Alonso Miguel visited stream desilting and clearing operations in Fontinhas, Praia da Vitória

July 15, 2025

The Regional Secretary for the Environment and Climate Action, Alonso Miguel, visited the site where desilting and clearing operations are being carried out on several watercourses in the parish of Fontinhas, municipality of Praia da Vitória, accompanied by the Mayor of the Parish Council, Paulo Sousa.

During the visit, Alonso Miguel emphasised that "nine strategic interventions have been carried out in recent months to ensure the desilting and clearing of the Ribeira dos Pães and Ribeira do Marques streams and their respective affluents in Santo António and Cruzeiro Velho. These interventions aim to improve water flow conditions as well as to prevent overflowing and flooding incidents caused by the accumulation of debris and vegetation, representing an investment of about 55 thousand Euros."

"The high drainage density and small size of our hydrographical basins, with steep slopes and short concentration times, lead to rapid flooding, especially following episodes of heavy and sudden rainfall, which is becoming increasingly frequent in the Azores as a result of climate change. These events cause significant material and financial damage, threatening the safety of people and property," he said.

Among the interventions carried out, the Regional Secretary highlighted "the cleaning and desilting of Ribeira dos Pães stream and the cleaning of the Ladeira do Cardoso culvert, which was a critical point for rainwater drainage." He also pointed out the redevelopment of the solid flow retentation basin to increase its capacity and efficiency, thereby substantially reducing the risk of flooding in adjacent areas."

Alonso Miguel also highlighted "the interventions carried out in Ribeira do Marques stream, focusing on the culvert of Regional Road no.4-2, located in the areas of Santo António, Cruzeiro Velho and Rua Nova."

"These actions aim to ensure a more efficient and safer water flow, reducing the risk of blockages and flooding, while safeguarding the integrity of infrastructures and the safety and well-being of the population," stated the Regional Secretary.

Alonso Miguel also revealed that "the stream bed was redefined with two culverts in the affluent located further west of Via Vitorino Nemésio to prevent future flooding and erosion." He also clarified that "essential infrastructures were also widened and rebuilt, including the desilting of extensive sections of the stream and existing culvert to increase flow capacity and improve drainage."

The Regional Secretary noted that "these interventions were coordinated with other works carried out by the Praia da Vitória Municipal Council, the Regional Secretariat for Tourism, Mobility and Infrastructures, and the Fontinhas Parish Council, in this case using funds allocated by the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action, under the Eco-Parish Programme."

The government official acknowledged, however, that "despite the importance of the progress achieved, the interventions now carried out are specific and do not, on their own, solve the structural problems identified in the municipality's water lines."

In this regard, he announced that "the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action will submit an application to the Azores 2030 Programme to develop an integrated project for the redevelopment and management of watercourses in the municipality of Praia da Vitória."

"With the completion of the hydrological risk minimisation measures carried out in the municipality of Angra do Heroísmo, namely the infrastructure built in Ribeira da Vinha Brava stream and Grota da Lagoinha, as well as the 12 retention basins created between São Bartolomeu and Dozes Ribeiras, it is now important to ensure the necessary structural improvements to the most critical watercourses in the municipality of Praia da Vitória, responding to the challenges posed by climate change," he added.

During the visit, Alonso Miguel also pointed out that "the Regional Government has made a firm and continuous commitment to the management and maintenance of waterways by reinforcing human, material and financial resources, thus ensuring a more effective and preventive response to natural hazards."

According to the government official, "every year, substantial investments are made in public works and the acquisition of specialised services for the requalification and maintenance of the regional hydrographic network. This effort has been complemented by the reinforcement of operational teams and the Region's Nature Watcher Teams, thus promoting a more active presence in the territory."

"In addition, we have also significantly invested in the continuous training of professionals and the acquisition of modern operational equipment to ensure greater responsiveness in emergencies," he also added.

In this context, Alonso Miguel revealed that "a procedure is being prepared, at a cost of about 3.5 million Euros. It intends to provide the operational services of the Regional Secretariat for the Environment and Climate Action with adequate resources and equipment for the preventive maintenance of water lines, as well as for an effective response to incidents, especially following extreme weather events."

The Regional Secretary also highlighted the significant increase in funding for the Echo-Parish Programme, which has “more than doubled since 2022, reaching an annual investment of one million Euros, enabling parish councils to collaborate more effectively with the Regional Government in the cleaning, monitoring and maintenance of streams."

Alonso Miguel also recalled that "in response to the impacts caused by extreme weather events, the Legal and Financial Support Scheme for Climate Emergencies was created in 2022. It represents an additional support tool that has played a fundamental role in supporting our families and businesses affected by damage and material and property losses resulting from bad weather."

He concluded: "Since its creation in 2022, this support mechanism has been activated 12 times, allowing, so far, to provide support to more than 100 affected Azorean families and businesses, corresponding to a global investment exceeding 350 thousand Euros. Following the extreme weather event that affected several parishes in the municipality of Praia da Vitória on June 2, 2024, 19 applications were approved for the allocation of support to affected families for approximately 130 thousand Euros.”