LIFE Project to Restore Water to the Ballesteros Lagoons

Reflooding and Restoration of the Ballesteros Lagoon Complex

In the area around Arcas, 10 kilometers from the city of Cuenca, lies one of the most unique karst ecosystems in the Natura 2000 network: the Ballesteros Lagoon Complex. This system consists of more than 30 lagoons situated in sinkholes, some with permanent water and others with seasonal water, and holds immense botanical, geomorphological, and ecological value on a European scale. Its biodiversity depends directly on the balance between groundwater and natural flooding processes.

For decades, agricultural intensification and water extraction for irrigation have disrupted that balance. Today, most of the area is covered by cereal and sunflower crops, and the decline of the aquifer has caused the gradual drying up of the original floodplain, putting at risk priority habitats and unique species that once made this site a one-of-a-kind enclave on the Iberian Peninsula.

To address this situation, the LIFE BALLESTEROS project was launched—an initiative dedicated to the comprehensive restoration of the lagoon system by restoring its hydrological functionality and eliminating the pressures that have caused its degradation. Coordinated by Fundación Global Nature, the project will run from January 2026 to June 2029 with co-financing from the European Union’s LIFE program, the Cuenca Provincial Council, Redeia, and in collaboration with the Regional Government of Castile-La Mancha and the municipalities of Arcas, Valdetórtola, and Villar de Olalla.

The project is based on an ambitious strategy that combines the large-scale purchase of agricultural land at the heart of the lagoon complex, the removal of drainage and irrigation infrastructure, and the active restoration of the landscape. The controlled reflooding of the plain will allow aquifer levels to recover and restore natural temporary flooding processes across more than a hundred hectares, returning the ecosystem’s ecological value.

This hydrological restoration will enable the expansion of natural habitats, increasing their area and promoting the return of unique plant communities, such as calcareous peatlands dominated by common sedge, and the valuable charophyte communities that historically set Ballesteros apart. The restoration will be completed by revegetating large areas with native species and restoring sections of riparian forest, thereby strengthening the ecological connectivity of the area.

The project also looks beyond the lagoon’s boundaries. Through agricultural stewardship agreements with local farmers, it aims to promote more sustainable land management, reducing the use of nitrogen and pesticides in the area surrounding the nature reserve by up to 25%. All of this is accompanied by continuous scientific monitoring to assess the ecosystem’s evolution and ensure the effectiveness of the measures taken.

The restoration of the Ballesteros lagoon complex is not viewed merely as an environmental initiative, but as an opportunity to reconnect society with its natural heritage. The creation of interpretive trails, educational programs, and awareness-raising initiatives will bring this area closer to the public, demonstrating how ecological restoration can generate real benefits for biodiversity, the landscape, and the well-being of local communities.

Implementation period: January 1, 2026, to June 30, 2029.