[REVISION HISTORY]

Spain water reserves decline amid heat and drought

Updated 7 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

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2026-09-01 03:36 UTC → 2026-09-16 04:58 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Spain’s water reserves have continued to decline, falling to 64.9% of total capacity following a weekly loss of 817 hm³. While current volumes remain higher than the ten-year average, preventing emergency alerts in the agricultural sector, rapid depletion highlights systemic vulnerability. Regional disparities are significant. In Andalusia, reservoirs sit at 73.8% capacity, ~~whereas~~ a figure that exceeds the last decade's average despite a 4.33% monthly decrease. The Ebro basin shows extreme variation, with the Búbal reservoir at only ~~5.9%.~~ 5.9% and Cavallers at 92.3%. The Tajo basin’s Entrepeñas and Buendía reservoirs have also seen decreases, currently at 53.69% capacity. Localized crises persist. In Toledo, six municipalities—including San Bartolomé de las Abiertas and Villarejo de Montalbán—have been without potable water since August 20 due to falling reservoir levels and high iron concentrations, forcing residents to rely on bottled water. In Soria, the Provincial Council has distributed nearly 4 million liters via tanker trucks in 2026 to combat falling water tables, with August accounting for 44% of that total. In Galicia, 32 municipalities are under alert, with the Environment Minister proposing more reservoirs and groundwater studies to secure supply. Management strategies remain a point of contention. Officials are pursuing infrastructure-heavy solutions, such as recovery works at the Villameca reservoir in Leon, while Greenpeace opposes this ‘concrete policy’ of new reservoirs and water transfers, instead advocating for soil restoration and ecological flows. To mitigate waste, nationwide restrictions prohibit washing cars on public streets, and municipal bans in Menorca and La Rioja target the cleaning of terraces, facades, and orchards.

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