Balearic Government Intensifies Cleaning of Runoff Streams to Protect Islands From Heavy Rain

Balearic Government Gets to Work on Runoff Streams

Anyone who has driven on rural roads or on the outskirts of Campos, Llucmajor, or sa Pobla in recent weeks has surely seen them: small convoys of workers, tractors, and heavy machinery clearing waterways. Not because there is suddenly an interest in green maintenance, but because authorities are acting—out of caution.

What exactly is happening?

In August and early September, in several locations around Mallorca, several kilometers of runoff-stream routes were freed from brush, driftwood, and dense aquatic plants. Many banks were stabilized with stones and simple walls, damaged edging repaired. The goal is clear: to divert water more quickly during heavy rainfall so that it doesn’t suddenly pool in streets and basements as it did before.

Why now?

Forecasts indicate that stronger, locally limited showers could become more frequent. That challenges places where creeks can quickly turn into raging torrents. People still remember a few wet summers, flooded driveways, and mornings with a pump in the basement. Such things should be avoided.

The measures are pragmatic: sometimes private areas are cleaned with permission, other times they are municipal interventions. In some places, teams work until late afternoon because the weather in the morning is still favorable. A resident near a creek told me he had already prepared sandbags years ago—now he feels the administration is acting more proactively.

Not a big obsession with concrete, but repair and maintenance

Important: this is not about large-scale concrete ditches. Many measures are repairs: patching walls, smoothing the course, trimming shrubs. Ecological aspects also play a role—biologists are sometimes present to protect protected plants or nesting sites. Still, it can sometimes look rough: freshly cut banks, piled stones, machine tracks in the mud.

For everyday life, that means: less risk during heavy rains, fewer road closures, and hopefully fewer false alarms for the fire department and police. Whether it fully protects in an extreme, rare event, no one knows. But small precautions often pay off.

What’s next?

The work will continue regionally—depending on budget and weather windows. If you notice something nearby or know of a problem, you should report it to the municipality. Often a photo and a short description of the route helps the teams target their work.

Conclusion: there is a sense on the island of pragmatism and willingness to learn. No big fanfare, more: being better prepared for the next rain front. And honestly, that is rather reassuring.