Controlled water release at Montejaque dam allows residents to return following flood threat
One hundred and eighty-one people return to Benaoján after dam crisis eases
Following days of uncertainty and preventative evacuations, 181 residents of Estación de Benaoján have been given the green light to return to their homes.
The decision follows a successful controlled release of water from the Montejaque dam (also known as the Los Caballeros dam) in the Serranía de Ronda.
The dam, a century-old engineering project that famously failed to hold water due to the porous nature of the surrounding limestone, reached unprecedented levels this week following a series of intense storms, including Storm Leonardo and Storm Marta.
The sudden accumulation of water pushed the reservoir to its limits, sparking fears of a catastrophic overflow or structural failure.
On Friday afternoon, the Delegate of the Andalusian Government in Malaga, Patricia Navarro, confirmed that the dam's siphon mechanisms worked effectively to channel the excess water.
"The siphons are doing their job," Navarro stated, noting that the controlled release into the Guadiaro river has significantly lowered the risk to downstream communities.
Precautionary measures
At the height of the crisis, over 250 people were evacuated across the region, including families in Jimera de Líbar. While many residents are now returning, authorities maintain that 24-hour surveillance of the infrastructure will continue. Teams from Endesa (the dam's owner), the Military Emergency Unit (UME), and the Guardia Civil remain on-site monitoring water levels and structural integrity.
This event marks a historic moment for the local area, as the dam had not seen such high water levels since its construction in 1924. While the structure is considered a 'failed' project due to geological leaks, the recent extreme weather proved it could still pose a significant hydrological challenge.
Local emergency services have thanked the residents for their cooperation during the evacuation, which was carried out to ensure zero casualties in the event of a sudden surge in the Guadiaro river's flow.
