The storm that swept across Catalonia last week caused water reserves in internal basins to rise to 82%, compared to 70.5% last Monday, an increase of 11 points. Data published this Monday by the Catalan Water Agency (ACA) confirms that all reservoirs in the Catalan internal basins increased from 478 cubic hectometers to 552 in just seven days. The long drought has placed the reservoirs of the Ter-Llobregat system, which supplies Barcelona and its metropolitan area and Girona and its surroundings, at 34.5% at the same time last year.
Highlights include the Darnius Boadella reservoir, which is at 77.3% capacity (59% last Monday); that of Sau, at 67.2% (compared to 41.4%); Susqueda, at 98.6% (compared to 91.9%); La Baells, at 80.2% (77.5% last week) and La Llosa del Cavall, at 81% (compared to 79.9%). On the other hand, Sant Ponç is at 79.6% (last week it was at 79.8%); Foix, at 88.7% (compared to 76.3%); Siurana, at 15% (12.6% last Tuesday) and Riudecanyes, at 42.7% (compared to 34.4%).
The reservoirs of the Ebro basin are at 57% of their capacity, with 4,481 cubic hectometers out of the 7,800 they can contain in total, and they remain at records similar to those of the previous week, according to data published this Monday by the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation (CHE). During the same week last year, there were 5,895 cubic hectometers, corresponding to 76% of the total capacity, while the average of the last five years is 63%, with 4,946 cubic hectometers.
This Monday, the President of the Generalitat, Salvador Illa, visited the works of the Els Guiamets dam (Tarragona). The project will guarantee irrigation in the Baix Priorat region thanks to the connection with the Ebro, in addition to solving the leakage problems it suffers from. Farmers in the area are supplied from this small reservoir, but extreme drought between 2023 and 2024 prevented irrigation and led to a total lack of income when reserves did not exceed 10%.
The works, promoted and executed by the CHE, had an investment of 5.9 million euros, they will give autonomy to irrigators, since the community needs the reservoir to be at 30% to be able to irrigate. It is currently at 42% of its capacity. “The Government’s commitment and objective is to carry out the works when it rains. Just because it rains, everything is not resolved, we prepare ourselves better so as not to depend on rain and be able to have agricultural activity at full capacity,” said Illa.
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