With the rainy season just around the corner, Mijas has launched an intensive plan to cleaning and clearing of channels to reduce the risk of flooding in urban and rural areas. This action is being brought forward this year so that much of the work can be completed before spring, with a preventative and realistic approach.
According to municipal planning, priority is given to urban sections where the use of machinery is permitted, while in rural areas interventions are planned according to the fire regulationsThe initiative is coordinated by the Councilor for Rural Areas, Eloy Belmonte, with the aim of ensuring that streams respond well to episodes of intense rainfall.
Advanced work and preventive approach
The plan has been designed with foresight to reach the wet season with clear and operational channels; in addition, they will be maintained two devices working simultaneously to cover more sections and minimize incidents when the rains are heavy.
In summer, clearing is not permitted on rural land due to the risk of fire; however, progress is being made by removing vegetation with a shovel and extracting it from the root, which prolongs the effectiveness of the clearing. In urban areas, specialized clearing machinery is used to increase speed and safety during these times.
Areas intervened and upcoming actions
The work started in the farmhouse, where heavy machinery was used to clean the riverbed and unclog drainage pipes that had been blocked for several seasons. The banks were also reinforced with a small riprap built with material from the riverbed itself, a measure that helps stabilize the ground.
This week the operation acts in the MarÃa Barranco stream —between Avenida de Mijas and El Albañil— and then continue along Arroyo Real and Arroyo Carambuco, paying special attention to its passage through Rincón del Hinojal. As permitted by regulations, the operation will be moved to the main rural channels of the municipal area.
Safety and risk prevention
Stream cleaning is a protective measure, not just a cosmetic job: if headwaters and upper reaches aren't cleared in time, blockages increase, and with them, the risk of flooding. This campaign aims to ensure water flows unhindered when the first heavy rains arrive.
To gain efficiency, the City Council coordinates municipal services with a local enterprise framework agreement which provides different equipment depending on the terrain: backhoes, brush cutters and shovels, among others. This combination allows each intervention to be adjusted to the orography and the environmental conditions of each section.
Information for residents and deadlines
The devices will operate in sections to minimize disruption to daily life; there may be specific restricted access points in the construction areas, which will be communicated in advance. It is recommended to neighborhood collaboration keeping margins and access free of debris to facilitate tasks.
The schedule provides for intervention first in urban areas and, as soon as regulatory measures make it feasible, extend it to the municipality's main rural waterways. Any incidents detected by citizens will be channeled through the usual municipal response channels to prioritize action.
Advance the clearing of riverbeds, act at critical points such as La AlquerÃa, MarÃa Barranco, Real and Carambuco, and maintain simultaneous teams with adequate resources. reinforces the hydraulic security of the municipalityThe combination of planning, resources, and coordination aims to minimize potential flooding in Mijas.
