León water reservoirs drop to 33.8% capacity amid irrigation updates

Water reservoir levels in León, Spain, have declined to 33.8% of total capacity at the start of October. According to data from the Confederación Hidrográfica del Duero (CHD), the Esla and Órbigo systems—comprising the Villameca, Barrios de Luna, Porma, and Riaño reservoirs—currently hold approximately 435.5 hectometres of water out of a total capacity of 1,288.4 hectometres.

Individual reservoir levels vary significantly: Porma is at 38.5% and Riaño is at 37.4%, while Barrios de Luna stands at 23.5%. Villameca reports the lowest capacity at 11.1%. This decline follows the typical reduction seen after the summer months and the irrigation season.

In the Canal Bajo del Bierzo region, the irrigation campaign has concluded amidst ongoing modernization works managed by the Junta. Despite challenges related to provisional infrastructure, officials reported a 40% saving in water usage during this campaign. Modernization efforts are expected to continue, with certain regional concentrations projected for completion by late 2027.