Access to European funds offers the General Directorate of Hydraulic Works an excellent opportunity for technical collaboration and economic financing to carry out its recovery policies for Gipuzkoa's river ecosystems, in response to the objective set by the European Biodiversity Strategy. to restore at least 25,000 km of free-flowing rivers between 2020 and 2030.
Currently, the General Directorate of Hydraulic Works actively participates in the following European projects:
- MERLIN: Project included within the Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation program of the European Union and whose main objective is to restore the physical habitat by removing dams and other obstacles that fragment the Deba River and increase the risk of flooding in the basin.
- KANTAURIBAI: Included within the LIFE Nature program of the European Union and whose objective in Gipuzkoa is to improve the state of conservation of species and habitats linked to river ecosystems in places belonging to the Natura 2000 Network: Río Urumea and Alto Oria.
- PERCAU: Project belonging to the Basque Country Program FEDER 2021-2027, whose objective is to restore the natural dynamics of the Gipuzkoa rivers, eliminating all obstacles that prevent the free movement of the fish and semi-aquatic fauna existing in them.