Reservoirs surpass 50% capacity for first time since July 2022

Catalan reservoirs surpassed their 50% capacity for the first time since July 2022 after the recent rain episodes across the territory on Thursday afternoon.

After Storm Jana, Catalonia has seen continuous rain, helping internal basins surpass registries that were not achieved in months.

In a couple of weeks, reservoirs have increased from 216 cubic hectometers (or 216 million cubic meters) to over 345 cubic hectometers, according to data released by the Catalan Water Agency (ACA).

The Baells reservoir surpasses 82% capacity, up from 54% in early March. Sau is at 40% from 6.7%, and Darnius-Boadella at 45%, while on March 3, it stood at 17%.

Darnius-Boadella was one of the most critical reservoirs, serving hundreds of inhabitants of the Alt and Baix Empordà counties. Due to the ongoing drought, the northeastern counties were in a state of exceptionality.

After recent rain, the Catalan government announced on Tuesday that it was adjusting drought restrictions in the territory.

"We’re at the beginning of a process to ease drought restrictions," Catalan territory minister Sílvia Paneque told press on Tuesday. She explained that the government is making initial decisions while monitoring conditions "in the coming weeks."

Internal basins had not been at 50% capacity since early July 2022. Since then, reservoirs dropped to even less than 15% of capacity registered in March last year. That was the lowest point registered in the 21st century.