If you think that the Algarve has been raining a lot, you are wrong. In such a way, that the region officially remains in a situation of drought, weak (in the Barlavento) or moderate (in the Sotavento), forcing the company Águas do Algarve SA to manage, with extra care, the water available in the four dams destined for supply public in the region (Odelouca, Bravura, Odeleite and Beliche).
Because, «despite a large part of the Portuguese territory having recorded, in January, rainfall amounts higher than the average values, including the national average value for January being the highest in the last 15 years (189,0 mm) o which characterizes it as a very rainy month, in the Algarve region the situation in terms of rainfall has been different from the rest of the territory».
According to information from IPMA, in January 2016, the lowest monthly amount of rainfall at national level was recorded in the Algarve, in the municipality of Castro Marim, and at national level, only in the eastern Algarve region were values lower than the normal, a panorama that has been maintained during the month of February, emphasizes Águas do Algarve.
On the other hand, the current wet period of 2015-2016, and except for an episode recorded in early November 2015, «has been characterized by low amounts of precipitation and consequently low water inflows to the reservoirs that constitute water sources for the public supply to the Algarve».
With the aggravation of the fact that the previous hydrological year (2014-2015) was «also characterized as dry, with the reservoirs already starting from a situation of low availability, in terms of water storage».
In this scenario of low rainfall and the analysis of volumes and water availability of the four reservoirs that constitute the water sources of the Multi-municipal Water Supply System of the Algarve (Odelouca, Bravura, Odeleite and Beliche), it appears that, «in this wet period 2015-2016 hydrological year, and compared to the same period of the previous year, the regularization flows of the reservoirs were not sufficient to meet the registered needs, thus not allowing increases in terms of percentage of water storage».
In other words, as it has been raining very little, for the second year running, the water stored in the dams is not yet sufficient for the Algarve's supply needs.
Also according to IPMA, on January 31, almost the entire Algarve region was in a situation of mild drought, with the exception of the area where the Bravura reservoir basin is located, with the Sotavento Algarvio region. if already in a situation of moderate drought.
On balance, «the situation in terms of availability of surface water for public supply is less unfavorable in the Barlavento Algarvio region, mainly due to the availability of a new source of surface water, the Odelouca dam reservoir, associated with an Águas strategy do Algarve SA for multi-year and integrated management of the water sources of the Algarve Multi-municipal Water Supply System, surface and underground.
However, the company adds, «in view of the more unfavorable situation registered in Sotavento, which deserves extraordinary monitoring», Águas do Algarve SA is already «implementing additional management measures to safeguard the public supply needs of the region in the high season that is approaching».
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