The Barcelona City Council estimates that each year around 30,000 cubic meters of sand is lost from the beaches. One of the reasons is the increasingly virulent storms that batter the seafront. The last and most damaging ones, named Ciarán and Domingos, caused significant damage in November that even reached the wall of the promenade of Nova Mar Bella beach, located between the breakwaters of Bac de Roda and Selva de Mar.
To fix the damage, the Council undertook emergency works which have already finished after six months of work and an investment of 1.7 million euros. These actions have allowed this stretch of 140 meters of beach to be reopened, for which a contribution of 26,000 m3 of sand from Masnou has also been necessary.
Other interventions have consisted of removing the affected parts of the wall as well as rebuilding it with a breakwater to protect it from the strong waves. In the same way, the service facilities (light, water and fiber optics) have been restored, the promenade has been paved and a new railing has been installed.
Faced with the progressive loss of Barcelona’s coastline, the local administration announced yesterday that it will “very soon” carry out a new dredging of 17,000 cubic meters of sand at the mouth of Port Olímpic, where more sand is accumulating to be used in other areas where it is needed, such as the beaches of Barceloneta, Somorrostro, Sant Sebastià and a stretch of Nova Icària.
Despite the breakwaters and submerged dykes that help retain this sand, they do not always prevent its loss and, moreover, the amount recovered is less than what is lost each year. For these reasons, the director of Barcelona’s beaches, Patrícia Giménez, stated yesterday that it is “urgent” for the Government to make significant contributions of sand, as in 2010. In this sense, Giménez explained that the Ministry of Ecological Transition is in the preparation phase of a study on the stability of the beaches and the necessary amount of sand that needs to be replenished. “We do monthly monitoring of the coastline and studies to know the amount of sand we lose. We have identified critical points, such as the Mar Bella dune and Llevant beach, but we hope that the contributions of sand will arrive before storms like these happen again”, said Giménez.
With regard to the forecasts of bathers for this summer, the director of Barcelona’s beaches estimates that the influx will be “similar” to last year – with nearly 5.2 million users -, although she expects that the celebration of the America’s Cup can bring a slightly higher figure, especially during October, when the sports competition will end.
On the other hand, Giménez advanced that the municipal intention is to open a shower on the beach after returning to the phase of exceptionality due to drought, but to be able to do so first the necessary tests and quality controls must be carried out.
With the arrival of Holy Week, Barcelona began its beach season adapted to the current climatic conditions and from May 25 the high swimming season will begin, which will last until September 11.