The Guiamets reservoir in the Priorat region has reached 100% capacity following months of extraordinary rainfall, a dramatic turnaround for a basin that was almost completely dry last autumn. This marks only the second time the reservoir has been full since official records began in 1978, with the last occasion being in May 2004.
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Data from the Ebro Hydrographic Confederation (CHE), provided to the newspaper Ara Cat by the Baix Priorat irrigators’ community, highlights the scale of the recovery. In early December, the reservoir stood at just 4% of its capacity. For much of the autumn, it languished at a critical 1%. In just three months, it has gone from empty to overflowing.
A Lifeline for Local Agriculture
While one of the smaller reservoirs managed by the CHE, with a capacity of just 10 cubic hectometres, Guiamets plays a vital role in the region. The facility, which became operational in the 1970s, is primarily used for agricultural irrigation and regulates the flow of the Asmat river. Its water level is a key indicator of the hydrological health of an area that served as the epicentre of Catalonia’s recent, historic drought.
The reservoir is a critical resource for the agricultural heartland of Priorat, a region celebrated not only for its world-class wine but also for its stunning landscapes, which border the newly designated Muntanyes de Prades Natural Park.
After years of scarcity that left the land parched, the hundreds of farmers and agricultural landowners in the area are breathing a sigh of relief. The replenished reserves are expected to guarantee enough water for the next three years, even without further significant rainfall.
“This gives us life and saves us for the next three years,” Eugeni Vecino, technical secretary of the Baix Priorat irrigators’ community, told Ara Cat.
Infrastructure and a Wider Recovery
The positive news comes as infrastructure projects aim to secure the region’s water supply against future droughts. Work has recently been completed on a highly anticipated project to bring water from the Ebro river to Guiamets, a measure intended to guarantee irrigation water should the reservoir’s levels plummet again.
In addition, the CHE is undertaking works to repair leaks in the reservoir’s infrastructure, which Vecino described as causing “significant water losses.”
The recovery at Guiamets reflects a wider trend across Catalonia. The network of reservoirs in the Ebro basin within Catalonia is now above 85% capacity. Meanwhile, the internal basins, managed by the Catalan Water Agency (ACA), are exceeding 96%, a stark contrast to the 33% they held this time last year. The recovery is not isolated; Catalonia’s reservoir levels have seen a remarkable recovery across the board. In some cases, water is overflowing, prompting authorities to proactively release it from some dams. This action accommodates expected snowmelt and potential downpours, a cautious approach following recent alerts for torrential rain.
