The fluvial geomorphology of the lower Ebro (2002-2013): bridging gaps between management and research

R.J. Batalla; D. Vericat; A. Tena

doi:10.18172/cig.2569

Autores/as

R.J. Batalla Fluvial Dynamics Research Group - RIUS, Department of Environment and Soil Sciences, University of Lleida, E-25198 Lleida, Catalonia Catalan Institute for Water Research - ICRA, E-17003 Girona, Catalonia Forest Science Centre of Catalonia - CTFC, E-25280 Solsona, Catalonia
D. Vericat Fluvial Dynamics Research Group - RIUS, Department of Environment and Soil Sciences, University of Lleida, E-25198 Lleida, Catalonia, Spain Forest Science Centre of Catalonia - CTFC, E-25280 Solsona, Catalonia, Spain. Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth SY23 3FL, Wales, UK.
A. Tena Fluvial Dynamics Research Group - RIUS, Department of Environment and Soil Sciences, University of Lleida, E-25198 Lleida, Catalonia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18172/cig.2569

Palabras clave:

transporte de sedimento, régimen sedimentario, régimen fluvial, crecidas de mantenimiento, presas, río Ebro

Resumen

Este artículo resume doce años de investigación sobre procesos fluviales en el bajo Ebro (NE España). La regulación a la que está sometida la cuenca y, especialmente, su tramo bajo, ha alterado los regímenes hidrológico y sedimentario del río, afectando, a su vez, a su funcionamiento físico y ecológico. Los datos hidrológicos, de transporte de sedimentos y de morfología del cauce (movilidad de partículas, estructura del lecho) han permitido, por ejemplo, diseñar y mejorar la efectividad de las crecidas de mantenimiento desde su primera ejecución en el año 2002. Los principales objetivos de estas crecidas artificiales son controlar el exceso de vegetación acuática (macrófitos) en el cauce y mantener una mínima actividad sedimentaria en el río aguas abajo del complejo de presas de Mequinenza - Ribarroja - Flix. Los resultados confirman el desequilibrio sedimentario que experimenta el tramo bajo del Ebro, siendo la carga sedimentaria transportada el 1% de la estimada a principios del siglo XX (en ausencia de presas y con usos del suelo diferentes a los actuales). Los cambios morfológicos reflejan una mayor estabilidad del lecho desde el cierre de las presas así como una significativa reducción de la disponibilidad de sedimento, hechos que han contribuido de manera significativa al fuerte déficit sedimentario que afecta a este tramo de río. La notable capacidad de transporte demostrada por las crecidas de mantenimiento sugiere que la combinación de las mismas con otras medidas de restauración, como las inyecciones de sedimento, podría mejorar el ecosistema ribereño, reduciendo la población de macrófitos y aumentando la transferencia de sedimentos al sistema deltaico.

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