State of Conservation (SOC)

Requests Approved: 0
Total Amount Ap proved: 0USD

Enlargement of the Yesa Dam flooding a part of the Route;

The State Party confirmed the information provided last year to reduce the dimensions of the reservoir.  The compromise solution put forward for the Yesa Dam foresees reducing the affected stretch of the Route to a total of 4.2 km (instead of 9.4 km) - from 7.1 km to 3.4 km for the southern part and from 2.3 km to 800m for the northern part.  This solution would thus avoid the flooding of the main heritage elements associated with the Route, that are the protected monuments of Sigüés and Ruesta.  Alternative routes north and south of the reservoir are also proposed.

When this project was discussed at the 28th session of the Committee (Suzhou, 2004), the State Party had already accepted the arguments put forward by ICOMOS and proposed the compromise set out above.  The full details of this proposal, with numerous maps and photographs have now been studied by ICOMOS.  Recognizing the social significance of the Yesa Dam for the region and the minimal loss of heritage significance that will now ensue, ICOMOS accepts the compromise solution as presented.  That part of the original Route which will be submerged by the heightening of the Dam will be preserved in a similar way to the section now beneath the concrete runway of the airport of Santiago de Compostela, which has already been accepted as part of the World Heritage property.