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Spanish Vinalopó River, Pinoso district

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Spain, Alicante

The Vinalopó River, which is actually more a stream, is flowing through the Alicante province, Spain. It flows from north to south and to the recent times was discharging into the Mediterranean at Salinas de Santa Pola.

But due to the water over extraction and the droughts that the zone suffers, in the lower part of its course the river has a diminished flow and fades out into a series of small irrigation channels.

Submitted by
Alejandro Ríos Martin
Approved by
Francesco Denitto, Alexey Malyshev & Philippe Chevoleau
GPS
38.3836136, -1.0582480
Geographical region
Southern Europe
Drainage Basin
Mediterranean Sea
River catchment
Water body type
River
Water body name
Vinalopó
Water body part
Water body course
Middle course
Water body: tributary of
Tributary name

Videos above and below water


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Water Chemistry

Water information

Water type
fresh-water
Water color
Clear water
Water transparency
High
Concentration of sediments
Low
Water temperature
6-12 °C
Water flow/curent
Slow

Chemical parameters

pH
7,5-8,5
Conductivity
3800-4200
GH
dGH
KH
dKH
Dissolved Oxygen

Substrate in nature

Sand
Grey
Pebble/Gravel
Mixed
Stone
Grey
Stone form
Irregular
Silt/Mud
Brown
Leaves
Few
Driftwood
Few
Submerged terrestrial vegetation
no

Aquatic Biotope

Date of collecting
Collecting area
Open water
Water depth
0,5m
Air temperature
Sunlight
Partial shade

Environment

Environment
Affected by human activity
Affected by human activity
Agriculture
Agriculture
Massive
Pollution
Little
Surrounding area

The area of Pinoso has a semi-arid Mediterranean climate, but with a certain continental influence as it is located in the interior of the province of Alicante, at an altitude gradient from 568 to 555 meters above sea level. The annual average temperature is 15.4ºC and an average rainfall of 310mm with a drought in the summer and irregular rains in the autumn.

Pinoso is considered one of Spain’s richest towns, with a marble mine, thriving footwear industry, salt deposits and a booming wine and agriculture industry.

Underwater landscape

The progressive abandonment of traditional water systems in the rural areas of Vinalopó and the consequent loss of their functionality leads to an irremediable loss of biodiversity in the region. In addition, part of these systems is associated with endorheic wetlands that generally have undergone significant processes of desiccation and destruction with the following impact on the species and the territory.

Threats to ecology

Despite the fact that Vinalopó River is one of the most polluted rivers in Spain, which is one of the reasons why the endenmic species like Aphanius iberus are disappearing, the photos are representing the recycled wetland where is hardly any contamination.

It is important to mention that since 2003 the Pinoso City Council has been carrying out different actions for the progressive environmental and landscape recovery of the wetland.
These actions began mainly in the Prado sector and were recently expanded in the Tejera-Rodriguillo Sector by recovering the functionality of ditches and rafts. It has been restored a constant flow of surface waters and the water bodies storage.

The purchase of wetland territories by the City Council and the collaboration of environmental volunteers together with public conservation programs have contributed to the return of the endemic species, considered extinct, in the recovered natural or semi-natural environment.

Riparian zone

Trees near the aquatic habitat
Few - Not identified