The latest rains have raised the level of the reservoirs practically throughout Spain. The weekly bulletin released this Tuesday shows how the reserves of water They are currently at 50% of their capacity, having recovered 1% since last week and 2.2% since the beginning of the hydrological year, on October 1. However, there are three areas where the reservoirs have only decreased since that date: the Segura basin, the Andalusian Mediterranean basin and the Júcar basin.
The most critical situation is that of the Segura basinin the Region of Murcia. The widespread rains of recent weeks have bypassed the community where it is most needed. According to data from the Segura Hydrographic Confederation (CHS), so far this hydrological year (since October 1), 13 liters per square meter have fallen into the basin, when the average of the last five years has been 317. The basin’s reservoirs are, according to data updated this Tuesday, at 14.6% of their capacity, the lowest percentage in the entire country, with reserves of 166 cubic hectometers, well below the 254 that there was the previous year, and almost half of the average of the last 10 years, which is 352 cubic hectometers.
The Permanent Drought Commission of the CHS, which met this Monday, decided to maintain the restrictions that had already been imposed on irrigation in the upper, middle and lower plains of Segura, which are 40% in the case of the so-called irrigated areas. traditional (with concessions prior to 1933), and 57% for non-traditional (concessions after that date). In addition, it decided to double the restrictions that had been applied to irrigation of the rivers on the right bank of the Segura, which went from 12.5 to 25%. And he announced that the Water Commissioner’s Office is going to proceed to “seal the gates, adjusting them to the authorized instantaneous flows, in those intakes that are showing non-compliance” with those restrictions.
Across the Peninsula as a whole, reservoirs currently store 28,040 cubic hectometres, a volume well above last year’s level at this time (19,945 hm³) and the average for the last 10 years (25,209 hm³). However, the situation is not equally optimistic everywhere.
As in the Region of Murcia, in recent weeks reserves have not stopped decreasing in the Andalusian Mediterranean basins and in the Júcar basin. The first of these basins, located in Andalusia, integrates most of the provinces of Málaga and Almería, as well as the Mediterranean slope of the province of Granada and Campo de Gibraltar in the province of Cádiz. According to this Tuesday’s bulletin on the state of the reservoirs, these Andalusian basins accumulate 257 cubic hectometres, 13 hm³ less than on October 1, 4 hm³ less than last year at this time and 234 hm³ less than the average for the decade. For its part, the Júcar basin, which mainly includes the territory of the Valencian Community and Castilla-La Mancha, currently has 1,140 cubic hectometers, 25 hm³ less than at the beginning of the month, 192 hm³ less than last year at this time. dates and 37 hm³ less than the average for the decade.
In the case of the Internal Basins of Catalonia, where only a few months ago they were in emergency due to drought, at this time The reservoirs store 189 cubic hectometers, 54 hm³ more than last year at this time, but 226 hm³ below the average for the decade.
In Andalusia, another of the regions that suffered the most difficulties last hydrological year, as indicated today by the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development, Ramón Fernández-Pacheco, the rains have alleviated the shortage of water in the swamps Andalusians, which are now at 30% of their capacity, “a situation similar to last year.” Specifically, reserves have increased by 168 cubic hectometers, which represents a certain relief in some areas of the community. However, the drought is affecting the region unevenly and, thus, the water impounded in the provinces of Malaga and Almería is at 7% and 15% of its capacity, respectively, lower levels than last year. for the same dates.
In this context, in recent weeks the drought committees of the different basins of the region have met in Andalusia. The consumption levels adopted in May have been maintained in all, except in the Mediterranean basins where water saving measures have been adopted.
