The Valencian Government has completed 96% of dredging at the old mouth of the River Segura in Guardamar del Segura, removing 80,000 cubic metres of sludge. Agriculture and Water Minister Miguel Barrachina visited the site on Monday to review progress on the flood prevention works.

The dredging forms part of two complementary projects valued at 16 million euros. They include restoring the riverbed gradient at the mouth of the Segura and the first phase of the Vega Baja hydraulic capacity improvement scheme, known as the Green Corridor. The corridor involves a 620-metre reinforced concrete channel designed to manage overflow from local irrigation channels.

According to the regional government, the Green Corridor is just over 64% complete. A further three million euros is being invested in a containment dyke in San Fulgencio. The projects aim to channel and evacuate water after heavy rainfall, reducing flood risk and improving water management.

The works were designed after the severe floods of September 2019 and continue under the current administration. Environmental groups have questioned the effectiveness of dredging, while farmers and local councils have long called for action, including a proposed raised section of the N-332 to prevent water from backing up during floods.