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Study site · Spain

Bay of Cádiz.

An Atlantic, meso- to macrotidal bay whose Ramsar-protected marshes already buffer floods — and a place where rivers, rain and tides meet a port, a city and new infrastructure.

Drone view of flooded salt pans and dikes in the Guadalete marshes, February 2026

At a glance

Where tide meets the river.

The Bay of Cádiz is formed by two large water bodies with a double connection to the open sea: one directly to the Gulf of Cádiz and another through a complex network of tidal creeks. Its marshes are wetlands of high ecological and socio-economic value, protected under the Ramsar Convention.

In the estuarine areas, flooding depends on how river discharge interacts with sea level — including the tide — and it is amplified by intense rainfall. The bay has changed quickly in recent years with the extension of the port and the construction of a new bridge.

Earlier studies found a high vulnerability to sea-level rise, but with simplified methods that ignore how the landscape itself responds. EcoC2S models that response, building on years of field data collected by the University of Granada.

  • TidesMeso- to macrotidal
  • Connection to the seaDirect, and through a network of tidal creeks
  • EcosystemsSaltmarshes, salt pans, tidal flats
  • ProtectionRamsar-protected wetlands
  • PressuresPort extension, new bridge, urban growth
  • PartnerUniversity of Granada

Field & model · February 2026

A real compound flood, hour by hour.

Record rainfall arrived on top of high tides in early February 2026. Our drones flew over the flooded Guadalete marshes on 5 and 7 February while the Delft3D model reproduced the event hour by hour.

Delft3D simulation of the Guadalete marshes, 18 January – 22 February 2026 (one frame every three hours). Blue dots are flooded model cells. Preliminary results.
Two maps comparing Delft3D modelled wet cells with the drone orthomosaic of 7 February 2026
Drone orthomosaic of 7 February 2026 overlaid with the wet cells of the model. Click to enlarge.

±0.15 mdifference between modelled and drone-observed water levels at the flood peak

These are preliminary results that have not yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

Satellite view of the tidal channels and saltmarshes of the Bay of Cádiz
Image: E.P. Morris / University of Cádiz, via ESA

Ecosystem services

Marshes that hold the water.

Tidal marshes, salt pans and creeks store and slow down floodwater, dissipate wave energy and trap sediment. EcoC2S quantifies that contribution with eco-morphodynamic models that include vegetation and micro-topography, and studies how the marshes may evolve as the sea rises.

Many of the bay's traditional salt pans are now abandoned. Their future — rewilding, restoration or new economic uses — is part of the conversation with local stakeholders.

Working with stakeholders

Built with the people of the bay.

24 April 2026 · Los Toruños, Cádiz

REWRITE local multi-actor lab

About 40 stakeholders — administrations, salt-pan and aquaculture businesses, tourism, NGOs and scientists — discussed the future of the bay's marshes and abandoned salt pans with our sister Horizon Europe project REWRITE.

Read more on REWRITE

23 September 2026 · Salina de San José, El Puerto de Santa María

Stakeholder focus group

Ten participants from six sectors discussed local flood risk perception and the ecosystem services of the bay, followed by a visit to the San José salt pans.

News

From the bay.

Events

In Cádiz.

  1. 5–7 Feb 2026

    FieldworkBay of Cádiz, Spain

    Drone and model campaign during a compound flood in the Guadalete marshes

  2. 24 Apr 2026

    WorkshopLos Toruños, Cádiz, Spain

    REWRITE Local Multi-Actor Laboratory

  3. 23 Sept 2026

    StakeholdersEl Puerto de Santa María, Cádiz, Spain

    Stakeholder focus group at Salina de San José

  4. 23–25 Sept 2026

    ConferenceCádiz, Spain

    GEOLIT26 – XIII Jornadas de Geomorfología Litoral