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Residents in the western part of Cartagena have been puzzling over the construction work taking shape along the Canteras rambla, and in particular the large "pools" appearing in one of its bends near José Luis Meseguer Avenue. They're not pools as such, but flood retention basins, and they're at the heart of a €1.96 million European-funded project that will give Cartagena its first ever floodable park.

 

The basins are designed to capture and hold back rainwater during heavy downpours, slowing its advance, increasing infiltration into the ground and reducing the kind of dangerous flash flooding the area is prone to. When it's not raining, the landscaped spaces function as an ordinary public park.

 

The project, awarded to construction company Alpi and funded by the regional Ministry of Agriculture, includes two interconnected retention basins covering a combined area of more than 3,350m². Water is captured via a roadside ditch and, when the basins reach capacity, the excess drains safely into the dry river bed via a protected outlet.

 

The surrounding area is being fitted out as a proper public space, with an accessible pedestrian route, eight benches, nine waste bins, a calisthenics circuit, wooden fencing and 45 solar lights.

 

Extensive planting with native and climate-adapted species is also planned, including oleanders, pines, carob trees, Cartagena cypresses and lavender, alongside a butterfly garden aimed at supporting pollinators.

 

The project also includes a new prefabricated concrete bridge over the rambla at the end of Pasadera Avenue, replacing a crossing that previously ran almost at water level and posed a real risk during wet weather.

 

Lots of other similar projects are already being developed in the Region of Murcia. San Javier and Los Alcázares are among the municipalities planning to create floodable reservoirs to help manage heavy rainfall. Both towns are particularly vulnerable when a DANA (isolated high-altitude depression) affects the Campo de Cartagena, and national and regional authorities are working to prevent untreated stormwater from reaching the Mar Menor.

 

Another large-scale initiative is being led by Veolia in the El Soto area of Alcantarilla.

 

In neighbouring Alicante, Torrevieja has also invested heavily in floodable parks. Three such projects have been completed during the current council term alone, serving both as flood prevention measures and as a way of increasing green space in residential areas on the outskirts of the city.

 

Image: Ayuntamiento de Cartagena