition of the old Bera power station dam (Navarre)

The San Martín dam was formally used to produce electrical energy. Water Confederation concession dates from 1910. It is currently in disuse. In 2016, this is the third dam on the axis of the Bidasoa encountered by fish species migrating from the sea, on the main axis of the Bidasoa. Across 1,500 m the Bera Plant dam generates a backwater that alters the characteristics of the channel, substituting the series of rapids, pools and tables that are ideal for the majority of fish species within the SCZ.
The dam made from masonry has a maximum height of 2.86m and length from bank to bank of 102.84m. The dam has no fish way device as such. This video shows the demolition works that have been carried out.

Completion of the Inturia demolition works. Leitzaran (Gipuzkoa)

The Inturia dam interrupted the course of the Leitzaran river and altered its ecosystems along a lengthy stretch.  This obsolete infrastructure has been removed within the LIFE IREKIBAI project. Its removal started with demolition works from a previous European project, GURATRANS.

The demolition was divided up into four phases. This way the river had time to adapt to the changes that occurred between phases.

This video shows the demolition works that have been carried out.

Apariciones del Proyecto LIFE IREKIBAI en Medios audiovisuales

The LIFE IREKIBAI project, in the Teknopolis programme

The Teknopolis programme, by EITB Group, spent a night with LIFE IREKIBAI’s Pyrenean desman tracking team. In the feature, researchers from DESMA Environmental Studies and the UPV/EHU explain how they perform their work and their initial results.

They are finding more than expected of this species that is so difficult to find, thanks to new focuses on how to set up surveillance. The Pyrenean desman (Galemys pyrenaicus) is a small semi-aquatic mammal facing huge threats. Not much is known about it, and it only inhabits exceptionally well-preserved rivers in the north of the Peninsula. (2016/10/2)

La acción de voluntariado en ríos del Proyecto LIFE IREKIBAI en el Programa “ElkarRekin” de Hamaika Telebista

El Programa "ElkarRekin" de Hamaika Telebista,  en su emisión del 25 de agosto de 2017 “Ibaiak eta medikuak”, trata el tema del voluntariado ambiental en ríos que se está desarrollando gracias al proyecto LIFE IREKIBAI. Y entrevista a Ana Varela técnica de participación y comunicación del Proyecto LIFE IREKIBAI en Navarra, a Juan Kruz Iriarte Concejal del Ayuntamiento de Baztan, a Miren Meoki técnica de residuos del Ayuntamiento de Baztan, y a Aitor Irazoki director de la Ikastola Tantirumairu de Lesaka, quienes explican las acciones de voluntariado ambiental en ríos que se están desarrollando en Navarra por parte de estas entidades con el apoyo del proyecto, y que buscan una implicación ciudadana en la conservación y mejora de los ríos. (Ver desde el minuto 1:16' hasta el minuto 13:50')
Vídeo

Videos of the demolition of the Inturia dam made through the EFA 221/11 GURATRANS project

Demolition of the Inturia dam

The Inturia dam disrupts the River Leitzaran and affects its ecosystems over a long stretch. Two of the four stages of demolition required in order to remove this obsolete infrastructure have been completed as part of the European Guratrans project.
The reason for splitting the action up into stages is to allow the river enough time (one year) to adapt to the changes as they are produced. This video summarises the demolition work carried out.

Changes following the partial demolition of Inturia

After the first two stages of the demolition of the Inturia dam, the first changes to the river can be observed. The quickest and most evident is the disappearance of the reservoir area, but the entire riverbed and its banks are also changing gradually as a result of the new situation.

Monitoring the changes following the partial demolition of Inturia

Monitoring the changes in the River Leitzaran following the first two stages of demolition of the Inturia dam, performed as part of the European Guratrans project. This video shows the techniques used to study the changes.

Inturia, 14 months of work at a glance

This is a time-lapse video showing how the environment around the Inturia dam changed during the first two stages of the demolition work carried out as part of the Guratrans project.