The work to remove invasive reeds from the Magro ravine, as it passes through Utiel, has surpassed 50% completion. The objective is to clear the riverbed of obstacles that could impede water flow during floods and to environmentally restore the area. The operation is being carried out simultaneously in both headwaters of the ravine.
The Commissioner for Recovery, Raúl Mérida, accompanied by the mayor of Utiel, Ricardo Gabaldón, and the Director General for Recovery and Reconstruction, Sandra Castillo, visited the works. Mérida indicated that over 50% of the reed clearing and shredding has already been completed in this municipality.
Mayor Gabaldón highlighted the importance of this work to prevent reed accumulation, which obstructs the water flow. Additionally, other actions are being undertaken for citizen protection against floods, such as widening the riverbed and constructing a new bridge over the old N-III.
The Generalitat detailed the work plan, which includes two simultaneous teams at the ravine's headwaters: one in Utiel (west) and another in Alfarp and Llombai (east). The overall operation will cover 8 hectares of the Magro ravine, equivalent to about 10 football fields, along 3 kilometers.
Subsequently, an opaque tarp will be installed to prevent the plant from reproducing, as its roots are highly resistant. Following this, the riverbed will be renaturalized with the planting of native riparian forest species.
This action marks the first phase of the Generalitat's program to clean the entire Magro ravine, which will continue in the coming months across the 24 municipalities in the basin. In total, 160 linear kilometers of ravines in 50 municipalities within the Magro and Turia basins will be cleared, with a budget of 59 million euros.
