Territory and Water Landscapes: The Conurbations of Sabadell and Terrassa

Abstract

The Ripoll and the Arenes rivers in Catalonia, Spain, have a complex relationship with the towns of Sabadell and Terrassa. Towns such as these, about 25 km from Barcelona, have historically relied on the rivers as a power source for textile mills. In contrast with their value to the region’s economy, the rivers have also brought devastation. On September 25, 1962, the rivers flooded both towns, and 441 people died. Despite this tragedy, the two water systems have maintained their importance to the towns and become the structural axes of Sabadell and Terrassa. Examination of these rivers and three other rivers in the area: the Riereta river, the Vallparadís river and the Palau river document their relationship to specific cities over time. It studies the rivers that, at one point, formed physical boundaries that separated towns and regions and continually posed risks to lives and livelihoods. This provides a basis for considering how these rivers and the larger water systems can serve as unifying elements that connect disparate urban areas with a population of about 574.700 inhabitants and a growth tax of 9.23 per 1000 inhabitants. Considering all scales and focussing on the territorial scale uses established methodology from three perspectives: ecology, landscape and town planning. Research findings identify river systems as structuring axes of the territory, the two urban conurbations of Sabadell and Terrassa. Furthermore, these findings reveal the river systems as spaces of opportunity in the territory’s future planning.