The President of the Govern of the Balearic Islands, Margalida Prohens, has announced that since the beginning of the legislature, more than 250 kilometres of torrents in Mallorca have been cleaned, as part of a broader plan covering the three main islands. These measures form part of the executive’s commitment to flood prevention, territorial protection, and citizen safety.
The President of the Govern, Margalida Prohens (second from left), attends cleaning works on a torrent in Mallorca. Photos: CAIB.
In the first half of 2025 alone, works have been carried out on more than 50 kilometres of watercourses, and further interventions are planned for the remainder of the year, which could bring the total for 2025 to around 97 kilometres, reaching more than 298 kilometres of torrents treated in Mallorca in just three years.
Tripled investment in maintenance
The Govern has tripled the budget allocated for the maintenance and conservation of torrents in 2025, amounting to €17.1 million. This investment includes contributions from the Sustainable Tourism Tax (ITS), the insularity factor, and the hydraulic infrastructure sub-programme. In addition, owners of properties adjacent to torrents are allowed to clean their sections, further reinforcing flood prevention.
“Cleaning the torrents does not guarantee there will be no floods, but every metre cleaned reduces the likelihood of blockages and overflows, minimising risks and protecting citizens,” explained Prohens.
Main works on torrents in Mallorca
During August, cleaning and improvement works were carried out on several stretches in Mallorca:
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Torrent de S’Estret (S’Arracó, Andratx): removal of undergrowth and cutting of reeds over 700 metres.
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Torrent de Vinagrella (Sa Pobla): vegetation removed over 200 metres.
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Torrent de Búger (Sa Pobla): extraction of rhizomes and vegetation over 350 metres.
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EDAR de Sant Joan ditch: 750 metres of scrub cleared.
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Torrent de Es Revolts (Capdepera): 150 metres of undergrowth cleared.
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Torrent de Es Millac (Capdepera): 200 metres cleared.
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Torrent de Na Pedaç (Capdepera): rhizomes removed over 200 metres.
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Torrent de Manacor: 25 metres of wall restored and 80 additional metres of watercourse cleaned.
In total, these works add more than 2.6 kilometres of additional intervention in August.
Territorialised organisation for greater efficiency
Works are planned across three lots in Mallorca — Tramuntana, central area, and Llevant — allowing the specific needs of each area to be addressed, taking into account their topography and density of watercourse stretches.
Maintenance of the torrents in Mallorca includes undergrowth clearance, pruning and felling of at-risk trees, sediment removal, elimination of invasive species, slope stabilisation, and repair of structural elements, ensuring landscape conservation and the safety of nearby urban areas.
Prevention against extreme events
Prohens highlighted that zero risk does not exist and that climate change intensifies torrential rainfall events. Therefore, the Govern maintains a preventive and continuous service on the torrents, avoiding emergency interventions and improving the response to extreme weather events.
The work on torrents in Mallorca not only protects the population but also ensures a better ecological state of the watercourses and the island’s territory, consolidating the Govern’s commitment to sustainable and efficient water management.
💡 Check the map of flood-prone areas in Mallorca in this article.
💡 The Govern establishes INUNCAIB to anticipate flood risks in the Balearic Islands.
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