The Parporquero II Pond is located in the province of Palencia, within the natural region of Tierra de Campos, integrated into the ZEPA Lagunas del Canal de Castilla protected area, belonging to the Natura 2000 Network. Its origin is directly related to the construction of the Canal de Castilla between the 18th and 19th centuries, a hydraulic work that profoundly transformed the hydrological functioning of the territory.
This wetland formed as a result of the barrier effect of the canal and seepage from its earthen channel, creating a small, distinctly seasonal pool. The amount of water varies considerably throughout the year, depending on both the canal level and climatic conditions, which has fostered the development of marsh plant communities adapted to alternating cycles of flooding and drought.
Parporquero II is part of a group of nearby ponds that share the same origin and hydrological dynamics, which explains their numbering in environmental documentation. Together with Parporquero I and other wetlands in the system, it contributes to introducing ecological diversity into the open cereal-growing landscape of Tierra de Campos, acting as a biodiversity refuge in a traditionally dry environment. It has significant heritage value, both for its ecological importance and for its ability to illustrate the relationship between a large historical infrastructure and the creation of new ecosystems that are now protected.
