Malaga’s reservoirs are at dangerously low levels despite the recent rainfall

According to the data provided by the Junta de Andalucía’s Hidrosur department, Malaga province’s reservoirs appear to be in a critical situation.

Despite the rainfall that has occurred recently, the water levels in each of its seven reservoirs have dropped. Currently, a total of 196 cubic hectometres remain, which is two less than a week ago. As a result, they are at 32.1 per cent of their capacity.

Estado actual de los #embalses por Provincias en las Cuencas Intracomunitarias Andaluzas. Diferencia de volumen con respecto a la semana anterior:
▪️Huelva (42,2%)⬇️4,8hm³
▪️Cádiz (26,0%)⬇️6,6hm³
▪️Málaga (32,1%)⬇️2,5hm³
▪️Granada (61,1%)⬆️1,9hm³
▪️Almería (15,4%)⬆️0,6hm³ pic.twitter.com/85Sy0Of76C

— SAIH Hidrosur (@SAIHRedHidrosur) June 13, 2023

In June 2022, the province was also plunged into drought conditions but the situation was different. At that time, they contained about 320 hm³. This means that there is currently 166 hm³ less water in Malaga than there was one year ago.

When looking at the Hidrosur data it can be seen how the hectometres have decreased to a greater or lesser extent in all of them, compared to a ago.

The one that is in a more serious situation is Viñuela which holds just 9.47 per cent of its capacity. It is the largest reservoir in the entire province, capable of holding 164 hm³.

It currently holds about 15.5 hm³, which is 10 hm³ less than at this time last year. A few days ago, the governing council approved some emergency works with a budget of €780,000 in an attempt to alleviate the crisis.

A floating water intake was installed in the lake to try and improve certain parameters of the quality of the water collected. This work is expected to take around eight months to complete.

In the Guadalhorce Valley, there are three reservoirs all are below 50 per cent of their capacity. The one at Conde del Guadalhorce is at 24.8 per cent of its capacity, the second worst situation after La Viñuela. It now has a capacity of 16.5 hm³, a massive 42.57 hm³ less than last year when it held 59 hm³.

The Guadalhorce reservoir stands at 30.8 per cent capacity and has a total of 38.7 hm³. As with the two previous reservoirs, it has fewer hectometres than a year ago. Specifically, it has 9 hm³ less than in June 2022.

Finally in this area is the Guadalteba reservoir which is at 45.9 per cent of its full capacity. It is the one that houses the most water, around 70 hm³, and the second-best situation in the province. One year ago, it had 35 hm³ more than now, about 105.

At 33.12 per cent is the Limonero reservoir. Last June 2022 it had 11.4 hm³, almost half of its total capacity, but now stands at 22.3 hm³.

Currently, it only has about 7 hm³ left. This same amount of water is also found in the Casasola reservoir, which is at 35.73 per cent of its capacity.

However, the situation is totally different in the Concepción reservoir. This water supply has 40 hm³, 18 less than a year ago. It is at 69.5 per cent of its total capacity though, making it the reservoir with the best situation in the entire province.