The floods of 2015 and 2018 in the Middle Ebro River have led to a rethinking and updating of the forecasting and management systems. The improvements in the flow measurement systems applied in this type of extreme phenomena have led to questioning the values that were recorded in the past, officially changing the maximum flow rates of some historical floods. This has called for the need to update the knowledge/information of those recorded in the middle Ebro River, for example changing the return periods and making previous scientific studies obsolete. Updated data are applied, trying to re-characterize the floods of Ebro River since 1950, date in which the beginning of the “Anthropocene” is evident in the river management of the mainstream and its basin. At the same time, in the proposed risk management plans compliant with 2007/60/EC Directive, the structural measures are being replaced by more respectful and better adapted prevention systems for the river. The two processes interact and are essential for educating the population on risk, adopting preventive measures that are sustainable and consistent with the authentic (corrected) characteristics of the river and its floods. Thus, scientific knowledge has been consolidated as a tool to display corrected data, or, the river’s updated reality, and also to make the affected inhabitants aware of the need to follow new management protocols, focused on river resilience and social strategies.
Resumen: Se presenta un inventario de núcleos de población que se encuentran en situación de riesgo por inundaciones fluviales en Aragón. La identificación y diagnóstico de estos núcleos se ha realizado mediante fotointerpretación. Los casos de estudio se han catalogado en función del tipo de curso fluvial que los atraviesa y la densidad de poblamiento que puede verse afectada en las inundaciones. La información se ha analizado por provincias, por tipología de cursos fluviales y por la densidad de edificaciones. La evaluación de los núcleos en riesgo se ha realizado con evidencias de crecidas históricas, actuaciones en cauces que minimicen la peligrosidad y la inclusión del núcleo en el Plan Especial de Protección Civil ante inundaciones en la Comunidad Autónoma de Aragón. Esta evaluación preliminar del riesgo debe ser útil para la ordenación del territorio a escala autonómica por lo que se proponen líneas de actuación para el futuro.Palabras clave: riesgos naturales, inundaciones fluviales, núcleos de población, ordenación del territorio, Aragón.Abstract: This paper gathers an inventory of population settlements that are in situation of risk by fluvial floods in Aragón. The diagnosis of these nucleus has been made by means of photo-interpretation. The cases of study have been catalogued based on the type of fluvial course that crosses them and the density of settlement that can be affected by the floods. The information has been analyzed according to provinces, by the kind of fluvial course and by the density of constructions. The assessment of the population settlements has been completed with the existence of past floods, the interventions in rivers that minimizes the hazard probability and their inclusion in the Flood Special Plan in
The most important stratified screes of the Iberian Range are found in Sierra de Albarracín. These slope deposits have been traditionally considered, without absolute datings, as having been formed during various Pleistocene cold phases. The aim of this paper is to establish the sedimentological, morphological, chronological, and paleoenvironmental characteristics of these deposits through the study of four profiles recorded in the Calomarde canyon (El Rollo, El Molino, and Royuela) and Toril. The most representative profile is that of El Rollo as it is formed by basal tufa and stratified scree layers separated by paleosoils. Radiocarbon datings obtained from paleosoil samples show that the sequence ranges between the early and middle Holocene. The profiles from El Molino and Royuela, as well as the upper levels of Toril, complete the sequence showing deposits from upper Holocene (Bronze Age and 'Little Ice Age'). These data show the oscillations during the Holocene between colder phases, represented by the stratified screes, and warmer-wetter phases with soil development and local tufa deposits. This geomorphological and pedological response to the Holocene climatic variability shows its clearest records in the canyons. However, there are almost no Pleistocene accumulations -with the exception of that of Toril (minimum age of <43.5 ka BP). The possibility of relating this succession of Holocene environmental changes to known regional and global climatic stages converts these accumulations into the most important Holocene paleoenvironmental record from the Iberian Ranges and the most complete sequence of Holocene stratified screes from the Mediterranean area.
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