Malaga’s Seven Reservoirs Hold An Average Of 30% Of Their Capacity As Summer Arrives

The seven reservoirs in Malaga province currently hold an average of 30 per cent of their capacity.

A severe lack of rainfall during the last months has led to a worsening situation as far as water supplies are concerned. Compared to this time last year, they contain some 122 hm³ less. Specifically, they hold 187 hectometres, when in 2022, there were 309.

As can be seen in the latest data published by the Hidrosur network, La Viñuela is by far the one in the most serious situation, but the rest are not that far behind.

It presently contains just 15 hm³, equal to 9.2 per cent of its 164 hm³ capacity. With Summer upon us, this water has to supply the entire region until at least October.

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Plans to restrict the use of water were implemented last October

Last October, in a bid to regulate the supply, the Junta de Andalucía approved that irrigators were going to be totally restricted from having access to water from La Viñuela.

In addition, the water supply for the region was reduced by 20 per cent, so that inhabitants had 200 litres per person per day.

After what was agreed in the last Commission for the management of the drought on June 16, both these measures are still in force today.

November 2022 was the last time the reservoir reached this historical minimum. Before that, one must look back to 2008. There are now just 15 hectares of water, while in June 2022, there were 24, a total of 10 hectares more.

The other reservoirs are not coping well

In the Conde del Guadalhorce, there are also only 15 hectometres left, which is the equivalent of 23 per cent of its total capacity.

Guadalhorce’s reservoirs are at 29 per cent, with 37 hectometres, while the Guadalteba reservoir stands at 43 per cent, holding 66 hectometres. This one currently holds the most water in the entire province for now.

The Limonero and Casasola reservoirs contain seven cubic hectometres. That means they hold respectively, 32 and 35 per cent each. On the other hand, the Concepción reservoir is at 65 per cent of its capacity, with 37.8 hectometres.

Farmers are expecting poor mango and avocado harvests this season

Summer is a difficult period for the inhabitants of the Axarquía, especially for farmers. With these restrictions in place and the lack of rainfall, they have seen their harvests reduced to such an extent that they will be much lower than usual.

A yield of only 30 per cent of the usual crops for mango is expected this season, while the avocado harvest is estimated to drop between 30 per cent and 40 per cent.

Various experts have suggested that the main problem of all this is the lack of water infrastructure, insisting that the construction of a desalination plant would be the best solution.

When will the desalination plant be built?

Currently, it is still not known who is going to build the proposed Axarquía desalination plant. The Junta de Andalucía has not yet ruled on the matter, although its President, Juanma Moreno, reported that they would do so this June.

Similarly, he also pointed out that two desalination plants could be built in the area. One could be financed by the Central Government that gave the green light in the last Drought Decree and another one could be approved by the Junta de Andalucía he said.

However, irrigators from the region and members of the Magtel, Trops and Reyes Gutiérrez companies told malagahoy.es that the logical thing would be to build only one desalination plant in this region that would cover all the needs of the area.