The largest drop in the level of Spanish reservoirs in nine months has been documented, although Catalonia has seen a significant improvement due to recent rainfall caused by a powerful DANA. Many people wonder what the situation of Spain's reservoirs is in 2024.
What is the situation of Spain's reservoirs in 2024
The water reserve in Spain currently stands at 64,7% of its total capacity, with more than 36.000 cubic hectometers of water stored, according to the Ministry for the Ecological Transition. This marks the highest water levels in Catalonia since December 2022.
During the last week there has been a notable decrease in the water levels of the country's reservoirs, going from 65,7% to 64,7% of their total capacity. This one percent drop is the most significant decline since August of last year. However, despite this decrease, recent rainfall has had a positive impact on the Catalan basins, which are currently at their highest level in more than a year.
As of June 2024, the current state of the reservoirs can be described as follows. Every week, the Ministry for the Ecological Transition publishes reports detailing the current state of the reservoirs. Currently, The reservoirs hold a total of 36.200 cubic hectometers of water, which represents a decrease of 580 cubic hectometers. While recent rainfall has had a significant impact on the continent, it has not been enough to stop the overall decline in water levels within reservoirs.
Water levels, although currently experiencing a decline, remain considerably higher than levels documented the previous year. In June 2023, the reservoirs were operating at only 47% of their total capacity, that is, 10.000 cubic hectometers less than the current volume. This represents a notable improvement of 17 percentage points compared to the corresponding period of the previous year.
The current water levels in the reservoirs are slightly higher than the average of the last ten years. During this same week in June of the last decade, The reservoirs contained approximately 35.500 cubic hectometers of water, reaching a capacity of 63,5%. Therefore, current levels are only one point above this average.
The condition of the reservoirs during the summer of 2023 improved significantly, as water reserves for human consumption reached barely 30%. Despite fluctuations throughout the year, this progress reflects an overall positive trend in Spain compared to reservoir levels at the beginning of the year.
Improvement in the reservoirs of Catalonia
In Catalonia, recent rainfall has given remarkably favorable results, as internal basins have experienced a constant increase. Currently, the Catalan basins They are operating at a capacity of 32,8%, a level that has not been observed since December 2022.
The Ter-Llobregat system, which is responsible for supplying water to 202 municipalities in Barcelona and Girona, has experienced significant progress and is now at 34% of its capacity. This is a marked improvement from the dire levels seen in February, when water stored in the system was only around 16%, prompting the declaration of a drought emergency.
Currently, the Darnius Boadella reservoir in Girona, which remains the only hydraulic unit in Catalonia classified as in the emergency phase, has reached a capacity of 22,6%. There is an optimistic outlook that it will soon emerge from this precarious situation.
Watershed situations
The most reliable data can be found in the hydrographic basins located in the northern regions of Spain. The basins of The Basque Country has an impressive capacity of 95,2%, closely followed by the Western Cantabrian basin with 92,2%. The Duero basin maintains a capacity of 90,3%, while the Eastern Cantabrian basin stands at 87,7%. The Miño-Sil basin has a respectable 87% capacity, and the Galicia Costa basin follows with 79,2%.
The water reserve levels of the Tagus and Ebro rivers are currently favorable, at 77% and 75,5% respectively. However, the basins in the southern and eastern regions of the country are experiencing more worrying numbers. The basin of Júcar stands at 53%, Guadiana at 49,2%, Guadalquivir at 45,2%, Mediterranean Andalusia at 31,3%, Guadalete-Barbate at 28,5% and Segura in Murcia at 22,4. XNUMX%. Among them, the Segura basin faces the most critical situation in terms of water availability.
The issue of declining reservoir water levels presents Spain with a notable obstacle, despite recent rains that have brought relief to areas such as Catalonia. As summer approaches, it becomes imperative to effectively monitor water resources to avoid extreme circumstances and maintain satisfactory water supply throughout the country.
80% of water demand is allocated for agricultural purposes
The most recent data from 2021 reveals that the majority of water use, accounting for 80,4%, is attributed to agricultural activities. Urban supply represents 15% of water demand, while industrial use represents 3,41%. The remaining 0,59% is allocated to other various applications. To meet these diverse needs, water from different sources is used in each basin, including reservoirs, groundwater, desalination plants and reclaimed water.
More than 80% of water consumption in the Ebro, Duero, Guadiana, Guadalquivir and Segura basins is dedicated to agricultural and livestock purposes. However, the Eastern Cantabrian Sea presents a contrasting scenario, with the main demand for water being for urban supply.
The urban supply covers various types of consumption, including domestic, public and commercial use, as well as small-scale industries that depend on the urban network. Additionally, this category extends to the supply of water to the seasonal tourist population. The application of water in agricultural practices includes both crop irrigation and its use in livestock production. Industrial applications cover a wide range of uses, including manufacturing production, refrigeration, and more.
Other water consumption purposes They include the irrigation of golf courses, theme parks and similar establishments. Among the reservoirs in Spain, the combined capacity is 56.039 hm³. The consumptive use reservoirs account for 38.794 hm³, while the hydroelectric reservoirs account for the remaining 17.245 hm³.
Since the beginning of the hydrological year on October 1, 2023, there has been a reduction of 30 hm³ in the maximum reserve capacity of certain reservoirs in Spain. This decrease is the result of a better understanding of actual capacity, which involves measuring depth at multiple points to account for variations caused by sludge buildup.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the situation of Spain's reservoirs in 2024.