Amid ongoing drought, Spain’s water reserves fall below 30%

OVIEDO, Spain

Spain’s reservoirs are increasingly running dry, with the water reserves related to human consumption seeing levels dip below 30% for the first time this year, according to the latest government update.

The report, published Tuesday, shows reservoirs used for human consumption and agriculture are just 29.3% full, nearly 19 percentage points lower than the 10-year average for late August.

Water levels have only dipped this low once since 1996 — in the autumn of 2022.

After two years of ongoing drought, 40% of the country is either under a state of alert or emergency due to water shortages.

While some regions have their reservoirs more than 80% full, large swaths of northeastern, southwestern, and central Spain are coping with water levels well below the national average. The worst shortage is around the province of Cadiz, where the main reserve is just 16.7% full.

Last year was the hottest and third-driest in Spain on record. This year has also seen the hottest spring ever as well as severe heat waves.

As water becomes increasingly scarce, Spain’s massive agricultural sector is struggling. As a consequence, prices are surging for consumers.

On Tuesday, Spanish virgin olive oil prices hit a fresh all-time high on the wholesale market, according to Bloomberg.

The price for Spanish tomatoes has increased 35.7% year over year, while broccoli, where summer crop yields may have fallen by as much as 50%, is up 27%. Water-hungry crops like mangos are also being hard hit, with estimates suggesting yields will be down by 60-70%, according to commodity data provider Mintec.

The water shortages are also beginning to affect daily life in some parts of the country. In large parts of Catalonia, it is now forbidden to water parks, yards, or other green areas, and authorities are urging residents to cut down their personal water usage. The government has also imposed restrictions on how much agricultural and industrial operations can use.

Meanwhile, Spain’s water reserves used for electricity generation decreased to 56%, also well below the average of the last 10 years of 64.6% at this time of year.