Malaga water update: Guadalhorce and Guadalteba reservoirs merge as capacity hits 99%

The recent storms and continuous runoffs in Malaga province have merged the Guadalhorce and Guadalteba dams into one vast reservoir of 275 million cubic metres. Even with the floodgates open, the two are at 99 per cent of their capacity.

The Guadalhorce reservoir and the nearby Guadalteba reservoir are linked by a spillway. When the latter fills up, water flows by gravity into the former, something reported by SUR two weeks ago.

Both reservoirs have been releasing water for days through their floodgates and bottom outlets, with valves discharging into the Guadalhorce riverbed under spectacular pressure. On 20 February, the two reservoirs contained 152 and 124 million cubic metres - enough water to supply Malaga city for five years.

The higher-level overflow system was originally designed to prevent water from the Guadalteba becoming contaminated by the higher salinity of the Guadalhorce. Although this connection is generally avoided, extreme situations such as the current one make it unavoidable. That said, when water levels rise significantly, salinity reduces.

Both the Guadalteba and the Guadalhorce have their own systems of bottom drains that flow into the river on the way to the Tajo de la Encantada and Los Gaitanes, where the hydroelectric power station is located. This is also where the water from the Conde de Guadalhorce, which regulates the Turón river, ends up.

Downstream, at the Paredones weir in Álora, two canals fork: one goes to the city of Malaga and is also used for irrigation and the other is only for the latter purpose.

This network began to take shape in 1902 with the hydroelectric project and in 1923 with the Conde dam. The Guadalteba and Guadalhorce came into operation around 1973.