25 May, 2014 @ 16:00
1 min read

Worst drought in 150 years hits Spain

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THE worst drought in 150 years is threatening eastern and southern Spain.

Huge storms have been buffeting the Atlantic coast, but the last eight months have been brutally dry inland, ruining harvests and putting farmers out of business.

Valencia and Alicante are among the worst hit areas, where rainfall has been down to just 25% of average levels, according to meteorological agency Aemet.

Ana Casals, a spokesperson for Aemet, said that rainfall has not been this low since records began 150 years ago.

TV meteorologist Jose Antonio Maldonado added: “We have never seen such a long and intense drought.

“Even during the second worst period of drought on record, there was twice as much rain as there is now.”

The average capacity of reservoirs in Andalucia is between 74 and 90%, but current levels are significantly lower – in Juzcar, in Malaga, it was down to just 54%.

Other areas badly affected include Murcia, Albacete, Cuenca, Teruel, Jaen, Almeria, Cadiz and Malaga.

But the future of Spain’s rainfall could be even worse.

According to a study by the Spanish National Research Centre, the country’s droughts are more intense and more regular than ever before.

Imogen Calderwood

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50 Comments

  1. Although politicians deny that geo-engineering is being carried out worldwide, it’s a fact that here in Andalucía we’ve been aggressively sprayed with toxic chemicals since last September. You only have to look at the sky which is often covered with a static white haze. And what is the purpose of this chemtrailing? Partly to control the weather (sun dimming) and also to create either drought or severe storms. If the farmers’ crops fail due to drought or storms, they’ll be forced to use GMO seed, which is supplied by Monsanto & others. This seed can be grown in drought conditions unlike organic seed.

    About two years’ ago, there was an article in the Olive Press about chemtrailing – in the Environment section. Might be a good idea to repeat this – are chemtrails fact or just a conspiracy theory?

  2. although I wouldn’t entirely rule out the possibility that chemtrailing is happening, remarks like those of Jane Bowen do nothing to add any credibility or plausibility to the idea.

  3. Many simple chem analysis have shown that steam/water vapor coming from cooling/exhaust stacks are just that – plain steam/water.
    Jane – you must be in a “vapor” – check air quality data with EPA in the USA. Re: “static white haze” sometimes in air of Andalucia – again check for water vapor in air (called humidity) in warm air along with some Sahara sand dust coming from the Southwest that gives a “pink” tint to the air & dust. Just normal in this location being Northeast of North Africa/Sahara, especially at sunset. That’s Nature for you!!

  4. Re: GMO seed to enhance production of food. Many FDA long term studies have proven such produce (corn, wheat, etc) safe for human consumption. With huge population growth (especially in low income, 3rd World countries) if GMO food stuffs are NOT used, mostly only the rich elite can afford to eat/survive, and majority of population just starve to death. Great eh Jane?
    I and the majority of the 1st World have voted – use safe GMO products for many & their children… far better to EAT and LIVE.
    ps. Look at MUCH higher cost of even “ecological” produce.. here- factual research shows THAT IT has no substantial nutritional/safety benefits to consumers over lower cost “regular produce” – your dosh, spend it anyway you like!

  5. @ Stefanjo & Jane: Supply & Demand, Econ 101 that rules.
    Attend Golf Conferences as I did and hear how much DECREASE is happening in golf players & INCREASE in # of golf courses in Andalucia. Dumb. Golf Clubs HAVE to reduce their costs to survive! Many don’t. Why? Silly Town Halls believe after accepting construction tax,($$ whoopy!)that golfers will follow -UGH. Developers buy cheap land,, get Golf Course construction permit/pay tax and realize when they sell FRONT LINE GOLF VILLA/APTS… they increase their profit 200%-300% per site. So – we have an DECREASE of Golfers and EXCESS of Golf Courses. But “nice?” if you OVERpay for a Villa and look out over an EMPTY golf course. Wanna buy one?!

  6. Joseph – it’s news to me that the majority of the First World have voted for GMO food! What Third World countries need most of all is clean water & cheap medicines e.g. for measles.

  7. @ Jane- it’s what our elected officials send the 3rd World because that’s what we have to send them.. plus lots of cash for their heads of Government to “manage” for their poor. ??
    You think their Presidents buy properties in Paris with corn?

    If donating country heads were smart (most are not)they would NOT contribute CASH to Gov’t heads, only goods/services to the poor. We need smarter politicians with SOUND business experience.

