Turia River

On 29 October 2024, the Sot or Reatillo River experienced an extraordinary flood that
exceeded the crest elevation of the Buseo reservoir by 2.5 metres. The flood peak swept away the road, the weir, and the irrigation channels that supplied the orchards of Sot de Chera, devastating the lower part of the village and causing two fatalities.

As a result of the flood, the river significantly widened its channel and destroyed all riparian vegetation, leaving behind adesolate landscape and obliterating bathing areas, footpaths, and recreational spaces that had been essential to the community.

This municipality, severely affected by depopulation —its population having declined from 800 to 300 inhabitants between 1910 and 1981— had pinned its hopes for survival on this natural resource and its touristic uses, which had allowed it to stabilise its population at around 400 inhabitants during the present century.

In this bleak context, the village of Sot de Chera is currently facing the task of restoring the fluvial area, a process to be undertaken in the coming years. This represents an enormous challenge, both because of the differing visions of what the river should be —influenced by various uses and personal experiences— and because of the technical difficulties and differing paces of the potential interventions along the river.

For this reason, in Sot —as the locals call their village—, RiVIVE aims to promote a
participatory river restoration initiative and to explore the role of fluvial conviviality in the regeneration of the river and its riparian spaces. The key to this endeavour will lie in the creation, development, and activity of a Riparian Assembly and in the guidance provided by a Master Plan which, based on collaborative diagnosis and design, will enable the recovery of a fluvial space perceived as an essential part of the village.