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The tail end of the Guadalteba reservoir. Ñito Salas
Malaga and Guadalhorce return to severe drought status after two months of falling reservoir levels
Drought crisis

Malaga and Guadalhorce return to severe drought status after two months of falling reservoir levels

The lack of rainfall is preventing the province from leaving behind the nightmare of drought and a string of strict water restrictions

Chus Heredia

Malaga

Monday, 15 July 2024, 11:19

Water levels in the reservoirs that supply Malaga city have dropped below 71.4 hectometres, which means the water reserves are in a situation of severe drought.

This is marked by the reservoirs of the Guadalhorce system falling below 71.4 hectometres in storage. Up until May, thanks to the bouts of rainfall during Easter week and the weekend of 9-10 March, they reached 85 hm3. The drought committee avoided downgrading the situation as it sensed what was going to happen. And it has happened. The province's reservoirs started decreasing again on 13 May and it has been most felt the most in the Guadalhorce, Guadalteba and Conde de Guadalhorce. On Saturday 13 July, they had a total of just 67 hm3 compared to 113 last year.

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If it doesn't rain in autumn, alarm bells will start sounding again. Things would be even worse if Malaga and the Junta were not applying key policies to try to contain the situation: massive pressure regulations; expansion of the El Atabal treatment plant; the fight against leaks; projects to utilise the Aljaima and Fahala wells and those of the Bajo Guadalhorce, and widespread use of groundwater for irrigation and flushing streets.

Cracked ground

The Casasola and Limonero reservoirs, which could also supply Malaga city in small volumes, are not considered as they are strategic reserves. Between the two, they do not even store 10 hm3.

The tail end of the two large reservoirs, Guadalhorce and Guadalteba, is nowadays a trickle of water marked by a vast area of dry, cracked mud. Meanwhile, the Conde de Guadalhorce, the smaller dam, is in a better state than last year and offers summery scenes of bathers enjoying the water and the sun.

Relief risks

There are barely 9 hm3 for relief irrigation in the Guadalhorce system. And Malaga stopped giving water to the Axarquía in May, which is also still in the most severe level of drought. But, compared to last year, La Viñuela is much better off, almost 29 hm3, just double that of last year. This is enough water to guarantee the urban consumption of the region for more than a year, but, beware, it does not allow for irrigation, and for this reason irrigation is more than restricted (barely 3hm3 of relief). The good news for the area is that the use of recycled water in the tertiary treatment plants is on the rise with the latest incorporation of the flows from the Peñón del Cuervo and some local improvements.

Relative calm on the coast

The Costa del Sol is breathing a little easier, and could get through the summer despite being in a saturation of moderate drought. But there is no room for complacency as the reservoir of La Concepción does not have a large capacity. Now, it is a little better than last year and has 37 hm3. Added to this is the progressive activation of the two extensions to the Marbella desalination plant, which will provide 20 hm3 per year in December.

Bathers enjoy themselves in the Conde de Guadalhorce reservoir. Ñito Salas

The province's reservoirs store 144 hm3, at 23% of their potential fill volume. They reached 171 in May, with the rains and runoff from the Nelson and Monica storms, and had 34 hm3 more in 2023. However, before March, they were 46 hm3 less.

Restrictions

The lack of rainfall prevents Malaga province from leaving behind the nightmare of drought. The limitations of 200 litres per inhabitant per day are still in force; beach showers are closed except for people with reduced mobility; emergency watering of gardens (not lawns) is allowed once a week, and only the refilling of swimming pools is allowed. Car washing is not allowed outside authorised establishments.

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surinenglish Malaga and Guadalhorce return to severe drought status after two months of falling reservoir levels