Has the fallen rain been made the most of? This is how the reservoirs are after the downpours
The storm of the last few days has left more than 300 l/m² in some parts of the country
BarcelonaThe rains that have fallen during the few days of October so far have been exceptional in some regions, with records of more than 200 or 300 l/m² in some cases and torrential downpours that have caused serious consequences such as flooding. These exceptional figures might make one think that we have our reservoirs full again. But that is not quite the case.
The storm has mainly affected the coast and the pre-coastal areas. Therefore, the bulk of the precipitation has bypassed the main headwaters of the internal basin reservoirs. Even so, it has also been raining less in these areas, located mainly in the Pyrenees and Pre-Pyrenees. This has caused reserves to rise three points compared to the end of September, breaking the trend of a slow but continuous decline over the last two months.
Right now, the reservoirs are at 75%. They have not shot up as much as if the more than 300 l/m² had fallen in the headwaters, but this figure is slightly above what it was just a year ago, and is higher than the average of the last 5 and 10 years. Therefore, water reserves remain in a very good state in our country.
According to sources consulted by the ARA from the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), with current volumes and desalinated and new resource water, "we will reach the time after the summer of 2027 without having to apply consumption restrictions".
However, beyond watering the vegetation in the area, could it be said that the large amount of water that fell on the coast and pre-coastal areas has been completely lost? According to the ACA, no. "Although the most abundant rainfall has been in coastal areas where there are no reservoirs, the water contributions at these points will serve to recharge coastal aquifers," they assure. In fact, even now there are aquifers that have not fully recovered from the water deficit suffered during the historic drought that ended more than a year and a half ago.
"We are just at the beginning of autumn and new episodes of rain could still occur at the headwaters," they remind from the ACA. Currently, the reservoirs of the internal basins have space to be able to take on 170 hm³ more. Therefore, if a large storm of general rainfall were to arrive—such as an easterly storm—the reserves could return to nearly full, as happened at the beginning of the year thanks to the exceptional winter rain. It must be remembered that, under normal conditions, autumn is the rainiest time of the year in more than half of the country.
"The capacity of the internal basin reservoirs is limited, and that is why we manage these volumes in a balanced way with the goal of optimizing the available water to the maximum," they explain from the ACA.
Regarding the state of the reservoirs, the Llosa del Cavall reservoir stands out, which is at 83%, while Susqueda and Sant Ponç also continue at a good 82%, despite the little rain and the extreme heat of the summer. Siurana and La Baells are at 71%, while Sau does not reach 70%. The rest are located below, and Riudecanyes is at the bottom, with 28%. For its part, the Catalan reservoirs of the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation (CHE) are at 53%.
Mitigating the effects of climate change
In recent years, the effects of global warming and the climate crisis are becoming very evident in our region, with more extreme weather phenomena or droughts that will increasingly be longer and harsher. All of this has forced us to embark on a path of no return so as not to depend on rain in the future.
"Climate change is altering the usual periods of rainfall contribution and we must be adapted to this situation, with the deployment of measures that do not depend on rain; new resources are increasingly being incorporated to complement the water we use from natural resources," state sources from the ACA.
Currently, desalination plants are operating at 50% of their capacity, and this year must conclude with the activation of new infrastructure that will provide up to 33 cubic hectometers (hm³) of new resources each year. For example, they highlight the Estrella water treatment plant ( already in service), the expansion of the Besòs water treatment plant or the Water Regeneration Station (ERA) in Sant Feliu de Llobregat. Thus, the government's forecast to reach 2030 with 70% of water consumption guaranteed thanks to desalination and regeneration remains intact.