KREAN drafts the ‘La Nogalera 2025’ Project to combat flooding in Burlada

The LA NOGALERA 2025 project covers a series of actions to be implemented in the short term to tackle the river problems heightened by climate change and improve the hydraulic management of the River Arga in Burlada, Navarra. These measures seek to facilitate a transition to a safer and more sustainable model, including the relocation of existing defences (longitudinal motes). The focus is on strengthening the fluvial ecosystem by ceding space to the river and optimising its flow, which will result in a reduction of long-term urban vulnerability to flooding.

Over the last few years (2013-2021), Burlada has repeatedly suffered the devastating effects of floods caused by the flooding of the Arga River. In particular, on 10 December 2021, the town experienced severe damage valued at over €4,000,000, affecting streets, homes, businesses and other infrastructure. These events are attributed to the lack of regulation of the Arga and Ultzama rivers, although the Eugi reservoir is located in the upper basin of the former (function: supply of the Pamplona region, not flow regulation), whose headwaters are exposed to rainfall and thaws, heightened by sudden climatic changes.

Faced with the challenge posed by climate change, Burlada Town Council is drawing up a short- and long-term environmental programme to strengthen the town's resilience to flooding. Within this framework, a detailed analysis of the measures to be implemented in the short term was carried out, with the aim of better understanding the flow of the river Arga in Burlada and improving its hydraulic management. This analysis has culminated in the LA NOGALERA 2025 project, the preparation of which was awarded to KREAN following a public tender process.

On 17 May, the public presentation of the main lines of the project took place in front of a hundred or so local residents. Berta Arizkun, Mayoress of Burlada, Ana Aristu, municipal architect, Arantxa San Julián, Environment technician of the City Council, and Juan Carlos Ovalle, Engineer in charge of the project at KREAN, explained the objectives and details of the plan and answered various questions raised by the audience. The meeting was also attended by Oihana Lorea, from Artelan, the firm that will be in charge of the participatory processes.

The project was submitted, along with 329 other proposals, to a call for proposals with European funds (Next Generation) from the Biodiversity Foundation, a public body dependent on the Ministry for Ecological Transition. Only 37 projects were selected, and the Burlada project is the only one in Navarra. Out of a budget of more than 1.7 million euros, it will receive around 1.6 million, 95%.

The drafting of the project will be completed by September 2024 and the works defined therein will be carried out in 2025 and should be finished by the end of the same year.

Regarding the citizen participation process, a session will be held on 29 May to present the project in the Palacete Municipal at 5 p.m., and on 5 June, starting from the same place and at the same time, a tour of the field of action will take place. In June, neighbours will be invited to identify the needs of the project and to collect proposals, and the creation of a working group and the presentation of the project are planned for September.