Cendrero, Antonio
Non consumable resources or assets ( Support / Services ): These resources are important for a variety of activities;
the use of them does not imply consumption in the strict sense of the term, but it could imply temporary or permanent
damage. The following assets are considered here: sites of geomorphological interest, high natural value or high
productivity units, units with high utilisation potential, and visual landscape.
Impacts on these resources depend, of course, on the nature of the resources themselves and on the kind of activity. In
this paper impacts from construction activities are considered; in particular, the case study presented corresponds to the
construction of a new motorway in northern Spain. (Fig. 1)
2 DESCRIPTION OF CASE STUDY AREA
The study area (Fig.1) corresponds to the middle valley of
river Deva (Guip zcoa, northern Spain) and covers
approximately 190 Km”. It is a densely populated (80,000
inhabitants) industrial area, with pronounced relief (100-
700 m) and temperate, humid climate (average annual
temperature 14 °C; rainfall 1400 mm). Materials which
represent geomorphological resources are limited to alluvial
sand and gravel and silty-gravelly colluvial deposits. Sites
of geological-geomorphological interest are scarce in the
study area. They correspond mainly to good outcrops of
significant structures or rock types, or good sedimentary
sequences. The natural landscape has been intensely
transformed, with an almost complete substitution of the
original land cover. Cultivated grasslands and pine forests
Study area dominate the rural landscape. Therefore, valuable natural
units are scarce, limited to a few protected areas. However,
the visual landscape outside the urban-industrial core is
still quite pleasant, as it retains a rural character. The
proposed motorway, meant to provide a faster and more
efficient link between Vitoria and San Sebasti n, through
Eibar, has raised several environmental concerns; these are
mainly traffic increase through and at either end of the new
transportation axis, introduction of a barrier between the
two sides of the valley, visual impact of the new
infrastructure modification of infiltration/runoff related
processes, and damage to natural resources or assets. A
conceptual model representing the potential impacts of the
different actions related to motorway construction and
operation is shown in figure 2.
San
EH JSebasti n
Figure 1. Location map
blasting | construction of new structures ] [pe excavation / accumulation |
[ ] I
A
1
1 T
Cere Rss
environment se
new
Surface Iithology "NN pos arg T
n). J |
S and landform 3 CER landforms po ——"1- 35»
- oo ce "d
i infiltration: F damage to i
i structures
| sterilisation of :
i mineral resources ;
Y : : = u i hb
; ^ ; destruction. pea v.a A P sen
Igmoundwater: i erosion | streamflow :
| recharge ||| ofbuildings: (terrain instability |
| fauna:
|
CE
WEST.
Cir quM D
MB
environmental
perception
tation i
y
À
vulnerable
A
=
water quality Se
& quality ecosystems + productivity
instability,
subsidence and
neighbourhood ollaps e hazar
cohesion
flood hazard
mineral
reserves
r 3 x I A. —X
mJ |
A
productive
sectors
Figure 2. Conceptual model for impacts during the construction phase.
244 International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXIII, Part B7. Amsterdam 2000.