  8. Joseph – You’re right about contributing cash to Government heads. Not a good idea as many can’t be trusted. Goods & services for the poor would be a much better option. But who would supervise these – certainly not the Government heads!

  9. I am American . It is interesting to observe how people from different parts of the world express their views. Here’s wishing Spain good fortune with this awful drought.

  10. I was looking for more news on this supposed 150 years worst ever drought story, and all I could find was another site saying ‘Spain’s eastern and southern regions are being threatened by the worst drought in 150 years, The Olive Press reported’

  11. There are numerous articles about the drought, if you search for them in Spanish. Derek must have forgotten to do that lol. Strange how Derek and Caccia are always up so early.

  12. Plenty of rain in central and northern Spain already this year (teeming it down in Catalunia yesterday) – I understand that the reservoirs serving Valencia are actually fairly full. Sounds like Murcia is the place hardest hit by this – hopefully contingency water plans will keep things ok until the Autumn rains.

  13. There is no doubt that geo-engineering is happening in Spain and lots of other countries. When I first moved to Spain, 10 years ago we rarely saw any aircraft. Some days I can see up to 4 planes spraying, all at the same time. These are not vapour/condensation trails. The trails get wider and do not dissipate – they get bigger. There is an interesting video on the net “pilot says chemtrails are a necessary evil”. There are even better documentaries “What in the world are they spraying?” and “Why in the world are they spraying”. The Maltese Independent newspaper recently wrote a very informative article. “http://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2014-05-04/letters/geo-engineering-what-is-happening-in-the-sky-4841177090/” Please research this topic – it is so important to our health.

  14. Yes it are little green men with para gliders. They have three eyes and little antenna in their forhead. It is a pity that they can not transmit t East enders. Yes that is your Geo engineers.

  15. Kbson. Another one with eyes wide shut.

    UNITED NATIONS SEPTEMBER 3-5, 2007 New York 60TH Annual DPI/NGO Conference on Climate Change: How It IMPACTS Us All
    On May 21, 2007, Rosalind Peterson, lifelong Redwood Valley, California resident, was invited by Kiyo Akasaka, Under- Secretary General of the United Nations, to address this Conference during both a workshop, held on September 5th, and a round-table session, held on September 6, 2007, at the United Nations. Rosalind was invited to address this conference due to her research and work in the agriculture field relating to climate change, global dimming, and the
    affects of man-made clouds and experimental weather modification programs on agriculture.

    1) One of the most important things that is negatively affected by climate change is agriculture. Some of what we are experiencing is man-made, in a different way than you may guess. Weather modification programs, experimental ones that use private companies, initiated by the United States government, government agencies or individual States, are now underway. There are more than fifty such weather modification programs in operation across
    the United States according to NOAA. All of these experimental weather modification programs negatively impact agriculture because they change the micro-climates needed for agriculture to survive. None of these programs, that I know of today (and this information is available to the public), are under any direct public, agriculture, or Congressional oversight, to my knowledge, in the United States” She says a lot more.

  16. Drought does bring devastating results just like the devastating results of flooding in the south of England which has destroyed countless homes, wiped out many business, land destruction, whole contents of life’s work destroyed, animals, and homes that are now not salable. I think one cannot compare a drought with flooding as flooding affects many livelihoods and people suffer for many years after the effect.

    I know which one I would chose if I had the choice as rain always returns.

  17. Shall try once more.

    Derek you must be careful how you reply or respond to Fred. He gets upset very easily if people do not agree with his immature thoughts and comments, remember he is still wet behind the ears and still working.

    Example he wrote{- “Strange how Derek and Caccia are always up so early”. Don’t think he yet realizes that pensioners do not work, well at least I don’t, and have all the time in the world.

  18. Oh my God, not only do we have drought in Spain but flooding now in East Anglia with rain forecast throughout the month of June.

    No wonder the beaches of Spain and Benidorm are flooded with holiday makers.

  19. Stefango, is another person that twists words like Fred. I don’t prefer any of the two but the drought effects farmers which can be overcome whereas flooding effects the lives of thousands of individuals most of their lives. Ask the opinion of people that have suffered the great loses which has been devastating and to those that have lost loved ones due to flooding.

    Please read carefully, if you can, to what I had said regarding drought and flooding and perhaps you should modify your stupid comments on future snips.

