When the Torrents Are Cleared: Cleaning Up Against Heavy Rain — Is That Enough?

When the Torrents Are Cleared: Cleaning Up Against Heavy Rain — Is That Enough?

Anyone who has driven past Campos, Llucmajor or Sa Pobla in recent weeks could hear it: the deep hum of tractors, the clatter of tools, the rasping of heavy machines in the wet mud. On the banks lie freshly cut shrubs, stacked stones and in some places new small walls. Yes, the island is cleaning up — but the real question remains: is that enough to deal with the increasing heavy rain?

What is being done — and why?

The Balearic government has had several kilometers of torrent stretches cleared of brush, driftwood and dense aquatic plants in several municipalities, a response seen after heavy downpours on the east coast (Cala Millor, Capdepera and Artà). Officially these are small interventions: stabilize banks, repair broken linings, smooth flow paths so that during heavy downpours the water drains faster and does not unexpectedly flood roads or basements. The goal is pragmatic and understandable: fewer road closures, fewer nighttime operations for fire and police services, fewer sandbags on front steps, especially after events like the cloudburst that paralyzed Palma.

The measures are deliberately not a craze for concrete. Biologists partially accompany the work to protect nesting sites and protected plants. Still, the sight is raw — freshly trimmed bushes, machine tracks in the mud, rubbish and driftwood at the edge, as shown in a report on the garbage avalanche in S'Arenal after a flash flood. For many residents this is initially reassuring. A farmer near a cleared culvert recently shook his head while chatting and said it was 'better than wading through puddles in the morning again.'

The flip side: ecology, maintenance, responsibilities

As sensible as the action may seem, there are several points that are often shortchanged in the public debate. First: ecological consequences. Bank areas are habitats for insects, amphibians and birds. Short-term clearing can disturb nesting sites and reduce bank stability if not done properly. That is exactly why biologists are important, but they are not present everywhere.

Second: who pays for long-term maintenance? Many interventions are repairs, not sustainable solutions. Without regular care, bushes and aquatic plants quickly grow back. Budgets and staff are limited — after the cleanup the same picture often threatens to reappear next year. Third: questions of responsibility. Some stream sections lie on private land, others are the responsibility of municipalities. This leads to delays, permit issues and at times resentment between municipalities and owners.

More than shovels and chainsaws: which alternatives are missing?

The current strategy has a short-term protective character. For more sustainable adaptation to heavy rain, complementary measures would be needed: retention areas, small detention basins, restoration of stream sections, reestablishment of floodplains, more permeable pavements in new developments and wider vegetative buffer strips on agricultural land. Such measures cost more and take time — but they create buffers when the next storm hits.

Another point: early warning and information systems. If municipalities network rainfall data with local emergency services, closures and warnings can be implemented more precisely, as recommended on the Spanish Ministry page on flood risk management. And: incentives for private landowners so they maintain their banks properly — for example through grants or technical assistance — would close gaps.

Concrete proposals for the island

What would concretely help without immediately launching new expensive major projects? First: an island-wide priority catalogue for stream sections based on risk, proximity to settlements and ecological importance. Second: a regular maintenance plan with clear responsibilities and a small but permanent budget item. Third: pilot projects for nature-based solutions as described by the European Commission — for example permeable buffer strips or small collection basins — that can be tested locally and scaled up. Fourth: a simple reporting app so citizens can quickly send pictures and locations of blocked culverts to the municipality.

Conclusion: A good start, but not the destination

The ongoing work on the torrent courses shows that the island is learning from past wet summers. That is reassuring: the hum of machines and voices on the bank, the crackle of cut branches — the feeling of being prepared is tangible. But prevention against heavy rain needs more than punctual cleanup actions. It requires long-term planning, consistent maintenance, financial security and solutions that consider both people and nature.

In everyday life this means fewer surprises during showers, fewer nighttime operations — if things go well. For the future it also means: do not celebrate the short-term effect, but set the course now so that Mallorca is even better prepared for water in ten years' time.