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Image of the La Concepción reservoir, between Marbella and Istán. Josele
Western strip of Costa del Sol moves to lowest level on drought scale after recent heavy downpours of rain
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Western strip of Costa del Sol moves to lowest level on drought scale after recent heavy downpours of rain

The current data from the reservoirs should allow a return to a 'normal' situation, but the rules of hydrological management do not allow the 'jump of two steps' at once

Chus Heredia

Malaga

Tuesday, 4 February 2025, 12:57

The western part of the Costa del Sol has reached a state of normality after the downpours brought by the October and November storms. However, according to the drought management committee of the Junta de Andalucía regional government, the drought has only reached a moderate level and water usage should remain rational. The caution is part of an order, which was signed by the regional minister for agriculture, Ramón Fernández Pachecho, on 21 January.

It should be noted that the situation with the La Concepción reservoir near Marbella is more complex, as the threshold for water levels changes from month to month, unlike in other reservoirs across Malaga province. This is because La Concepción is a fast-response and well-designed reservoir that quickly incorporates flows from the Guadaiza, Guadalmina and Guadalmansa rivers, which are added to those of the Verde.

Despite the improvement in the situation, Acosol, the company that manages upstream water (in some municipalities, also downstream) along the westerb coast, has called for caution and rational use of resources.

38.42

million cubic metres were stored on Monday at La Concepción. On paper, instead of a moderate drought, the situation could be termed normal, with 37.42hm3 in February. But this is not possible due to the reservoir's management principles. For to exit the actual state of drought, it would need to have 42.3 million cubic metres in March, with a consistent increase until June, which makes the move to the 'green level' very complicated.

According to the Junta de Andalucía's Hidrosur network, the reservoir stored 38.42 million cubic metres at 6pm on Monday 3 February. With 37.42 million cubic metres required in the month of February, these figures create a state of normality. But things become more complicated in the following months because, given that it is a medium-sized reservoir, it can never offer a buffer of much more than eight months. For the Costa to actually exit the state of drought, the reserves would need to contain 42.3 million cubic metres in March; 50.4 in April; 51.3, almost full, in May; 49.7 in June; 45.2 in July; 39.1 in August; 32.2 in September; 27.7 in October; 29.1 in November; 30.5 in December and 34.3 in January. Therefore, in the absence of significant rainfall, the threshold is likely to remain in moderate drought in the coming months.

225

litres per person per day is the allowance between Torremolinos and Manilva. This isn't the water that comes from each tap in the area, but rather the total supply entering the head of the network, divided by the established population.

The water allocation per inhabitant has increased to 225 litres per inhabitant per day. The following contributions from the La Concepción reservoir are set: January (2.759 million cubic metres), February (2.523 million cubic metres), and March (2.938 million cubic metres). The reservoir currently holds 37.89 million cubic metres.

90

million cubic metres of water is what the coast needs each year. Of this, 22% should be obtained from the Marbella seawater desalination plant and another 10% from the Guadalmansa and Fuengirola wells in 2025.

The Junta de Andalucía guidelines remain the same: to try to save as much water from the reservoir as possible and use more from the Marbella desalination plant, which is currently being expanded. The plant is expected to start producing 20 million cubic metres per year in a matter of a few months, following a regional investment of more than 7 million euros. That should account for 22% of the water needed along the coast, between Torremolinos and Manilva, per year (approximately 90hm3). Another major contribution are the wells of Fuengirola and Guadalmansa, which provide approximately 10% of the necessary supply.

Although Monday's rains passed over the reservoir located between Marbella and Istán, they have barely contributed 0.2 million cubic metres.

Malaga city remains one level below, in a state of severe drought, while Axarquía remains at the highest level.

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surinenglish Western strip of Costa del Sol moves to lowest level on drought scale after recent heavy downpours of rain