Biodiversity of Lake Juncal de Tafalla is endangered
- This is what the Subai Erakuntza association has denounced. He explains that the lake can be surrounded by the TAV of Navarra and other structures, some already built and others under construction.
Those who threaten the lake include: High voltage 220 KV electric line between Orkoien and Tafalla, another 400 KV high voltage line between Castejón and Muruarte, the Canal de Navarra (at this point passes by land), the road between Tafalla and Miranda de Arga, or the high-speed train from Castejón to Pamplona.
Lake Juncal is a natural space protected with the designation Special Conservation and Natural Reserve Area. There are many species, such as garza or aguilucho, and it is a refuge for many migratory birds. Mammals include European nutrients or visons, as well as many other types of amphibians. This is thanks to an important lagunar ecosystem consisting of carrizales and fenals. The following figure, taken from the geographic platform of the Government of Navarra IDENA, shows these infrastructures that threaten the lake.
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According to Subai Fundazioa, all these infrastructures have a common feature: “These are linear infrastructures, which run over many kilometres and which in one way or another produce a barrier effect on the movement of fauna. And in some of them the barrier effect is very evident, as it can occur if the construction of the APR is completed and started”.
The high-voltage line between Castejón and Muruarte will also pass 500 meters from the lake to allow the passage of the TAV once authorised the change of route of that line in 2015. In addition, the recent project to build a 21 MW solar photovoltaic polygon near the lagoon, which occupies an area of 40,37 hectares (painted red in the image below), has been added.
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Given the environmental impact of this solar polygon on the lake, Subai Fundazioa has submitted allegations to the project. However, they state that “in fact, the accumulation of all these infrastructures and the interaction between them” generate this negative impact.
The association sees the biodiversity of Navarra threatened and considers that the Government of Navarra is not doing what is necessary for its conservation: “Lack of democratic infrastructure planning and, therefore, is ending the scarce biodiversity that remains in Navarre”. For more detailed information on the subject, see the Subai Fundazioa website.
