# Guadalfeo River fish mortality event

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/guadalfeo-river-fish-mortality-event
> Updated: 2026-10-14T06:06:45.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

A significant fish die-off occurred in a two-kilometer stretch of the Guadalfeo River between Lobres and Salobreña in Granada, Spain, after the riverbed dried up. The incident resulted in the deaths of thousands of fish, including the vulnerable Iberian chub and the critically endangered European eel.

Environmental groups and local authorities have debated the cause of the water shortage. Concerns were raised regarding whether the drying was due to insufficient discharge from the Rules reservoir or excessive water extraction for agricultural irrigation at the Vélez weir. The Association for the Conservation of Fish and Aquatic Ecosystems of the South (ACPES) noted that man-made barriers and dykes prevented fish from migrating to deeper water to escape the drying pools.

While the Junta de Andalucía maintained that they adhered to the legal minimum flow of 250 litres per second—attributing the incident to soil absorption and operational adjustments—authorities have since increased the flow to 350 litres per second to refill the affected area.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-14: Guadalfeo River fish die-off occurs after riverbed dries

Thousands of fish, including critically endangered European eels, died after a section of Spain's Guadalfeo River dried up due to a failure in maintaining mandatory ecological water flows.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/guadalfeo-river-fish-die-off-occurs-after-riverbed-dries

### 2026-10-11: Guadalfeo River fish die-off reported due to low water levels

Thousands of fish, including critically endangered European eels, have died in the Guadalfeo River due to severe water scarcity and reduced flow near Salobreña, Spain.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/guadalfeo-river-fish-die-off-reported-due-to-low-water-levels

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Cite as: Guadalfeo River fish mortality event. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/guadalfeo-river-fish-mortality-event