All but one of the reservoirs are at around 90% capacity.

BarcelonaThe heavens have opened, and now there's no way to turn them off. Since March of last year, rain has been pouring down in Catalonia, and this winter has been exceptionally rainy, with continuous and abundant downpours that offer no respite. This is an unusual situation, as this time of year is typically dry in our country. All of this has pushed the reservoirs in the internal basins above 92% of their capacity, practically full.

These figures haven't been seen since the storm Glory January 2020. This guarantees water reserves for the entire year and until early 2027, as confirmed to ARA by sources at the Catalan Water Agency (ACA). This situation was unthinkable just a year ago, when we were still in the midst of the historic drought that lasted more than three years.

"The Mediterranean climate presents this duality between droughts and episodes of torrential rain, but with the effects of climate change, these two extremes are becoming more pronounced, and we are seeing that in periods like winter, which are usually dry, this year we have recorded two episodes of easterly winds," explained [sources]. Abundant rainfall is more common in spring or autumn.

In a short time, we have gone from needing water to releasing it, as there is no mechanism to store more. This is an alternative that the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) is not considering, since its commitment is to continue steadily increasing water production to avoid future dependence on rainfall. The recent drought and the previous one—in 2007 and 2008—have taught a clear lesson: dry spells will become increasingly frequent and prolonged due to the climate crisis, and it is essential to prepare well to face them effectively. Therefore, despite the current positive situation, we must not be distracted and must continue with the planned investments and projects in this area. Over the next five years, the ACA forecasts having up to 280 hm³ of new water resources available through desalination and regeneration, network efficiency improvements, and greater utilization of the Besòs River basin. With these new resources, it is expected that 70% of consumption demands – drinking water, industrial uses, and economic activities – can be guaranteed with this new infrastructure. In fact, new projects are already expected to be activated this year, such as the expansion of the Trinitat Besòs water treatment plant, the Estrella water treatment plant, and the Sant Feliu de Llobregat Water Regeneration Station, among others. The Catalan Water Agency (ACA) highlights that citizens have behaved in an "exemplary manner" during the drought and have "internalized" responsible water consumption, but warns that, despite the current favorable situation, "we must continue to consume water responsibly and in a balanced way."

The wettest winter in 30 years

There are areas of the country where rainfall between December and January has exceeded 200, 300, or even 400 liters per square meter, extraordinary figures provided by Meteocat. In fact, the official weather station located in Granollers (Vallès Oriental) has recorded almost 308 liters per square meter in these two months, 239% more than usual and a record rainfall for this period in 76 years of data collection. Palafrugell (Baix Empordà) has also recorded its wettest winter period on record, with 368 liters per square meter in the last two months. The city of Girona and Cabanes (Alt Empordà) have recorded 442 and 411 l/m², respectively, experiencing their second wettest December-January period since 1950. Other stations throughout the region are also experiencing one of their wettest winters on record, largely due to the weather patterns. Across Catalonia, this is already the wettest winter since 1995-1996, and in some cases, since 1950. At the Fabra Observatory in Barcelona, ​​it had been almost 30 years since such heavy winter rainfall. Between December and January, 230 l/m² accumulated, almost triple the average for these two months combined. In some areas, the figures are approaching those of the winter of [year missing]. GloryThe difference is that this year the rain has been falling for almost two months and that storm was concentrated in just five days.

All of this means that most reservoirs in the inland basins are above 90% capacity, and many have been releasing water for days. Reservoirs always release some water constantly to maintain the river's flow and guarantee the ecological flow. But with reserves nearing full capacity, this outflow has clearly increased. According to data from Friday, the large Susqueda reservoir—at 96% capacity—is releasing 32 m³/s, while its smaller counterpart, the Sau reservoir, at 89%, is releasing between 50 and 60 m³/s. These figures are well above normal. A few days ago, just after the heavy rains brought by the easterly winds, the two reservoirs were releasing more than 150 m³/s of water. The other large reservoir in the inland basins is Baells, which is at 95%.

For its part, Darnius-Boadella – at 94% capacity – has already reduced its outflow from 17 m³/s to 2 m³/s. The Riudecanyes reservoir is completely full and in recent days has intermittently increased its water release to 25 m³/s, while the Foix reservoir is releasing 1 m³/s. The exception is the Siurana reservoir, which, despite a clear increase in capacity, remains much lower than the rest, at 44%. Meanwhile, the Catalan reservoirs managed by the Ebro River Basin Authority (CHE) are above 79% capacity.

All of this means that flows are higher than usual in the lower reaches of rivers such as the Ter and the Muga, but the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) assures that "they should not pose any risk." The remaining reservoirs are releasing their usual volume of water.

Lots of snow in the Pyrenees

The Pyrenees have exceptional snow depths and are experiencing a historic season, with records being broken in some areas. For example, the Núria Valley recorded 144 cm of snow depth at the 1,964-meter mark on January 26th, a record in 26 years of data. The high peaks throughout the mountain range have an average of two to three meters of snow, something that hasn't happened for many years. In fact, a Catalan ski resort has positioned itself as the fourth snowiest in the world right now, specifically Port Ainé, in Pallars Sobirà, where more than three meters of snow have accumulated. This large amount of snow, as the spring thaw approaches, will contribute significantly to the already full reservoirs.