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Diari de Catalunya

Black Fly Campaign on the Ebro River Starts Late but with Good Prospects

The Ebro Hydrographic Confederation has authorized a reduction in flow to allow effective application of the biological larvicide.

Generic image of a river surface with a slight ripple.
IA

Generic image of a river surface with a slight ripple.

The treatment campaign against the black fly on the Ebro River began this Wednesday, with a significant delay due to high water levels, but with the expectation of good effectiveness thanks to flow regulation.

The first treatment against the black fly plague on the Ebro River was carried out this Wednesday, marking the start of a campaign that has been delayed this year. Intense rains and snowmelt have caused large floods and high river flow, hindering applications. Finally, the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation (CHE) has approved a flow limitation to 200 cubic meters per second for three days, a crucial measure to ensure the effectiveness of the larvicide.
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"Although the optimal period for the first treatment is in winter, the emergence of the adult population can still be curbed, leading to a good campaign."

Montse Masià · Head of COPATE's Health Area
Josep Caparrós, manager of the Consortium of Environmental Policies of the Ebro Lands (COPATE), emphasized that the campaign calendar has been conditioned by the CHE, the body regulating river flow. The reduction to 200 cubic meters per second was essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of the applications. Caparrós thanked the efforts of the Government delegation in the Ebro Lands for achieving this regulation, although the Consortium would have preferred an earlier start.
The plan includes six treatments until summer, following the pattern of recent years. A biological larvicide, BTI, is sprayed at seven points along the river between Ascó and the mouth, with a distance of 5 to 8 kilometers between them, always depending on water continuity. On the Segre River, a tributary with lower flow, 27 treatment points have been scheduled, approximately every kilometer, using less product but more frequently.
Although large water flows help clean macrophytes, where black flies lay their larvae, Montse Masià explained that the insects seek other locations when conditions are unfavorable. Both Masià and Caparrós are optimistic, confident that starting treatment in early spring will lead to a successful campaign. The COPATE manager added that the Consortium's technical monitoring will allow them to react to any emerging needs.
COPATE has also called for institutional collaboration, from the Generalitat to local councils and provincial governments, to ensure a structural and stable commitment to funding these treatments. This year, the campaign has been financed with a direct grant from the Generalitat of over 619,000 euros for the Ebro and Segre, due to the expiration of the previous agreement. The Consortium is in talks to finalize a new agreement, likely a four-year agreement for the period 2027-2031, aiming for maximum stability in campaign planning.

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