previous– Basque coast (Spain) –next
Site name: | Basque coast | Country: | Spain | GIG Region: | NEA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
GIG Type: | CW | Site code: | ---- | Altitude(m a.s.l.): | ---- |
Area (km²): | ---- | Mean depth (m): | ---- | Mixing regime: | ---- |
Alkalinity (m eq/l): | ---- | Retention time (yr): | ---- | Chlorophyll a (µg/l): | ---- |
Total phosphorus (µg/l): | ---- | Eutrophication status: | medium | Hydromorphological status: | low |
Description
The case study in the Basque Country (Bay of Biscay, northern Spain), is the Mompás-Pasaia water body. This is an exposed, euhaline, shallow (<100 m water depth) coastal water body type. Since 1976 it has been affected by anthropogenic impacts, especially urban and industrial wastewater discharges. However, in recent times, a water treatment programme has been completed, including three phases:
- the elimination of the wastewater discharges from a nearby estuary and their diversion to an outfall discharging at 15 m water depth in Murgita Cove, between 1996 and 1997;
- the diversion, in 2001, of the wastewater discharges from the Urumea sewer, which had discharged directly to the shore since 1976, to the Ulia submarine outfall (discharging at approx. 1 km from the coastline and 50 m water depth); and
- the physico-chemical and biological water treatment at a Wastewater Treatment Plant since 2005-2006, previously discharging 5400 m3h-1 of wastes through the submarine outfall.
back to overview