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Spanish reservoirs refill following torrential rains
Water reserves in Spain have now reached 47.5% capacity
After nine consecutive weeks of dramatic decline and water restrictions on the horizon, the torrential rain of the last few days has restored the parched reservoirs across Spain, filling them to 47.5% of capacity.
And while this is only a 0.1% increase compared to a week ago, it means that the country’s reserves now contain around 26,648 cubic hectometres of valuable water, according to the Ministry for Ecological Transition, which has attributed the vital rise to the arrival of storm Oscar.
This week is the first time in 105 days that the reserves have increased.
Although the rains have greatly affected all of Spain, the squall benefited Vigo, to the northwest, the most, lifting water levels here with an additional 83.3 litres per square metre.
In Andalucía, the total amount of water in the reservoirs rose by 27.14%, while in the Region of Murcia it rose by 38.61% and in the Valencian Community, including the province of Alicante, it rose by 54.04%.
The good news, however, is somewhat dampened by the long-term forecast which predicts a wetter summer this year but also a much hotter one. If this comes to fruition, bearing in mind the succession of heatwaves experienced in 2022, the reservoirs are still nowhere near full enough.
Scientists have warned that the summers are growing longer and warmer, and this can be seen in the water levels: over the last 10 years, the reserves contained 37,631 cubic hectometres of water during this period, which is equivalent to 67.12% capacity.
Today, the reservoirs in the greatest danger of drying up are those of Guadalquivir (24.1%), Guadalete-Barbate (24.4%), the inland basins of Catalonia (27.6%) and Guadiana (31.6%).
On the other hand, as was seen in Vigo, the reservoirs in northern Spain have been topped up the most, with the basins of Western Cantabria now at 90.6%.
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Image: Ministry for Ecological Transition
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