The Valencian government has put forward an ambitious project in Europe to metropolitan floodable parks on the banks of the Turia and Poyo riversConceived as a large-scale green infrastructure project to reduce the impact of future floods, it combines flood protection, environmental restoration, and new public spaces.
The plan envisions enabling around 1.500 hectares of green areas These areas will function as flood control and water retention zones during periods of intense rainfall, such as those that triggered the devastating storm in late October 2024 in the Valencian Community. Beyond the aesthetic benefits, the goal is to transform the territory into a genuine natural barrier against river flooding.
A network of floodable parks as a natural defense against floods
According to the Commissioner for Recovery, Raul MeridaThese floodable parks are conceived as a continuous network of green spaces around the Turia and Poyo rivers, designed to absorb and slow down floods, reducing the speed and volume of water reaching urban areas. Instead of relying solely on retaining walls or large canals, the approach is to use the land itself as a hydraulic buffer.
The project plans to deploy more than 72 kilometers of green and river routesThese areas will include pedestrian and cycling paths, natural spaces, and controlled flood zones. The idea is that these enclaves will serve a dual purpose: protecting against flooding when the river overflows and, under normal conditions, offering new spaces for leisure and contact with nature for the residents of the metropolitan area.
The Generalitat frames this action within a comprehensive territorial strategy “unique in Spain”This initiative aims to strengthen resilience to extreme weather events. The goal is for nature-based solutions to move beyond being a complement and take center stage in flood risk management, complementing traditional hydraulic infrastructure.
The experience of recent major floods in Europe has shown that purely "hard" flood defenses have their limits; when rainfall is exceptional, they prove insufficient. Therefore, the network of floodable parks along the Turia and Poyo rivers is proposed as a solution. a change of focus in territorial planningallowing certain areas to be flooded in a controlled manner to avoid greater damage in densely populated areas.
A project aligned with European green strategies
The presentation of the plan to officials of the Bavarian government and of the Munich Water Management Authority The study by the Munich Water Management Office (Wasserwirtschaftsamt München) has allowed for a comparison of the Valencian approach with policies already implemented in other European regions. In the German case, the flood prevention strategy has for years incorporated floodplains and the restoration of riverbanks as key elements for reducing risk.
During the online working meeting, Mérida emphasized that the Valencian initiative is aligned with nature-based solutions that are being implemented in countries such as Germany, Belgium or the Netherlands, where the authorities have learned, as a result of very serious episodes, that giving back space to rivers is an essential piece to living with floods.
Valencian officials emphasized that recovery after major floods In Europe, the process can last up to five years, as seen in various affected regions over the past decade. This experience has reinforced the idea that simply repairing localized damage is insufficient; a profound transformation of the territory is needed, with medium- and long-term projects that strengthen the capacity to respond to future events.
In this context, the floodable parks in the Turia and Poyo rivers are also presented as a form of learn from European lessons and apply them to the Valencian case. Coordination with other administrations on the continent aims to avoid repeating mistakes and to take advantage of models that have proven effective in reducing material and personal damage.
This cooperation is not limited to technical exchange, but aims to open the door to financial support and greater integration of the project within the climate and adaptation priorities of the European Union, where flood risk management has become one of the cornerstones of resilience policies.
Investment exceeding 150 million and mixed financing
The Consell estimates that the full development of this network of floodable parks will require an investment of more than 150 billion eurosThis is not a one-off action, but a strategic plan that will be rolled out in phases and will combine different sources of funding to ensure its viability over time.
The Catalan government proposes a mixed model that integrates regional and state public resources with the active participation of the private sector. One of the planned avenues is the use of mechanisms linked to CO₂ emissions offsetting, so that companies interested in neutralizing part of their carbon footprint contribute financially to the creation and maintenance of these green spaces.
Meanwhile, the Valencian Executive wants mobilize community funds Taking advantage of the various climate finance and natural disaster adaptation instruments offered by the European Union. The exchange with Bavaria has also served to study the methods this German state has used to finance its green infrastructure in the face of flooding.
The logic behind this approach is that investing now in floodable parks can avoid much higher costs in terms of material damage, disruptions to economic activity, and reconstruction costs when severe flooding occurs. Furthermore, the creation of added value in terms of biodiversity, air quality, and citizen well-being is emphasized.
Although the investment figures are high, the Generalitat argues that the combination of public-private financing and European aid allows them to address a broad time horizon, in which the action is not limited to an isolated work, but is consolidated as a structural piece of the territorial model of the metropolitan area of Valencia.
72 kilometers of green corridors and new urban uses
One of the most visible aspects of the project will be the creation of more than 72 kilometers of green and river corridors around the Turia and Poyo riverbeds. These connections will link currently disconnected sections, creating a continuous system that will allow people to travel on foot or by bicycle across a large part of the metropolitan area.
In addition to their hydraulic function, these floodable parks are conceived as new spaces for recreation and contact with naturewith paths, rest areas, and zones suitable for outdoor activities, always compatible with its role as a flood zone in case of high water. The key is to design the uses and facilities in such a way that they can withstand occasional flooding without suffering irreversible damage.
The intervention also aims to promote renaturalization of river sectionsThis promotes riparian vegetation adapted to changes in water flow and restores habitats for fauna associated with Mediterranean rivers. In this way, the parks are intended to function as ecological corridors that improve connectivity between different natural areas.
From an urban perspective, the network of floodable parks connects with the idea of a metropolitan green belt that connects the municipalities surrounding Valencia. In terms of daily life, the population could perceive it both as a security infrastructure and as a large linear park where they can walk, play sports, or simply enjoy a more natural environment.
Ultimately, the project aims to demonstrate that it is possible to reconcile flood risk management with improving quality of life of the neighbors, preventing flood-prone areas from being perceived solely as sacrifice zones and transforming them into areas valued and used on a daily basis.
European lessons and a commitment to long-term resilience
In parallel with the presentation of the Turia and Poyo floodable parks project to the Bavarian authorities, the Generalitat has actively participated in the International Congress “Recovery after floods and resilient reconstruction in Europe”, developed within the framework of the European JCAR ATTACE program.
The Director General of Recovery and Reconstruction, Sandra Castillo, and the Director General of Water and Rural Development, Lourdes PerezThey have announced the actions taken in the Valencian Community following the recent episodes of extreme rainfall. The aim of the meeting was to share experiences, analyze what has worked best, and reach a consensus on recommendations to accelerate and improve the reconstruction processes.
The sessions have examined in detail the policies implemented in regions of Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands affected by the 2021 floods, as well as the case of Hauts de France in 2024. These areas have had to face serious damage to infrastructure, housing and economic activities, making them benchmarks for drawing lessons for the future.
One of the messages that has been repeated most often in Congress is that the Recovery after the floods doesn't end in a few monthsIn many European territories, land regeneration and resilience-building work extends over several years, with projects ranging from riverbed restoration to the relocation of activities to safer areas.
The experience accumulated in these countries reinforces Valencia's commitment to a long-term planning, in which the floodable parks of Turia and Poyo are understood as a piece of a continuous adaptation strategy, not as a one-off reaction after a specific catastrophe.
Taken together, the network of floodable parks on the banks of the Turia and Poyo rivers is shaping up to be one of the Valencian Government's major green initiatives To reduce the impact of future flooding, align with European best practices, and simultaneously provide new green spaces for citizens. The combination of natural flood defenses, river corridors, long-term investment, and cooperation with other regions of Europe places this project at the heart of the debate on how to adapt cities and their surroundings to an increasingly extreme climate.