An action to increase the water in the rivers
The Climate Action department has proposed a new strategy to increase the water that reaches rivers and aquifers: cutting down trees at the headwaters of the basins. This action, which will begin in Ripollès, aims to obtain the equivalent of water for the consumption of 2,740 people.
The effects of trees on the water cycle
According to Anna Sanitjas, Director General of Forests and Environmental Management of the Climate Action department, forests with many trees prevent water from reaching rivers. This is because trees consume a large amount of water and create an umbrella effect, holding the rain and causing it to evaporate. In addition, trees compete for available water and grow weaker in the face of fires, winds or pests.
The performance at Ripollès
The area chosen to start implementing this strategy is Muntanya de Molló, in Ripollès. In this area, one out of every three or four trees in the Molló public forest, which has a density of 2,000 feet per hectare, will be cut down. This action will allow 60% of rainwater to reach the river, instead of the current 50%. This is equivalent to the water needed by 1,370 people for a year.
The potential throughout Catalonia
Catalonia has 1,200,000 hectares of forests, and if 25% of this area were managed sustainably, all the country’s reservoirs could be filled. For example, if 72% of the forest surrounding the Sau reservoir was managed this way, the reservoir could be filled twice. For this reason, the Government is selecting other public forests to apply this strategy.
A performance based on nature
The act of cutting down trees at the headwaters is a nature-based response to increase water in the country. In addition to benefiting the water, this action also has a positive impact on the entire ecosystem.