The impacts of the Valencia floods on the Albufera wetland
The Albufera Natural Park is one of Europe’s most biodiverse coastal wetlands. Home to over 372 bird species and endangered freshwater fish, the Park’s water quality has deteriorated significantly after the disastrous floods which affected the Valencia Region, Spain, at the end of October 2024.
This is evident in the change in the water’s colour, visible in these Copernicus Sentinel-2 images acquired on 26 November 2023 and 30 November 2024. In the 2023 image, the lagoon displays its characteristic dark blue colour. By contrast, the 2024 image reveals lighter, murky tones in the water, indicative of sediment and pollutants introduced by the floodwater.
Open data from the Copernicus Sentinel satellites is key to monitoring global floods, providing valuable insights not only during the event itself, but also in assessing the long-term impacts on surrounding communities and ecosystems.
