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.
Over the past week, there has been a notable drop in the water levels of the country's reservoirs, falling from 65,7% to 64,7% of their total capacity. This one percent decrease is the most significant drop since August of last year. However, despite this decline, recent rainfall has had a positive impact on the Catalan river basins, which are currently at their highest level in over a year.
As of June 2024, the current state of the reservoirs can be described as follows. The Ministry for Ecological Transition publishes weekly reports detailing the current reservoir levels. Currently, the reservoirs hold a total of 36.200 cubic hectometers of water , representing a decrease of 580 cubic hectometers. While recent rainfall has had a significant impact on the mainland, it has not been sufficient to halt the overall decline in water levels within the 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.
Current water levels in the reservoirs are slightly above the average for the last ten years. During this same week in June of the last decade, the reservoirs held approximately 35.500 cubic hectometers of water, reaching 63,5% of their capacity. Therefore, current levels are only one percentage point above this average.
The state of reservoirs during the summer of 2023 improved significantly, with water reserves for human consumption reaching only 30% . Despite fluctuations throughout the year, this progress reflects a generally 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 yielded remarkably positive results, with internal basins experiencing a steady increase in water levels. Currently, Catalan basins are operating at 32,8% capacity, a level not seen 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 river basins located in the northern regions of Spain. The Basque Country basins boast an impressive capacity of 95,2%, closely followed by the Western Cantabrian basin at 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%.
Water reserve levels in 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 figures. The Júcar basin is at 53%, the Guadiana at 49,2%, the Guadalquivir at 45,2%, Mediterranean Andalusia at 31,3%, the Guadalete-Barbate at 28,5%, and the Segura in Murcia at 22,4%. Among these, 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.
Over 80% of water consumption in the Ebro, Duero, Guadiana, Guadalquivir, and Segura river basins is used for agriculture and livestock farming. However, the Eastern Cantabrian region 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 uses of water include the irrigation of golf courses, theme parks, and similar establishments. The combined capacity of Spain's reservoirs is 56.039 hm³ . Reservoirs used for consumptive purposes account for 38.794 hm³, while 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.