Spanish water reserves remain at an all-time low ahead of Summer after a lack of much-needed rainfall in the country
The national accumulated rainfall in Spain from October 1, 2022, to March 28, 2023, is estimated at 331 l/m2. This is 17% less than the normal value of 397 l/m2 for the same period. The state meteorological service, Aemet, released this information.
The Cantabrian strip, except Galicia, a large part of the eastern half of the Peninsula, and the southern third and the Canary Islands, have below-normal rainfall. Normal temperatures have been exceeded in areas of the interior and western third of the Peninsula, in the north of Huesca, Mallorca and Menorca.
Stricter water restrictions have been imposed on 224 municipalities in Catalonia due to the most severe drought on record since 1905. The prolonged drought lasting for 30 months has resulted in a shortage of water in the Ter-Llobregat system’s internal basin, which supplies water to Girona, Barcelona, and the entire urban area of the Catalan capital, among others.
Currently, the basin is at 28% of its total capacity. The new measures affect up to 6 million inhabitants, and they include prohibiting watering public green zones, limiting agricultural irrigation from 25 to 40%, and preventing watering of gardens. The government has set a maximum daily consumption of 230 litres of water per person for domestic use, which will hardly be noticeable since the daily average consumption in the community is approximately 117 litres. If the drought continues, the government plans to introduce further water restrictions after the summer.
As summer approaches, concerns are growing over the Spanish water reserve’s failure to increase. The country is still awaiting the spring rain season.
Currently, the Spanish water reserve stands at 51.5% of its total capacity. The reservoirs are holding 28,889 cubic hectometres (hm³) of water, which decreased by 123 cubic hectometres (0.2% of the current total capacity of the reservoirs) in the last week.
Water reservoir levels:
Cantábrico Oriental se encuentra 83,6%
Cantábrico Occidental 79,2%
Miño-Sil 78,4%
Galicia Costa 83,3%
Cuencas internas del País Vasco 81%
Duero 69,7%
Tajo 62,7%
Guadiana 34,6%
Tinto, Odiel y Piedras 67,7%
Guadalete-Barbate 29,3%
Guadalquivir 25,6%
Cuenca Mediterránea Andaluza 37,1%
Segura 35,9%
Júcar 61,6%
Ebro 57,2%
Cuencas internas de Cataluña 26,9%
Spain is widely considered to be at its best during this season. With the sun shining almost constantly and daylight hours increasing, it’s a great time to get outdoors and enjoy the many activities on offer.
When packing, it’s recommended to bring lightweight clothing such as short or thin long-sleeved tops, jeans, and brightly coloured dresses. Don’t forget to bring some essential accessories such as sunglasses, a sun hat, a pashmina, and sandals to make the most of the sunny days.
