The persistent summer temperatures across Spain are having a clear impact: The country’s reservoir water reserves have shrunk for the fourth consecutive week. Latest data from the Ministry for Ecological Transition reveal a decrease of 733 cubic hectometers in just seven days, representing a 1.3 percentage point drop. This brings the overall capacity of Spanish reservoirs down to 74.3%, after having surpassed the 75% mark last April.
Current Figures and Historical Comparisons of Water Reserves
With over 41,600 cubic hectometers of water currently stored, Spain’s reservoirs, despite the recent decline, are in remarkably good shape compared to previous years. At the same time in 2024, the reserve was only 36,000 cubic hectometers, accounting for 64% of capacity. The positive trend becomes even clearer in a ten-year comparison: the average for the same week was 34,371 cubic hectometers (61.33% of capacity). The current water reserve is thus 11 percentage points above these historical figures.
The Ministry highlights that recent rainfall has “significantly” affected the Mediterranean slope, while the Atlantic slope experienced less precipitation. The maximum was recorded in Daroca, Zaragoza, with an impressive 41 liters per square meter.
The Situation of Individual River Basins: Exceptions and Downward Trends
Almost all of Spain’s 16 river basins are experiencing a decline in water levels this week. A notable exception is the internal basins of the Basque Country, which maintained their 95.2% capacity, once again showing the best figures across Spain.
The other top performers in terms of water levels are:
- Duero Basin: 88.7%
- Ebro Basin: 87.4%
- Tinto, Odiel, and Piedra: 86.9%
- Western Cantabrian Basin: 86.1%
- Miño-Sil Basin: 85.3%
The Tagus Basin stands at 82.4%, followed by the Eastern Cantabrian Basin at 82.2%. The Catalan basins, which were in an emergency situation just a year ago, are now in a much more relaxed position at 81.2%. The coast of Galicia and the Guadiana Basin are both at 68%.
At the lower end of the scale, though still above the 50% mark, are the southeastern basins:
- Júcar: 61.4%
- Guadalquivir: 57.1%
- Andalusian Mediterranean Region: 56.1%
- Guadalete Barbate: 52.1%
The Segura Basin, located almost entirely in Murcia, remains the Spanish basin with the lowest water levels, now at 31.2%.
Despite the recent decline, the overall water situation in Spain remains stable and significantly better than in previous years, providing a good starting point for the upcoming summer months.
