L'Ametlla de Mar has 5 beaches where coastal lagoons can be found: Sant Jordi, Torrent del Pi, l'Estany Tort, Santes Creus, and l'Estany.

The coastal lagoons of the Mediterranean basin have become relict habitats, which have suffered from high human pressure and have been disappearing over time.

These spaces originate from the final stretch of the river course of the Mediterranean ravines or streams, which carry water during flood periods every 10 to 15 years. When the first water impact occurs, it breaks the sediment bar that forms the beach and digs the basin where the lagoon is formed, creating these small deltas.

The origin of the water that fills the basins is subterranean, with freshwater and marine springs due to the infiltration of seawater into the sedimentary and very porous underground layers. This mixing of waters causes the chemical conditions of the water to create brackish environments, where the species that live there have adapted to the presence of salt, which acts as a limiting factor, excluding those species that cannot tolerate salinity.

As a result, very characteristic and unique habitats are defined, where the presence of endemic species is common. This gives these spaces great importance for the preservation of biodiversity.

As for the threats these areas have faced, most of them stem from various human activities, either directly or indirectly, such as the modification of river courses or the creation of infrastructures like bridges for the passage of transit routes, which have reduced the force of the water, preventing flood waves, leading to the complete filling of the lagoons.

Currently, in our municipality, we have five beaches where coastal lagoons can be found, which define the singularities mentioned earlier. The conservation of these habitats is a concern for the municipality, as they host species at a high risk of extinction. Special mention should be made of the presence of the Samaruc, a fish species that finds ideal conditions for its conservation in these habitats.

In fact, restoration projects for these habitats have been carried out, as well as stewardship agreements with conservation organizations and annual monitoring to conserve and assess the state of the habitat and the species in particular. Together with the Ebro Delta, this is the region with the highest number of Samaruc populations currently.

Source: Xavier Solé Guimerà. Environmental Technician of the Town Hall of L’Ametlla de Mar.

Photos: Xavier Solé Guimerà.