The rains that began to fall in Catalonia especially from October 24, finished off with the DANA that ended on Mondayhave had a positive impact on the water reserves of the reservoirs. An especially necessary effect in those of the internal basins. After a dry start to the autumn, the swamps were facing a new complicated situation if rainfall did not arrive, with the forecast for the system to become exceptional. Ter–Llobregat (which supplies the majority of the Catalan population) this November and drought emergency in March.
The increase in reserves achieved in the last ten days has changed this scenario and although Catalonia cannot consider the long drought it is suffering over, it is true that the current situation is clearly better than that of a year ago. And the falling water guarantees that there will be no new restrictions during the rest of 2024 and in the first months of 2025. Which also gives a greater margin of time to the Government so that some of the new water infrastructure can come into operation projected.
Specifically, since October 17, the reservoirs in the internal Catalan basins have gained more than 35 hm³ until 4 p.m. this Tuesday. According to data from the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), they have passed from accumulating 189.3 hm³ of water to 224.4. In relative terms, reserves have grown five points, from 27.25% to 32.3%. The figure is a 70% higher than a year agowhen there was already an exceptional situation and the accumulated water was 133.1 hm³, 19.17%. It is the first autumn since 2020 in which there is a growth in reserves, although the accumulated water is well below the average of the last five years.
In the case of the Ter-Llobregat system, the most important of those in the internal basins, it has gone from 176.2 hm³ (28.79%) to 208.4 (34.04%), almost double that of the same moment in 2023. The rainfall of recent days has allowed us to recover half of the reserves lost since the summer, after the maximum since September 2022 was achieved on June 28, with 257.5 hm³ (37.1% of capacity, which reached almost 40% in Ter-Llobregat).
That growth was thanks to a rainy spring that marked the first major turning point in the last three years of drought and leaving behind the emergency level and the historical minimum of 100 hm³ (14.4%) marked on March 9, which was 90.6 hm³ (14.8%) in Ter-Llobregat.
Significant improvement in Tarragona In absolute terms, the main reserves gains in the Ter-Llobregat system have been in the reservoirs of the Baells (Berguedà), which has increased them by almost 18 hm³ since October 17 and already exceeds 56% – more than double that of last year; Sau (Osona), with 16 more hm³; and the Llosa del Cavall (Solsonès), with 7 hm³ more, which has allowed it to achieve 33% of its capacity. On the other hand, that of Susqueda (la Selva), which is connected to Sau, has lost about 11.
However, on a visual level the most significant change has been experienced in the Tarragona Campwhere reservoirs that were almost dry begin to accumulate water. This is the case of Siurana (Priorat) and Riudecanyes (Baix Camp). The first barely accumulated 0.08 hm³ of water on October 24, 0.60% of its capacity, while this Tuesday at 4 p.m. it is close to 6% and has 0.72 hm³, nine times more. In the same period, the second has evolved from 0.09 hm³ and 1.6% to 0.76 and 14.36%, also nine times more. The swamp of Guiametsalso in the Priorat but which belongs to the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation (CHE), in a week it has gone from being dry to accumulating 1 hm³, 10% of what it can fit. All this helps to improve the situation of the territory with the most intense drought in Catalonia.
The Government’s commitment to water infrastructure Since he took office as president of the Generalitat in August, Salvador Illa has established drought management as one of the Government’s priorities, with a clear commitment to accentuate production infrastructures or reuse of water, like desalination plants or water treatment plants. It is a model that must involve investments of 2.3 billion until 2040 and that generates criticism from environmental and ecological organizations, which advocate addressing a reduction in water consumption and evaluating which are the priority uses.
The rains of recent days allow the executive to gain time for the first planned infrastructures to be activated without being in a situation of exceptionality or emergency due to drought. Specifically, the forecast is that before the end of the year the improvements in the water treatment plant will be activated. Empuriabrava (Girona), with an investment of 2.5 million, and the contribution of regenerated water from the treatment plant Figueres to the Muga river at the height of Pont de Molins. The latter has a budget of six million and will allow 100 liters per second to be obtained.
Looking ahead to next year, and also in the Alt Emporda (Girona), the mobile desalination plants of Roses (55 liters per second and 3.6 million investment) and Empuriabrava (35 liters per second and 3 million) will be put into operation. In the area of the Ter Llobregat system, in mid-2025 the forecast is that the expansion of the Trinidad water treatment plantwhich has to increase current production by about 400 or 500 liters per second, which means between about 12 and 15 hm³ per year. While at the end of 2025 it is planned to activate the new wells Sant Joan Despí (1,300 liters per second and 30 million) and the Estrella water treatment plant in Sant Feliu de Llobregat (800 liters per second and 33 million).
Beyond 2025, the calendar establishes that in 2026 the water regeneration station of Sant Feliu de Llobregat (Barcelona) will be in service, providing 400 liters per second thanks to an investment of 5.5 million.
And more in the medium term, the works on the desalination plants must be completed, with the expansion of the Tordera plant completed in 2028, the construction of the Foix plant in 2029 and the Costa Brava Northin it Alt Empordain 2032, all thanks to investments of hundreds of millions of euros in each case. According to the executive’s roadmap, the works will reach 245 hm³ of water per year that does not depend on rain, when currently the figure is 116.
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