Malaga's Guadalhorce reservoirs, full for the first time in 13 years: stunning before and after pictures

Seven consecutive storms in the south of Spain have filled the Malaga reservoirs to levels of thirteen years ago.

In May of that year they reached almost full capacity, with 611 million cubic metres. At midday on Monday 9 February they held 524 million, nearly 90 per cent capacity.

This is the water needed to supply a population of eight million people for a year. In the province, peace of mind varies between three and four years, depending on each basin.

The three Guadalhorce reservoirs are technically full. In fact, on 9 February, the Conde del Guadalhorce has reached its historical maximum, 69.8 million cubic metres, above 100 per cent. This reservoir has been releasing water for weeks.

The same is happening with the Guadalteba, which is at 96 per cent, with 147m m3 stored. This reservoir drains in a double process: into the River Guadalhorce and, from there, into the Tajo de la Encantada and overflows into the neighbouring Guadalhorce. The river, thanks to this and to the rains themselves, has gained a great deal of volume in a week, more than 50 million m3 and over 92%.

All this is reflected downstream of the Desfiladero de Los Gaitanes (where the Caminito del Rey gorgeside walk is located), as shown by the rising flows of the river at the Paredones weir in Álora, where an exclusive farming irrigation channel and another that supplies Malaga city separate.

All of the images of how the resvoirs have changed can be found in the blog 'Tormentas y Rayos' written by weather expert José Luis Escudero. He took the photographs that accompany this article.

The provincial reservoirs have tripled the reserves they had at this time last year; they have gained 123 million m3 in just one week, and, of course, they look very different from the not-so-distant drought.

Another curiosity is that the Guadalhorce is likely to soon overtake La Viñuela as the second biggest reservoir in terms of stored water. The reservoir in Axarquia has 120 million m3. It is the only one that is free from the risk of having to release water, as it has plenty of space.

For its part, La Concepción, between Marbella and Istán, continues with the sluice gates open so as not to exceed the 48 million m3 set between October and April as the maximum filling level.

The two defensive dams, Casasola and Limonero, have been adjusted to safety thresholds in recent days and have also released water.