Águeda River rise contained in Águeda after Civil Protection works

Civil Protection notes overnight rise in the Águeda River

As the municipal Civil Protection authority, Jorge Almeida told Lusa that the Águeda River’s flow rose overnight - something that, before the works were carried out, would have led to flooding in the lower part of the city of Águeda, in the district of Aveiro.

“What happened this morning was consistent with flooding in lower Águeda because the river flow increased considerably, but the drainage system we set up worked perfectly, and everything is calm and dry on the right bank,” he stated.

Storm consequences in the municipality

On the wider impact of the storm in the municipality, the mayor said the Águeda River overflowed, overtopping the left bank and bringing about the “usual rural floods”, as well as the closure of several roads.

"Some rural roads, the country streets, are closed due to flooding, but this is a normal situation, both on the banks of the Vouga River and the Águeda River, when the water levels increase," he said.

The Mayor of Águeda also said there had been a landslide, alongside other minor occurrences, and that the municipal Civil Protection teams had already dealt with it.

“There was a small landslide on the road connecting Águeda to Aveiro, in Travassô, where a slope collapsed, but our services have already resolved it,” he reported.

Flood control intervention under the General Drainage Plan (PGDCA)

In November 2023, the City Council advanced the second phase of structural flood control work, following the City of Águeda’s General Drainage Plan (PGDCA) and intended to improve the hydraulic performance of the drainage system.

This stage mirrored the approach used in the city centre. The works took place to the west of the EN1 and involved building or raising walls along Rua 5 de Outubro and Cais dos Judeus. It also covered the construction of the pumping station in Paredes, plus the installation of retention valves and pumps designed “to force the water into the river”, with a total investment of five million euros.