Only the Bravura Dam, in the Ribeiras do Algarve basin, had, on the last day of January, a volume of water stored below the monthly average, according to data from the Boletim de Storage in Reservoirs of Mainland Portugal, which is the responsibility of of the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA).
In fact, that dam had 72,2% of its capacity, when the average storage in January is 76,4% (1990/91 to 2012/13). Still, a very comfortable position, in a winter where no one can complain about the lack of rain.
According to the Bulletin, of the 57 reservoirs monitored across the country, 35 had water availability above 80% of the total volume and one had availability below 40% of the total volume.
In the south of the country, the basin with the highest storage levels is the Guadiana, with 87,7% (above the average of 81,1%), which includes the dams of Beliche (70,3%) and Treat (77,8%).
This basin comprises a total of nine reservoirs, especially Alqueva, which has the highest level of storage of all in the South (88,8%), but also Abrilongo, Caia, Enxoé, Lucefecit, Monte Novo and Vigia .
This is followed by the Mira basin (84,6%), with two dams: Corte Brique and Santa Clara (84,6%).
Finally, the Arade basin (66,8%), with three reservoirs: Arade (no data), Fennel (76,4%) and Odelouca (63,9%).
With the rain that has fallen in these first twelve days of February, it is to be expected higher levels of storage in the reservoirs at the end of the month, in some cases offset by controlled discharges from the dams.
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