Technical assistance for the repair of the Main Canal of the Campo del Turia
- Client: Confederación Hidrográfica del Júcar, O.A.
- Location: Main Canal of the Turia Field, municipalities of Losa del Obispo, Villar del Arzobispo, Casinos, Marines, Aloca, Bétera and Pobla de Vallbona (Valencia)
- Year: 2024 – Present
- JOINT VENTURE: BECSA, S.A.U. (Lot 1 - Works) / INTERCONTROL LEVANTE, A SOCOTEC COMPANY (Lot 2 - Technical Assistance)
Comprehensive supervision and quality control in emergency works after the DANA
The Campo del Turia Canal, a vital irrigation artery that supplies more than 24,500 hectares in the Valencian region, suffered extensive damage after the intense rainfall of the DANA on October 29, 2024. The torrential rains, which reached up to 461 mm in Chiva in just 24 hours, caused massive landslides, breakage of ATMs and the collapse of essential infrastructures for the supply of water to Villar del Arzobispo and the irrigation communities in the area.
Talk to our experts
The complexity of the project lies in keeping the canal service operational, first with its rapid restoration after the DANA and then its maintenance while the works are being executed, guaranteeing the supply of water for irrigation and urban supply. Our technical assistance specialists supervise every detail, from the quality of the materials to the correct execution of the different works, some very specialized such as slope protection with screens and meshes and the replacement of large gates.
The Júcar Hydrographic Confederation declared the situation as an emergency work, requiring immediate intervention to restore the service. SOCOTEC was selected to provide comprehensive technical assistance in these critical works, coordinating more than 60 points of action in extremely complex accessibility conditions, unstable terrain and with a high risk of landslides.
The project not only seeks to repair the damage, but also to guarantee the future resilience of this infrastructure that is more than half a century old in the face of extreme weather events.
SOCOTEC's core technical support, quality control and environmental services
SOCOTEC deploys a full range of specialized services in this emergency project:
Durability of repaired infrastructure
The quality control in this project goes beyond the usual standards. SOCOTEC implements a rigorous testing program that ranges from the compaction of fills on access roads to the testing of the anchors of the protection meshes. Every batch of concrete, every slope protection system, and every replacement electromechanical element goes through thorough checks.
This systematic quality control methodology is especially critical in the different slope protection systems and in retaining walls (concrete or breakwater), whose correct execution prevents future geological instabilities that could lead to new structural collapses. Monthly monitoring reports document each action, creating a valuable technical file for future maintenance.
Technical and logistical challenges of an emergency project
This project presents unique challenges that demand innovative solutions and constant adaptability:
Great dispersion of actions
More than 60 intervention points distributed along the route of the canal, some separated by kilometers in mountainous terrain, require millimetric logistical coordination and permanent mobile teams.
Extremely limited accessibility
The destruction of service roads requires the creation of temporary accesses, the use of helicopters to transport materials and equipment at critical points, and working with compact machinery in confined spaces.
Adverse geographical conditions
Very pronounced orography, unstable slopes with a continuous risk of landslides and areas with potential collapse make it necessary to carry out prior stabilisation work (meshes, bolts, barriers) before undertaking the repairs to the canal itself.
Service maintenance
The commitment to keep the water supply operational during the works requires precise planning to work inside watertight enclosures while water circulates, night work on critical sections and temporary pumping systems.
Environmental protection
The surroundings of the canal cross areas of special environmental protection, which requires additional measures to minimise the impact and landscape integration of the planned works, waste management and revegetation of affected areas.
Infrastructure support experts
SOCOTEC has more than four decades of experience in technical assistance for hydraulic infrastructure projects and emergency works of great geotechnical complexity. Our team has participated in the rehabilitation of historic canals, dams, weirs and irrigation systems throughout Spain, developing unique expertise in the conservation of hydraulic heritage while integrating technological and climate resilience improvements.
The ability to respond quickly in emergency situations is one of our differential values. We have permanent multidisciplinary teams, mobile laboratories and a network of specialized collaborators that allow us to move in a matter of hours. Our methodology integrates rigorous technical supervision with the necessary sensitivity to preserve the integrity of infrastructures that are part of the agricultural and industrial heritage of our territories.
In projects such as the Campo del Turia Main Canal, where urgency is combined with technical complexity and heritage value, SOCOTEC provides not only quality control and coordination, but a strategic vision that guarantees lasting and sustainable solutions for future generations.
Do you need technical assistance for your infrastructure project?
If your organization is facing complex rehabilitation projects, emergency works or you need specialized technical supervision, our team is ready to help you. Contact us and find out how we can guarantee the success of your project with the highest quality and safety.