Disaster-proofing Marbella's reservoir: La Concepción will have new sensor, communications and monitoring systems

Infrastructure

The regional government has awarded a 2.1-million-euro contract for a project focused on reducing reliance on human intervention and improving early warning systems for the population along this stretch of the Costa del Sol

Chus Heredia

Whether they are designed for flood control or water supply, dams are undoubtedly complex infrastructures, subject to numerous factors and vulnerable to weather events, seismic ... activity and other hazards.

Everything must be checked, documented and prepared for in case of an incident. Every sensor, every spillway, every gauge, every communication system, the list goes on. This is especially true for a type A dam, as is La Concepción, located between Marbella and Istán.

This category includes all dams whose rupture or malfunction could result in loss of life. This obliges the authorities to have early detection mechanisms and immediate intervention tools in place. This is the key to the contract recently awarded by the Junta's regional ministry for agriculture.

A dam over half a century old

La Concepción came into service more than half a century ago in 1972 and has never had any significant problems, other than its insufficient capacity to store all the water that flows into it (from the Verde river and the Guadaiza-Guadalmina-Guadalmansa triple transfer system).

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• • Another view of the reservoir. (Josele)

    The implementation of the emergency plan includes the deployment of a redundant communications system designed to withstand the most adverse environmental conditions or possible power outages. The communications system at La Concepción dam will link the dam's new emergency room at the dam itself to the Malaga control centre via four transmission channels (mobile, radio, fibre optic and satellite).

    89.55

    metres from the foundations.

    This is the height of the dam, which can flood an area of up to 215 hectares.

    This telecommunications network will govern the revamped public warning system, consisting of several siren stations distributed throughout the municipality and the affected areas downstream of the Verde river. The control centre will be equipped with advanced siren remote control software that will allow alerts to be activated remotely. The equipment the river basin control centre in Malaga will be completely renewed and specific training and outreach programmes will be developed so that both operators and the public are familiar with the protocols.

    Beyond the technological deployment, there is a significant budget allocation for carrying out complementary civil engineering work. The most important is the complete renovation of the dam's internal drainage network, a key element for dissipating the interstitial pressures exerted by seepage of the filtered water inside the concrete structure.

    Service road

    The dam's service road is also being improved. This road, which begins at a roundabout at kilometre marker 5+300 on the local A-7176 (Istán-A-7) road, is about five kilometres long. Its renovation will ensure the safe passage of heavy vehicles and emergency equipment.

    There will also be a geotechnical research campaign that will include taking soil samples to assess the state of the foundations after almost half a century of active use.