For years, the Huerva was a hidden river. Nestled between walls, bridges, and asphalt, it flowed through Zaragoza almost silently. Many crossed it daily without noticing. Others barely knew it was there.
In the 21st century, cities are more than just urban areas or towns. Zaragoza, a city that has surpassed a population of 800,000, ranking fifth in terms of population size, is rediscovering the Huerva, the river it had always concealed under asphalt, bridges, and housing blocks.
The recovery of the Huerva River involves an allocated investment of 31.9 million euros to transform 2.5 kilometers of degraded riverbed into an important axis of urban nature. The Huerva River Regeneration Project, financed by European NextGenerationEU funds through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), aims to transform a confined and polluted riverbed into what is described as «the largest European project for urban integration of a riverbank from a multidisciplinary perspective.»
A green corridor in the heart of the city
Beyond planting trees and creating pathways, the project reflects the construction of a green corridor: a living artery that connects parks, neighborhoods, and ecosystems, promoting the movement of flora and fauna and offering Zaragoza residents a continuous route of nature within the city.
Experts detail that, in contemporary urban ecology, green corridors «are much more than treed areas. They are ecological infrastructures that break the isolation of asphalt, facilitate genetic flow between species, and reduce the urban heat island effect.»
What the river lost and what it regains
The initial diagnosis was serious. The Huerva riverbed through Zaragoza had undergone a systematic degradation process. The planned intervention addresses these issues: concrete structures are removed, the riverbed is widened to reduce flooding, a storm tank is constructed, and invasive species are eliminated to be replaced by native vegetation.
Two phases with no turning back
The project is executed in two phases. The first focused on foundational actions (cleaning, brush clearing, and opening access) to prepare the land. The second phase, with a completion horizon set for 2026, includes the creation of river parks, the planting of 190,000 plant units, and the establishment of pedestrian and cycling paths.
Eight parks, eight personalities
The project foresees five newly created parks in the first stretch of the river, totaling 12,400 square meters of surface area, along with the renovation of three others in the second stretch. Each park has its own logic and design, such as Sopesens, which blends infrastructure and nature, and Catalina Salazar, specifically oriented towards children.
A river and a declaration of intent
Beyond square meters and millions of euros, the Huerva River Project has a symbolic dimension that its promoters insistently emphasize. “Recovering a river is recovering an idea of a city,” they point out. “A city that understands public space as infrastructure for well-being. That prioritizes health, coexistence, and sustainability over cars and concrete. That thinks about the generations that will come in 2045, not the photo of the present,” in the words of Mayor Natalia Chueca.
In practical terms, it is also a commitment to livability at a time when Zaragoza is preparing for significant demographic and economic growth. The major technological investments announced in the city—more than €40 billion in data centers and artificial intelligence—will bring people. And people who choose where to live are increasingly looking at the quality of public space, the presence of nature, and the possibility of getting around on foot or by bicycle.
The Huerva, the river that was on the verge of disappearing under concrete, is named after its waters. Ur, a Basque root meaning water, is probably where its name comes from. Water that once again belongs to the city.
