Ken Cross in Europe: Day 12 The Ebro Delta

The Ebro Delta is one of the largest wetland areas 320 square kilometres (79,000 acres) in the western Mediterranean region. The Ebro delta has expanded rapidly on soils washed downriver. The town of Amposta, a seaport in the 4th century, demonstrates the historical rate of growth of the delta as it is now located well inland from the current river mouth. The rounded form of the delta attests to the balance between sediment deposition by the Ebro and removal of this material by wave erosion.

The area at the primary mouth of the Ebro is currently protected by several fluvial islands: the Isle of Garxal (280 hectares (690 acres)), the Isle of Sant Antoni (170 hectares (420 acres)), and the Isle of Buddha (1,231 hectares (3,040 acres)).

The Ebro Delta was placed, with 7.736 ha in 1993, on the Ramsar Convention list of wetlands of international importance as defined for the conservation and sustainable utilization of wetlands, recognizing the fundamental ecological functions of wetlands and their economic, cultural, scientific, and recreational value.

In 1983 Spain designated a large part of the delta as a natural park. Ebro Delta Natural Park (Catalan: Parc Natural del Delta de l'Ebre, Spanish: Parque Natural del Delta del Ebro) has a total surface area of 7,802 hectares (19,280 acres) The natural park has protected wetlands, beaches, marshes, salt pans, and estuaries that provide extensive habitats.

The park is of international importance for 8 of its plant species and 69 of its vertebrate fauna. It has some 95 breeding species of birds, is also very important for over 300 species of a wide range of transient and overwintering species, and serves as an essential stopover point for large numbers of migratory birds and waterfowl. The Ebro delta has the world's largest colony of Audouin's gulls. In 2006 it held a record number of more than 15,000 pairs.