Of the 60 Portuguese dams, 32 have water availability greater than 80% of the total volume and one, the Arade, in the Algarve, has an availability of less than 40% of the total volume, indicate data from the National Water Resources Information System (SNIRH) .
The January storages, by hydrographic basin, were higher than the January storage averages (1990/91 to 2011/12), except for the Douro, Ribeiras do Oeste and Ribeiras do Algarve (Bravura) basins.
On the last day of January, and compared to the last day of the previous month (December), there was an increase in the volume stored in 11 hydrographic basins and a decrease in one.
In the south of the country, reservoir levels rose from December to January due to rains that fell in the last two weeks of last month.
Still, there are still reservoirs below half their capacity. Of all 60 dams across the country monitored by the SNIRH, the ones that currently have the lowest levels are located in the Algarve and in the same basin. They are, the Arade dam, which had only 15% of its capacity, and Fennel, with 42,8%.
To compensate, the third dam in this Arade Basin, that of odelouca, presents an availability of 72,1%.
In the south of the country, the availability in the systems is 59,1% in the Arade Basin (Arade, Funcho and Odelouca), 65,9% in Ribeiras do Algarve (Bravura), 71,8% in the Sado Basin (( dams at Alvito, Campanilha, Fonte Serne, Monte Gato, Monte Miguéis, Monte da Rocha, Odivelas, Pego do Altar, Roxo and Vale do Gaio), 83,4% in the Mira Basin (Santa Clara and Corte Brique) and also 89% in Guadiana (Abrilongo, Alqueva, Beliche, Caia, Enxoé, Lucefecit, Monte Novo, Odeleite and Vigia).
In this last basin, the Alqueva reservoir has 91,6% of its capacity, while Odeleite has 80% and Beliche 72,6%.
At Mira, there is even a reservoir with 100% capacity (Corte Brique), while Santa Clara has a comfortable 83,5%.
In the Algarve, despite the low level of the Funcho (15%) and Funcho (42,8%) dams, a reservoir located on the same stream, although further upstream, the Associação de Regantes does not seem to be concerned.
José Vilarinho, president of the Association of Regantes do Arade, explains that «after entering functioning of Odelouca, which is intended for domestic purposes, the Funcho dam was intended only for agricultural purposes and the water it has, together with the Arade, is enough for our needs».
José Vilarinho added that both reservoirs serve around 1300 agricultural properties, mostly citrus and vegetable production, and there are still around 300 hectares of rice fields. The watering of these crops starts in May.
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