DEMOLITION OF THE YECLA DAM

One of the actions implemented as part of the LIFE CIPRÍBER Project has been the complete removal of one of the largest transverse barriers impeding the passage of fish in the project area: the Yecla de Yeltes dam. The Yecla de Yeltes dam was constructed in 1958 across the Huebra River, a tributary of the Yeltes River, to regulate annual water supply to the municipality of Vitigudino. However, construction of new infrastructures and water supply pipes in the second half of the 20th century definitively resolved the supply of water to villages in the region, and the dam gradually fell into disuse. Following removal of the Yecla dam and construction of fish ladders around obstacles, longitudinal connectivity was restored to 95% of the length of the Huebra River, permitting the passage of its migratory fish species, protecting an important part of the river’s historical heritage and ensuring that use of the river was compatible with the local economy.