Author(s): Paola Sangalli; Sergio Sangalli; Guillermo Tardio

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Abstract: The town of Bakio, located on the Cantabrian coast (North of Spain), is subject to significant flooding, which is attributable to the confluence of two factors: the flooding of the Estepona River and the equinoctial tides. These phenomena have a substantial impact on a considerable portion of the town's urban area. To mitigate the adverse effects and enhance the area's resilience to climate emergencies, the following project has been undertaken. This consists of de-channelizing a section of the river and enabling the current floodplain (4 hectares) to mitigate the floods and remove part of the homes in the vicinity from risk. The project also involves integrating the floodplain as a park in the town center. Bakio is a small municipality located on the Cantabrian coast, with a population of approximately 2,600 inhabitants. The town is situated in a valley through which the Estepona River flows and is surrounded by mountains that reach a height of approximately 500 meters. The Estepona River is 14 km long and has a catchment area of 24.7 km2. The river is characterised by its steep gradient, short concentration time, and torrential nature, attributable to the high levels of rainfall in the region. The river has been significantly altered within the urban area, mainly through canalization, a process that has extended to the mouth of the river. In addition to the morphological alterations observed, the river has undergone a significant change in the vegetation on its banks, with a notable presence of invasive plant species. The rainfall regime in the area, the abundance of tributaries, the presence of tides, and the limited space of the river cause the flow rates to increase very rapidly and tend to overflow (Smith et al., 2022).

DOI: https://doi.org/10.64697/iahr.proc.ise2026.abs.258

Year: 2026