The Friends of the Wetlands of Southern Alicante, known as AHSA, have expressed significant concerns regarding the upcoming dredging project at the mouth of the River Segura. The Generalitat Valenciana plans to execute this project to enhance drainage capacity for future flooding scenarios. However, environmentalists argue that the ecological costs outweigh any potential benefits, particularly due to the presence of pollutants in the sediment to be extracted.

AHSA describes the project as an ‘aberration’ noting that it involves the removal of native wetlands, specifically damaging the native reed, Phragmites australis, which has been misidentified as the invasive Arundo donax. This misidentification, they argue, contributes to the destruction of vital habitats for 15 protected bird species.

The group also highlights the environmental report approved by the Directorate General of Urbanism and Landscape, stating their opposition, claiming it fails to address substantial impacts on biodiversity due to the proposed dumping of sediment in marine areas near Tabarca island. Approximately seventy-one thousand cubic meters of sediment will be released, with a significant portion classified as polluted.

In response, the Generalitat noted that measures are in place to mitigate turbidity and pollution during the project’s execution. However, AHSA maintains that the dredging will adversely affect local fishing activities and aquaculture farms in the vicinity. The project is set to dredge one hundred forty-one thousand three hundred cubic meters in total, with operations impacting various locations including beaches and designated disposal sites.