- The PP in vega Baja accuses the national government and the Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (CHS) of inaction six years after the DANA (extreme storm) that hit the region.
- Key anti-flood projects – the channeling (encauzamiento) of the Rambla de Abanilla and the Tabala dam – remain at project or study stage without budget allocation.
- PP leaders Ana Serna and María Gómez demand accelerated work and express concern about irrigation water quality and the risk of a 2027 ”hydric blackout” if the Tajo-Segura transfer is closed.
- The Generalitat Valenciana has advanced some local flood-defense works and invested in irrigation and drainage projects, according to PP representatives.
PP: Six years after the DANA, promised anti-flood works in Vega Baja still stalled
ORIHUELA – the provincial and local leaders of Spain’s Partido Popular (PP) in the Vega Baja comarca have publicly accused the central government and the Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (CHS) of failing to carry out critical anti-flood infrastructure promised after the devastating DANA storm six years ago.
Key demands and warnings from the PP
- María Gómez, the PP’s regional coordinator for vega Baja, demanded that the CHS speed up the channeling of the Rambla de Abanilla – a dry riverbed that risks overflowing and flooding the huerta (irrigated orchards) of Orihuela and adjacent areas.
- Gómez also pressed for immediate execution of the Tabala dam, an anti-flood lamination reservoir designed to contain floodwaters during heavy rains.
- Ana Serna, secretary general of the PP in the Province of Alicante, warned of urgent water-quality and supply problems for local farmers ahead of a potential “hydric blackout” in 2027 if the Tajo-Segura transfer were to be closed.
Background: the DANA and unfulfilled promises
After the heavy rains and flooding caused by the DANA in the Vega Baja six years ago, the national Ministry for Ecological Transition committed to several preventive works to reduce flood risk. According to PP spokespeople, these commitments have not been honoured: most projects that fall under the CHS remain at the planning or study stage and lack budget consignments.
What the PP says has and hasn’t been done
- Gómez said the only CHS work completed was a small intervention on a river point in Almoradí that afterward failed, while the Rambla de Abanilla channelling and Tabala dam remain unexecuted.
- Ana Serna credited the Generalitat Valenciana with advancing €80 million in water-infrastructure investment over two years – a figure she contrasted with the previous overall €30 million executed under the prior regional government.
Water security concerns: the Tajo-Segura transfer and 2027 risk
PP leaders also used the Orihuela press appearance to press the national PSOE and Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez on long-term water security. Serna asked for guarantees that irrigation water of sufficient quality will be available for Vega Baja farmers “before the hydric blackout in 2027,” a reference to concerns that the Tajo-segura water transfer could be reduced or closed in coming years.
Party rhetoric and political context
Serna described dialog with the national government as “impractical,” saying the PSOE arrives with “stories” and “lies” instead of solutions. The PP argues that only a change of government in Spain would ensure decisive action on both flood prevention and water supply guarantees.
Works advanced by the Generalitat Valenciana
While criticizing the central government and the CHS, the PP highlighted several regional actions led by the Generalitat:
- Adequacy and repair of acequias and azarbes damaged by the DANA.
- Projects to improve flood management such as dredging the Guardamar mouth and other drainage works.
- A polder in San Fulgencio serving as a containment dyke and a planned storm tank (tank de tormentas) to protect the Vega baja hospital,with an initial budget allocation of €1 million.
Project status snapshot
| Project | Responsible | Current status (per PP) |
|---|---|---|
| Rambla de Abanilla channeling | Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura (CHS) | projects/studies; no budget consignation; risks of overflow |
| Tabala dam (anti-flood lamination) | CHS / Ministry of Ecological Transition | At study stage; no budget allocation reported |
| Local acequia and azarbes repairs | Generalitat Valenciana | Underway; budgeted and progressing |
Immediate concerns and short-term recommendations
- PP leaders urged the CHS to keep riverbeds and ramblas clear of debris, especially before autumn months when DANA/gota fría events and heavy rains are more likely.
- They asked for urgent budget consignments and an accelerated timetable for the Rambla de Abanilla and Tabala projects.
- The regional PP stressed the need for guarantees about irrigation water quality to avoid agricultural damage and social-economic impacts if the Tajo-Segura transfer is altered.
what’s next: political and technical timelines
According to the PP statements in Orihuela, the next steps should include:
- CHS publication of concrete project schedules and budget consignments for Rambla de Abanilla and Tabala.
- Short-term cleaning and maintenance of channels by CHS and municipal authorities to reduce immediate flood risk.
- Regional and national dialogue – or political change – to ensure long-term water-security measures and flood-prevention budgets.
Conclusion
Six years after the DANA battered Vega Baja, municipal and provincial PP leaders say the central government’s flood-prevention commitments have not materialized.While the generalitat Valenciana has advanced local protections and drainage projects, the two major CHS-led works – the Rambla de Abanilla channelling and the Tabala dam – remain in planning with no clear funding or execution timeline. The political dispute over obligation and urgency adds pressure as the region faces continuing flood risk and looming questions over future water supplies.
Sources and credits
- Diario de la Vega: “El PP denuncia que Sánchez sigue sin hacer las obras antirriadas seis años después de la DANA de la Vega Baja” – https://www.diariodelavega.com/el-pp-denuncia-que-sanchez-sigue-sin-hacer-las-obras-antirriadas-seis-anos-despues-de-la-dana-de-la-vega-baja/