In contemporary weeks, because of a chain of storms, many areas of Spain have suffered main floods. A few of these befell in basins suffering from power water shortages for many of the 12 months, as came about in Andalusia.
Seeing such a lot water flooding towns and fields and overflowing rivers in the ones spaces, lets ask ourselves if, along with assuaging those floods, it might be conceivable to make use of a few of that extra water that at last flows into the ocean.
Present standing (as of 02/10/2026) of reservoirs within the hydrographic spaces of the Spanish peninsula. Javier Lillo in accordance with information from the Hydrological Bulletin, MITECO, CC BI-SA Anomalous collection of intense storms
From hurricane Benjamin – which used to be preceded by means of hurricane Alice – to the newest, Oriana, within the 3rd week of February, there were 14 related storms in Spain because the get started of 2026.
This collection of intense and extended precipitation seems to be brought about by means of anomalies in atmospheric stream dynamics which may be related to marked warming within the Arctic.
Thus, the southward motion of the polar jet brings chilly air lots into touch with very wet subtropical air lots, inflicting a chain of intense storms. Consequently, the peninsula’s reasonable rainfall for the month of January considerably exceeded the five-year reasonable.
The evolution of precipitation within the final 5 hydrological years and the fashion for the present 12 months. Javier Lilo in accordance with information from the Hydrological Bulletin, MITECO, CC BI-SA Floods, runoff and infiltration
Floods are brought about by means of extra runoff, which mainly will depend on two components: water infiltration into the soil and rainfall depth. When the latter exceeds the previous, runoff happens: water starts to glide over the outside of the earth.
However infiltration varies with the quantity of water within the soil: it’s upper when the soil is dry and stabilizes on the lowest values when the soil is saturated, in order that when it rains on already saturated soil there may be extra runoff than when it isn’t.
Courting between infiltration (infiltration curve) and rainfall depth (hyetogram) in case of rainfall (bathe). Runoff (extra rainfall) happens when rainfall depth exceeds infiltration, which decreases because the soil turns into saturated till it stabilizes when it reaches saturation. Javier Lilo, CC BI-SA
In urbanized spaces the place many of the land is closed, there is not any infiltration and just about all rain turns into runoff. If rainfall continues through the years and drainage techniques – whether or not herbal channels or sewer techniques – don’t seem to be enough to evacuate stated runoff, then flooding happens.
If you wish to intrude within the match of heavy rainfall, each for flood mitigation and for the usage of extra water, you should act on runoff (floor water) and infiltration (groundwater).
Variations in runoff and infiltration between non-urbanized environments (rural/herbal) and urbanized environments (city/commercial). Javier Lillo, CC BI-SA Answers for making the most of water in towns
Taking into consideration that each processes happen otherwise in city or commercial environments and in herbal or rural environments, the control of surplus water for its use shall be other.
In city and commercial environments, hydropluvial answers imagine two other approaches. One is in accordance with the implementation of assortment and garage infrastructure. Any other way specializes in enabling herbal infiltration into a collection of nature-based answers.
City or commercial drainage answers come with city drainage techniques or SUDS, which stands for Sustainable City Drainage Gadget, which incorporates:
Permeable pavements, which can also be direct infiltration or with a drainage machine.
Ecological roofs, rain assortment.
Inexperienced spaces and rain gardens (flood parks), the place direct infiltration is conceivable.
Synthetic wetlands, the place direct infiltration is facilitated.
Trenches, tunnels and drainage wells, which can also be direct infiltration or with a drainage machine.
Typhoon tanks, which retailer rainwater gathered in drainage techniques.
Hydropluvial answers in urbanized spaces: (1) permeable pavement with direct infiltration into the bottom, (2) permeable pavement with drainage catchment machine, (3) inexperienced house with direct infiltration, (4) synthetic wetland with direct infiltration, (5) drainage ditch with drainage machine and drainage tank (6) drainage machine. Javier Lillo, CC BI-SA Movements within the herbal surroundings: taking good care of rivers and plants
In terms of downpours in herbal or rural spaces, the primary function is to keep watch over the channel to mitigate spills and floods, along with the usage of extra water, whilst keeping up the ecosystem of the channel is inevitable.
Due to this fact, on typical infrastructures for hydraulic assortment and legislation, corresponding to dams and reservoirs – which is able to reason, amongst different affects, channel fragmentation – nature-based answers turn out to be related.
On this approach, the function is to reinforce infiltration with a twin function: to scale back runoff and build up aquifer recharge, i.e. garage as groundwater. Plants shall be of significant significance in preventing rain and bettering infiltration. Answers come with:
Transforming and geomorphological recovery (restoration and advent of recharge spaces: depressions, canals, lagoons, terraces, and so on.).
Revegetation, restoration and upkeep of forests (afforestation and afforestation) and autochthonous plants duvet.
Coastal renaturation.
Development, recovery and conservation of wetlands.
Herbal answers for runoff keep watch over and usage: (1) channel transforming and geomorphological recovery; (2) recovery of plants, restoration and upkeep of forests; (3) renaturation of the river financial institution; (4) advent and preservation of wetlands and (5) advent and preservation of ponds and lakes. Javier Lillo, CC BI-SA Affect evaluate
As with typical assortment and garage techniques, those nature-based answers should be applied allowing for all conceivable affects on quite a lot of hydrological processes.
Answering the preliminary query, there are tactics and gear that allow the usage of extra water in circumstances of intense rainfall, each typical – in accordance with the development of hydraulic infrastructure – and unconventional – answers in accordance with nature. However in each circumstances it is very important to evaluate the hydrological and ecological affects that its utility would possibly produce.
