Catalonia has officially left the state of emergency due to drought behind. that marked the territory for more than three years. After a series of intense rains in recent months, the situation of the reservoirs has improved significantly. The volume of stored water is again approaching pre-crisis levels., although experts warn that the scars of this period of scarcity still persist in many areas.
Between 2021 and 2024, the Catalan territory suffered the worst drought in its recent history.. The Servei Meteorològic de Catalunya (Meteocat) has confirmed that this episode is unprecedented since records exist and that, despite the recovery of reserves, The lack of water accumulated in those years has not been completely solvedIn fact, only fifteen of the last 44 months have seen normal rainfall, demonstrating the severity and duration of the water shortage.
An unprecedented phenomenon and its climatic context
Meteocat data reveals that This period of drought is part of a broader process of aridification of the western Mediterranean. According to specialists, this is not just a one-off anomaly, but a long-term trend: the region is experiencing less rain and higher temperatures sustained for decades. The sub-basins of northern and eastern Catalonia—such as Muga, Fluvià and Ter—show a greater propensity to dryness, placing the autonomous community as the epicenter of climate impact in the Mediterranean basin.
During the years 2022, 2023 and 2024, Temperature anomalies exceeded 2 degrees compared to the historical average, a figure that places Catalonia ahead of major global cities in terms of temperature increases, even surpassing cities like New Delhi, Tokyo, and Athens. Barcelona, for example, has experienced an anomaly of 2,5 degrees, a situation virtually unprecedented in previous climate records.
Recovery after a critical period
The lack of rain caused a sharp drop in water reserves in Catalonia's internal reservoirs, reaching historic lows of 14% capacity by early 2024This situation led the Catalan government to declare a drought emergency, imposing restrictions that affected more than six million citizens, especially in the Barcelona metropolitan area and parts of Girona.
The rains recorded between spring and summer 2025 have changed the outlook. The Ter-Llobregat system, the main source of water for the central Catalan region, has recovered levels above 77%, A figure not seen for years. This upswing has allowed most restrictions to be lifted and supplies to return to normal, bringing the inland basins and most reservoirs to around 78% of their capacity.
Despite this improvement, experts insist that the water cycle is still suffering the consequences of years of drought. The recent rains have been intense, but not enough to compensate for the accumulated deficit.. Meteocat reminds us that full recovery requires not only occasional wet episodes, but also a sustained trend of normalization in precipitation.
Annual comparison and current status of reservoirs
Looking at the current data, The level of the reservoirs is double that recorded exactly one year ago, when they barely reached 37%. The total volume of stored water is much greater than at the same time last year and also exceeds the average for the last decade. The recovery is especially evident in key systems such as the Ter-Llobregat and in the reservoirs managed by the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation for Lleida and Tarragona, almost all of which are above 75% of their capacity.
The Catalan water system includes both large reservoirs—Sau, Susqueda, Baells, Llosa del Cavall, and Sant Ponç—and smaller ones outside the main system, such as Darnius Boadella, Foix, Siurana, and Riudecanyes. All of them record values similar to or higher than the data prior to the drought. And, according to the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), daily monitoring is key to detecting possible changes due to summer consumption.
An increasingly frequent cycle and future challenges
The Meteocat report insists that The frequency and intensity of droughts have increased significantly in the 21st centuryIn addition to the 2021-2024 crisis, the region experienced another severe episode between 2004 and 2008. Wet periods between droughts are now shorter, meaning episodes of water shortage occur with less time to recover. The combination of less rainfall and continued rising temperatures increases aridity.This could lead, according to meteorologists, to extreme droughts not only recurring in the future, but also to conditions that could irreversibly alter the landscape.
The case of Catalonia is part of a global trend in the western Mediterranean, where the aridification process is widespread. According to experts, Efficient management of water resources and territorial planning will be essential to minimize the impact of future droughts. Authorities emphasize the importance of preparing infrastructure and supply strategies to address these challenges.
Currently, despite the improvement, experts warn that we must not let our guard down. Recent experience in Catalonia underscores the need to closely monitor the evolution of water resources and to anticipate responses to possible new episodes of shortages, which, according to all forecasts, will tend to become increasingly frequent and severe in the coming decades.