Manantial Fuencaliente Orce Pm1

Spain River 1 - Excellent

Río Fuencaliente is a bathing area in Orce, Granada, Spain, located at 877 meters elevation in a Mediterranean calcrete mountain river setting. The bathing zone is a pool created by a dam and weir structure with concrete margins, fed by a spring source. The pool measures approximately 12 meters across with a depth of 1.5 meters and is surrounded by cypress and willow trees. The area experiences seasonal flow variations, with higher discharge in winter months and reduced flow in summer.

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Water

Spring-fed river pool (piscina) in the Galera subcatchment of the Guadalquivir River District. Pool dimensions: approximately 12 meters width, 20.5 meters length, 1.5 meters depth. Mean annual discharge: 16,025 cubic meters per hour. Summer discharge: 10,264 cubic meters per hour. Environmental flow: 0.44 cubic meters per second. Four-year return period flow: 3,900 cubic meters per second. Catchment area: 265.76 square kilometers. Bed substrate: bare gravel.

Location

Located in Orce, Granada, Andalucía, Spain. Access is via the SE34 road heading toward Galera, approximately 1 kilometer from Orce town center. Parking is available at the site.

Facilities

Parking, toilets, showers, bar/snack facility, informational signage, waste bins, recreational area, and swimming pool (piscina). No rescue posts or boat ramp. Domestic animal access status not specified.

Season

1 June to 30 September

Water Quality

Water quality classification from 2003-2009 shows conformity with both guideline and imperative values for most years. Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococcus concentrations measured during 2008-2009 monitoring seasons generally remained below critical thresholds. Risk assessment indicates the bathing area operates primarily in a risk-free zone based on flow rates and enterococcal concentrations.

Risks

Potential short-duration contamination risks from livestock (2,163 sheep, 25 cattle, 48 pigs, 15 horses, 117 birds in the influence area). Significant contamination source: Orce wastewater treatment plant (EDAR) located 2.46 kilometers away, discharging 20,000 cubic meters daily into the Río Orce. Secondary risks include accidental or illegal discharges, dead animals, organic refuse, and sediment remobilization.