Calp to rewild its urban ravines against flooding

Calp council now has a plan for the urban stretches of the Quisi and Pou Roig ravines: remove invasive giant cane, plant native species, widen the channel and redo La Saleta park. It is expected to cost about €1.6 million and take several years.

The plan covers 889 metres of the Quisi and 786 metres of the Pou Roig inside the town. Giant cane (Arundo donax) covers more than 10,000 m² there, crowding out native plants and blocking drainage during heavy rain. It will be dug out with the roots sieved and “baked” under black sheeting, while stone deflectors will be placed in the channel and tamarisk, chaste tree and rushes planted. In September 2022 local police officer Juan Manuel Policarpo Moll died on duty during a flood in one of these channels.

La Saleta park (16,000 m²) at the north end of the Quisi will become a lookout over the Serra d’Oltà: the channel wall will be set back to widen it by five metres, paths will be permeable and there will be play and sports areas. The council has not yet announced when work will start.