Unlike the year 2017 that we have left behind as the warmest since 1965 and the second driest, the year 2018 has entered with abundant rainfall throughout the country, exceeding the normal average.
The rains have somewhat improved the water deficit, although we are still far from normal. How are our reservoirs after the rains and snowfalls?
More rainfall
2018 has started with abundant rainfall throughout the country, being much higher than normal values in the first days of January. The intense rains that occurred and the snowfall also occurred at the end of December have helped to reduce a little the water deficit that Spain has accumulated since the beginning of the hydrological year by almost 10 points.
The average percentage of dammed water in Spain It has increased from 35% to 45%. At this time, in 2017, we were at 50% and 10 years ago at 60%. From what you can see how we are still far from normal values, since we are talking about average values.
Rainfall has taken place almost throughout the peninsular territory, except in the north of Castilla y León, the east of Castilla-La Mancha and Andalusia and the Levante area, according to data collected in the State Meteorological Agency (Aemet).
Amounts greater than 10 liters per square meter have accumulated in most of the peninsula and in the archipelagos. Throughout the western half of Andalusia, the Central and Iberian systems and throughout the northern peninsula, which spans from Galicia to Gerona, there have been exceed up to 30 liters per square meter.
The most outstanding accumulated amount of precipitation are 100 liters per square meter which have been overcome in isolated points in the provinces of Pontevedra and La Coruña, in areas of Cantabria and north of Guipúzcoa and Navarra.
Keep in mind that the Aemet data is updated as of January 11. They still have to date all the amount of water that reaches the reservoirs of the main tributaries of the same rivers.
Comparison with 2017
Compared to the data for this time of year 2017 (it was the second driest and the warmest since 1965), 2018 has started much more rainy. The lack of accumulated rainfall in 2017 has aggravated the drought situation and led to a continuous decrease in the level of the reservoirs.
The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment has valued the rains in January and has observed that these rains have allowed to go from a water deficit of 44,9 percent to 35,5 percent. The precipitations that have occurred will notably help the growth of the cereal and in general for the entire field.
Although we must not lower our guard yet, since we are very far from the normal values of dammed water. Saving water is essential if we want to conserve water resources.
Drought plans
To alleviate the drought, the Government has promoted in recent months a package of emergency works, and among these stand out the actions that have allowed mobilize an additional 350 cubic hectometres in the Segura and Júcar basins, those that suffer the most from water stress.
From May 2016 until now, the Government has been carrying out actions to alleviate the drought in the Segura and Júcar basins. For it, more than 83 million euros have been allocated. Drought is a very serious problem for citizens.
The water must be removed from where it can be, since it does not rain. Therefore, 17,3 million euros have been allocated between 2015 and 2017 to increase the amount of desalinated water. In addition, to modernize irrigation and optimize the amount of water used in agriculture, 60,7 million euros have been allocated to actions, especially in Huesca, León and Valencia.
In order not to lower its guard, the Ministry has launched an environmental awareness campaign on the use of water with the slogan “Water gives us life. Let's take care of it.