Wetlands in the Basque Country originating in the surroundings of the Llanada rivers
In the Basque Country, the situation of wetlands generated in the vicinity of the Llanada rivers is quite serious. In fact, this type of wetland has never been very abundant, but those created in general were of great extension.
As for its extension, the most important thing was the set of humid grasslands, peatlands and shallow lagoons, called "Barthes", which have remained on both banks of the Aturri River. The smaller ones formed the river Errobi from Ustaritz.
These unique and extensive wetlands have undergone a profound transformation in recent decades, as there has been a strong expansion of the artasoros to the detriment of the humid ecosystems created by rivers. However, at present there are still some silent examples of this prosperous past, among which it is noteworthy the importance of these areas in times of migration for numerous species of birds, since in days of bad weather dozens of lilies gather, plowed...
From Aturri we descend to the rivers Zadorra and Arga to see other wetlands of this type, since the abrupt nature of the rest of the rivers of the Cantabrian slope and the narrowness of their valleys do not allow the formation of this type of wetlands.
In the case of the Zadorra and Arga rivers, the systems also appear very altered. As for light, despite being a wetland that was once abundant, its presence is currently null. In Zadorra, for its part, this peculiar hydrological system, which until recently had a great extension, has been limited to the conflicting pastures and ponds of Salburua, Arkaute and Mezquía. In the latter, human activity has caused numerous changes. In fact, the dredging, channeling and filling of the rivers and streams that maintain the system, together with the urban pressure that implies its proximity to Vitoria-Gasteiz, have significantly altered the hydrological conditions, which has directly affected the extent and quality of the wetlands.
Fortunately, much of the conflicting pastures of Salburua that have been preserved to date have been supported by the Provincial Council of Alava and the City of Vitoria-Gasteiz, where a recovery project is being carried out. This has largely allowed the survival of this interesting wetland that was considered lost.
Another significant example of this type of wetland is: Near Miranda de Ebro, Lacorzana lagoon in the vicinity of the mouth of the river Zadorra. We would like to emphasize that this small pond, dried and sown on several occasions, during the seasons in which water is available, houses an abundant aquatic fauna, and that with small measures of protection and recovery that reinforce this capacity, the lagoon could become an important wetland of the Basque Country.
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