In this provincial plan, the Guadalhorce river continues to be the focus of a significant portion of the projects, although it is no longer the sole focus. The middle section of the river and its tributaries between Cártama and Álora, awarded for 2.59 million euros, is part of this group.
Other previously identified areas around Cártama, such as the section between the underpass beneath the A-357 and the confluence with the Arroyo de la Breña stream, with a budget of just over 2.06 million euros, and the area between the mouth of the Arroyo Torres stream and the underpass beneath the same road (a 2.25-million-euro budget), also form part of the overall project.
These projects were already outlined in the preliminary information, but they are now integrated into a broader strategy for the Costa del Sol province.
From there, the plan clearly expands its scope. On the right bank of the Guadalhorce, the Junta will work on streams in the sub-basin affecting Coín and Alhaurín el Grande, within a contract awarded for 2.33 million euros. In addition, there is another contract for 1.73 million euros to address the middle and lower reaches of the Guadalhorce and its tributaries on the right riverbank, in the area around Casarabonela and Pizarra.
In other words, the water emergency is not limited to a specific point in the valley, but rather it affects several municipalities where the rains have altered the morphology of the riverbeds and reduced their capacity to respond well to flooding.
Inclusion of the Rio Grande
One of the plan's highlights is the inclusion of the Grande river and its network of tributaries. In the sub-basin of this river, the Junta has awarded 2.42 million euros for work in Guaro and Tolox. An additional 2.42 million euros has been allocated to work on tributary streams of the Grande in Monda, including Casarín, Helechos, Gaimón and Seco. This expands the plan beyond simply addressing the Guadalhorce river alone, becoming a more comprehensive initiative encompassing several river systems particularly hard hit by the winter storms that battered the whole region.
The planned work goes far beyond a simple clear-up. According to information provided by the Junta, the projects include the use of heavy machinery to restore proper flow to the riverbeds, transport of materials to landfill or storage areas, repair and maintenance of riverbank defences, hydrological corrections and removal of vegetation blockages, rubble and debris.
In sections where necessary, manual labour will also be carried out, including felling, pruning, clearing and removing reed beds, as well as restoring riverbank vegetation. Complete replacement of some sections is even envisaged when the level of deterioration warrants it.
In addition to all this work, the contracting of technical assistance for project management, health and safety coordination and environmental monitoring must be included at a total cost of 724,381 euros. All work will be done in collaboration with the affected municipalities and local authorities and information will be shared with the agricultural sector and cooperatives, a crucial aspect in areas where the riverbed, agricultural activity and the safety of the population coexist in a delicate balance.
