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Ullíbarri-Gamboa Reservoir
View of the reservoir
Location within the Basque CountryShow map of the Basque CountryUllíbarri-Gamboa Reservoir (Spain)Show map of Spain
Country	Spain
Location	Álava, Basque Country
Coordinates	42°56′N 2°37′W / 42.93°N 2.62°W / 42.93; -2.62
Opening date	31 December 1957
Dam and spillways
Height	37 m (121 ft)
Length	543 m (1,781 ft)
Elevation at crest	548 m (1,798 ft)
Spillway volumetric flow rate	6,800 m/s (240,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
Total capacity	147.2 hm (119,300 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area	274 km (106 sq mi)
Surface area	16.95 km (6.54 sq mi)
Normal elevation	546.5 m (1,793 ft)
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Colas del Embalse de Ullibarri
Designated	24 October 2002
Reference no.	1255
Area	397 ha (980 acres)
Natura 2000 site (SAC)
Designated	June 2015
Part of	Zadorraren sistemako urtegiak / Embalses del sistema del Zadorra
Reference no.	ES2110011

The Ullíbarri-Gamboa Reservoir (Basque: Uribarri Ganboako urtegia, Spanish: Embalse de Ullíbarri-Gamboa) is located in Álava, Basque Country, Spain. With a total capacity of 147.2 hm (5.20×10 cu ft), it is the largest reservoir in the Basque Country. Together with the nearby Urrunaga Reservoir [eu], it provides water to the nearby city of Vitoria-Gasteiz and to Bilbao and its metropolitan area. The whole reservoir has been designated as a Natura 2000 site, and the southeastern end of the reservoir is also protected as a Ramsar wetland. It is also a popular leisure area, particularly for hiking and bathing.

History

The first proposal for a reservoir system in the Zadorra river was made by Manuel Uribe-Echevarría in 1926. A concession for the construction of the reservoir was granted by the government in 1935. The concession was taken over by Altos Hornos de Vizcaya in 1945 and by its subsidiary Saltos y Aguas del Zadorra in 1947. The construction of the dam started that year and lasted until 1957.

The reservoir flooded the former valley and municipality of Gamboa [es], which was formally dissolved in 1957. The settlements of Mendizabal and Zuazo de Gamboa were completely flooded. Ullíbarri-Gamboa and Nanclares de Gamboa were partially submerged but still exist, while Landa was reduced to the station neighborhood. Urizar [es] and Azua [es] were reduced to a few houses each. Orenin [es] wasn't flooded but became an island and was subsequently depopulated. Garaio [es] wasn't flooded either but the lack of arable land resulted in the remaining inhabitants leaving by the early 1960s. The inhabitants of the flooded settlements received eviction letters in the summer of 1957, giving them ten days to leave their homes. Many of them hadn't been compensated yet, so a moratorium was requested. The official response was that the filling of the reservoir would continue as planned. The filling began in January 1958, thus forcing the remaining inhabitants to leave.

The fauna and the flora were also affected by these changes. Some plants were broken and drowned by the water while others adapted to the aquatic life and some seaweed developed. With the time this ecosystem has turned in an aquatic ecosystem and it became a Ramsar Site and part of the Natura 2000 network.

Islands and recreation

There are three islands in the reservoir: Zuhatza [eu], isla de los Caballos and Orenin [es]. Zuhatza, known popularly as isla de los conejos (lit. 'rabbit island'), is the site of a youth hostel; isla de los Caballos is a small islet located next to it. Orenin [es] is a former hamlet which became depopulated after the construction of the reservoir turned it into an island.

The surroundings of Landa and Garaio [es] have been turned into recreational areas with beaches: Landa, Moskurio (Garaio north) and Salurriaga (Garaio south); all of which are Blue Flag certified as of 2023. They tend to be busy during the summer, and there is a recurrent lack of parking space during high season. The Mendijur Ornithological Park, located in the eastern end of the reservoir, is a birdwatching site with adapted paths and two observatories. There is a 44 km (27 mi) circular hiking trail around the reservoir. The reservoir is also a popular site for sailing.

