Serena Reservoir Struggles Despite Heavy Rainfall: A Look at Spain's Water Crisis
The Serena reservoir, located in the province of Badajoz along the Zújar River, holds the title of the largest reservoir in Spain and the third largest in Europe, boasting a capacity of 3,219 hectometers cubed. Recent high-impact storms that have swept across the Iberian Peninsula—specifically storms Jana, Konrad, and Laurence—have presented images of overflowing rivers and significant discharges, especially in central and southern Spain. However, data released by the Ministry for Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge indicates that the rainfall recorded has not been sufficient for the Serena reservoir to reach even 50% of its capacity.
Currently, the Serena reservoir contains 1,571 hectometers cubed of stored water, translating to just 48.8% of its total capacity. This statistic may seem surprising considering the recent bout of heavy rainfall and the fact that no discharges have taken place. Experts have shed light on several factors contributing to the Serena's low water levels despite recent precipitation.
A key reason is the uneven distribution of rainfall across different basins. While rivers in the Tagus basin, including the Alberche, Jarama, Henares, Guadarrama, and Manzanares, have overflowed thanks to substantial rainfall, the Guadiana basin—home to the Serena reservoir—has not benefited from such amounts. The Tagus watershed saw an impressive increase of 835 hectometers cubed over the past week, pushing its capacity to 75.04%. In stark contrast, the Guadiana watershed only gained 522 hectometers cubed, leading to a more modest capacity increase of 54.7%, sitting at 56.35% of its total.
The recent storms in March have indeed caused a significant rise in the levels of reservoirs throughout the country, reflecting a much-needed boost following several years of drought. However, for a reservoir as large as the Serena to reach higher capacity percentages, an extraordinary volume of water is required. It’s important to note that the Serena reservoir had begun from a rather low baseline of water levels, which has made it challenging to break through the 50% threshold.
Encouragingly, recent rainfall has positively impacted the Serena reservoir, leading to a 5.84% increase thanks to the accumulation of 188 hectometers cubed of water in the last seven days. Despite this rise, the current capacity level of 48.8% is still a marked improvement compared to the same week last year, which recorded only 22.96%, and is also above the ten-year average for this week at 40.65%.
As Spain grapples with climate variability and water management challenges, the situation at the Serena reservoir highlights a crucial aspect: while rainfall can replenish water supply systems, the road to recovery from prolonged dry spells is often uneven, with certain areas reaping the benefits more than others. Looking ahead, effective water management strategies will be essential to navigate these challenges and ensure the sustainability of Spain’s water resources.
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