2023-08-29 16:33:38
An extraordinarily warm month of August ends and the situation of the Spanish reservoirs, how could it be otherwise, is worrying.
The continuous heat waves and the lack of rainfall have led to the constant drop in dammed reserves, which in the last seven days they have suffered a loss of 1.2 points to stand at 37.6% of the total, a new minimum figure so far this year.
Evolution of water in Spanish reservoirs
Situation of the reservoirs in Spain by basins until August 29, 2023 / Map: EA
The balance for the month of August has been very negative in terms of the situation of the reservoirs, however, if compared to its analogue in 2022, the water reserves present a better result, being 1.7 points higher. In the last week, Spanish reservoirs have lost 668 cubic hectometres, leaving water reserves at 21,082 hectometres, 37.6% of the total capacity.
The situation by hydrographic basins
Situation of the reservoirs and evolution of the dammed water in data as of August 29, 2023 / Illustration: EA
Once again, the falls in the reserves have affected all the basins in Spain although, due to their higher percentage of filling, the least affected are those of the northern cornice, where the three basins with the highest percentage dammed in Spain: Western Cantabrian and Eastern Cantabrian, above 80%, and the Basque Country, which is still above the 70% barrier.
As for the basins with fewer reserves, their serious situation continues to worsen, with five areas below 30% and one already alarming situation in the Guadalquivir (19.5%) and the Guadalete-Barbate (16.7%).
In the northern cornice there have been widespread falls, with most basins falling above one point, the Basque Country being the exception, which, for another week, maintains the same levels. So, Western Cantabrian (82.7%) and Eastern Cantabrian (80.8%) remain the two areas with the highest percentage of filling, the rest of the area holding figures close to 70%..
The falls are more pronounced in the Meseta, with the Duero and the Tagus falling significantly: 1.9 points for the Duero to 46.5%, and 1.1 points for the Tagus to 47.9% of the total.
This situation is already becoming dramatic in the basins of the southern half of the Atlantic, none of them reaching 30%, with the exception of 60.3% in the small area of Tinto, Odiel and Piedras. The Guadiana has lost a little more than half a point to stay with 24.6%, practically the same as the Guadalquivir which drops to 19.5%, the drop of 0.7 points for Guadalete-Barbate being even greater to stay away from the 20% (16.7%).
In the Mediterranean, the losses are also widespread, suffering the greatest percentage and absolute drop in the Ebro basin, which lost 2.3 points to 37.6% of its capacity. Losses also reach 1.2 points in Júcar below half a hundred with 48.1%. Although in the rest of the areas the percentage losses are somewhat lower, the situation is much more complex, with falling figures and around 30%.: Segura with 26.9%, the Andalusian Mediterranean basin with 26.4%, and Catalonia with 24.1% of its capacity.
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