Supply

Currently, the reservoir supplies water for half of the population of the Basque Country. More than 800 litres per second (28 cu ft/s) for Vitoria-Gasteiz are pumped from a pumping station near Ullíbarri-Gamboa. The water supply for Bilbao (obtained from the connected Urrunaga Reservoir) is used to power the Barazar power station. Furthermore, the reservoir is used to control the flooding of the Zadorra river.

References

1. ^ "Ficha técnica de la Presa: ULLIVARRI (ULLIBARRI GAMBOA)". SNCZI-IPE (in Spanish). Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
2. "Colas del Embalse de Ullibarri". Ramsar Sites Information Service. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
3. "Site factsheet for Zadorraren sistemako urtegiak / Embalses del sistema del Zadorra". EUNIS. European Environment Agency. Retrieved 14 October 2022.
4. "El embalse de Ullibarri-Gamboa (Álava) está al 70,3% de su capacidad". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 29 August 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
5. Molano, Eva (4 August 2022). "El Gran Bilbao tiene garantizado agua para un año". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 October 2022.
6. Díez, Txus (15 May 2022). "Suciedad en Sorgimendi". Noticias de Álava (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 October 2022.
7. López, Iratxe (17 September 2021). "Recorridos en torno a los embalses de Vitoria". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 October 2022.
8. "Garaio y Landa abren la temporada de baño". EITB (in Spanish). 1 June 2022. Retrieved 4 October 2022.
9. Arozamena Ayala, Ainhoa. "Uribe-Echevarría Beldarrain, Manuel". Auñamendi Encyclopedia (in Spanish). Eusko Ikaskuntza. Retrieved 4 October 2023.
10. Góngora, Francisco (25 November 2013). "Los pueblos que engulló el pantano de Ullíbarri". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 October 2023.
11. ^ Carracedo, Sergio (17 March 2017). "Así funciona el sistema de embalses del Zadorra". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 October 2023.
12. Carracedo, Sergio (5 October 2020). "El valle sumergido de Gamboa". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 4 October 2023.
13. Pérez, Víctor (11 July 2020). "Día de sol y bici en las playas dulces de Álava". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 October 2023.
14. "Información turística de Arratzua-Ubarrundia". Cuadrilla de Gorbeialdea (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 October 2023.
15. Armentia, Iñaki (4 January 2021). "Orenin, el pueblo desaparecido que hoy es una isla". Cadena SER (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 October 2023.
16. "Estas son las cuatro playas con bandera azul en País Vasco". 20 minutos (in Spanish). 5 May 2023. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
17. Díez, Txus (11 May 2022). "La playa de Landa contará con un parking de 288 plazas" (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 October 2023.
18. Carazo, Ander (12 June 2022). "Garaio y Landa aguardan al inicio de la temporada con las playas llenas" (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 October 2023.
19. "Parque Ornitológico de Mendixur en Álava". Sapos y princesas (in Spanish). El Mundo. Retrieved 15 October 2023.
20. Uriarte, Mikel (5 August 2020). "Sencilla vuelta al pantano de Ullibarri con paradas obligatorias". El Correo (in Spanish). Retrieved 15 October 2023.
21. "El mejor lugar para navegar está en la Llanada alavesa". EITB (in Spanish). 8 September 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2023.

External links

• Media related to Ullíbarri-Gamboa reservoir at Wikimedia Commons
• Official website
• Ullíbarri-Gamboa Reservoir - Tourism in the Basque Country

• 1956 establishments in the Basque Country (autonomous community)
• Lakes of Álava
• Natura 2000 in the Basque Country (autonomous community)
• Protected areas established in 2002
• Protected areas of the Basque Country (autonomous community)
• Ramsar sites in Spain
• Reservoirs in the Basque Country (autonomous community)
• Wetlands of the Basque Country (autonomous community)