Spain faces its most serious drought situation since 1995, and even with rainfall expected to ease the pressure, the latest figures show that water reserves continue to decline. The weather pattern this season has brought some relief in bursts, but the overall trend remains downward as reservoirs struggle to regain levels lost over recent months.
Current estimates place Spanish water reserves at around 32.5 percent of full capacity. Data from the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge indicates that this week the reservoirs lost a total of 540 cubic meters, equivalent to a one percent decrease. This ongoing drain underscores the fragility of the system and the ongoing need for prudent water management across sectors that rely on these supplies.
Historically, this figure marks the lowest level in nearly three decades. Records show that in the same week in 1995, when reservoir activity was at a minimum, the capacity share was even tighter. The ministry has tracked data since 1990, and the early 1990s also reveal a similar pattern of stress on storage. A year earlier, in 1994, the weekly reading stood at 33.83 percent, illustrating how quickly conditions can swing with seasonal rainfall and long-standing hydrological cycles.
This week also saw uneven precipitation across the peninsula. While the Mediterranean slope received significant rain, the Atlantic slope experienced comparatively less, though nonetheless important. In Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, rainfall reached 124.3 liters per square meter, a notable influx after a drier spell and a reminder of how regional variations shape overall water balances across the country.
Reservoirs this week sit at 35.26 percent below the long-term average for the past decade and are 18.93 percent lower than the same dates in 2021. These comparisons highlight the persistent gap between what is typical and what is currently observed, reinforcing the sense that recovery will require more than a single wet season.
Regional breakdowns show wide disparities in storage levels. Eastern Cantabria is at 67.1 percent, Western Cantabria at 56.2 percent, the Galician coast at 53.1 percent, and the inland basins of the Basque Country at 71.4 percent. Tinto, Odiel, and Piedras are at 65.5 percent, while Júcar stands at 52.5 percent. In contrast, several major basins remain well below half capacity, underscoring the uneven nature of rainfall distribution and its impact on water security across sectors and regions.
Other major basins display similarly stressed conditions. Miño-Sil sits at 45.1 percent, the Douro at 30 percent, the Tagus at 35.9 percent, and the Guadiana at 23.7 percent. The Guadalete-Barbate system is at 23.3 percent, Guadalquivir at 20.3 percent, and the Andalusia Mediterranean basin at 39 percent. The Safe basin reads 33.9 percent, Ebro at 37.2 percent, and Catalonia’s inner basins at 36.9 percent. Across the country, a number of reservoirs remain well under their full capacity, signaling ongoing vulnerability in the water supply network.