Analysis of the impacts and management of the Gloria storm in the Ter River Basin

Abstract

This paper analyzes the characteristics and impacts in the Ter River Basin of storm “Gloria” affecting the Catalan coast in January 2020. First, we focus on the physical characteristics of the storm in this basin. This is followed by an assessment of the impacts on people, and economic activities, especially in the area located downstream the reservoirs in the mid-section of the river. Special attention is paid to the human factors that contributed to the heavy damage impact as well as to develop a critical analysis of the controversial management of reservoir operations in this episode. We attempt to show how the management of episodes of the magnitude of the Gloria cannot be based simply on the operation of large hydraulic works, but must rely also on land use management placing greater emphasis on the “de-intensification” of land uses in flood prone land and on the recognition of the multiple services to society offered by the environmental conservation of floodplains.

Keywords: storm Gloria, basin Ter, flood impacts, risk management, adaptation.