    Derek, we know Fred, all mouth and trousers, biggest moaner on these sites. I have a strong feeling his OU Ph.d was for moaning. By the way Freddy boy what was the OU Ph.d for, can’t be that important of a subject or you would be working full time instead as of yet not being a pensioner, due to having time in spending various odd hours moaning on sites during the day. Perhaps that is why you have this obsession for moaning. Grow up mate and be worthy of a OU Ph.d for a change.

  20. Caccy, I’ve only posted twice up to this point, whereas your obsessional posting behaviour has resulted in a flurry of six replies, so it’s very easy for everyone to see who is trolling this thread. And we must not forget that you were caught red-handed trolling using multiple aliases, and you even said on this forum that you enjoyed trolling. Case over on the trolling issue I think. And how is telling people that there are numerous articles about the drought in Spain “moaning” exactly?

    The Spanish government does has a crucial role in all of this. The aquifier building program was a disaster in Spain, I think under 20% were completed on time a few years back as the EU funds were siphoned off in to brown envelopes.

    I am working full time btw, but as my own boss I can work the hours I want. I live and work in Spain, whereas you just rent an apartment and play bingo. In fact Caccia, you don’t “live” here at all lol.

  21. Derek – a true internet troll is one who mouths off about a country he does’nt nor ever has lived in full time.

    As you are so besotted with Spain why are’nt you living there and why are’nt you working for a Spanish company.

    Spain is undergoing desertification as is the rest of southern Europe, some rain in one area of this big country is irrelevent. Some years ago now the OP carried an article on Murcia where agriculture once drew water from 50 ms it was now (5 years ago) drawing water from 150ms.

    Enjoy white Rioja while you can in 10 years or so it will be all over.

    Caccy – memory dysfunction. Fred does’nt rent he owns a property.

  22. Caccia, not trying to wind you up here but you are renting, lived in Spain for over 20 years and you are a multi millionaire with properties in London and you are renting an apartment?

  23. @Reap,

    Good question. I have never said that I am a multi millionaire. I have always said that I am, just like others, a retired pensioner that is financially secure living in Spain.

    And why would one purchase property in Spain when the returns, rent wise are far greater in the U.K then in Spain, plus renting here is so cheap. Example, a nice two bed apartment here returns approximately 5/600 euros a month inclusive of community charges whereas in the U.K a nice two bed apartment returns approximate 1.560 per month EXCLUSIVE of general rates (which can be quite high in comparison to Spain) and all other household charges. Plus the increase value in the U.K of property far outstrips that in Spain as you well know and is constantly rising, (not that I will gain, but the kids will). Also if one wishes to sell in the U.K, within one week or so there would be a deluge of offers.

    Naturally there are a certain amount of expenditure involved the same as one would expect in Spain, ie, taxes, agent fees, accountants, odd repairs etc, but overall the income far outstrips the expenditures.

    Taking that just over one property what would you do or suggest. That is why I am not a multi millionaire but a happy pensioner living in Spain. Don’t really need anything, have all that I need regarding a comfortable life, but I also had that when living in the U.K except the quality of life suits me better here.

    Not much more I can add to that Reap except I’m happy living in Spain which various people on these sites are not,(basically for financial reasons) can’t help them I’m afraid, that’s all part of life and living.

    Know doubt Reap you will see a deluge of comments by unhappy people and sometimes I wonder why I should even be bothered in making any form pf comments on OP, but if you notice I only really reply to comments that I don’t agree to, it’s called democracy which people tend to forget and really don’t like it when people try to impose their thoughts onto others.

  24. Dampsquib “hears” there’s plenty of water in Valencia, yet the article says it’s one of the driest areas. Who is correct ?
    They can’t both be right.

  25. According to my informations, the Valencian Community is suffering a severe drought (1), which must be detrimental to agriculture, and reservoirs are at 40% capacity (2).

    (1): “http://www.cazatormentas.net/index.php/noticias-de-meteorologia/72-tiempo-severo-en-el-mundo/3930-grave-sequia-comunidad-valenciana-grave-sequia-comunidad-valenciana”

    (2): “http://www.embalses.net/comunidad-17-comunidad-valenciana.html”

  26. Thanks Anselmo for those figures. 40% isn’t a great figure – I had been told incorrectly from someone in Valencia that the reservoirs were fuller. Incidentally “stefanjo”, it is actually possible for water from the Castilla-La Mancha area to fill reservoirs that serve the Valencian area. So perfectly possible to have a dry area that has access to water supplies. Most of Spain gets plenty of rainfall each year, but it’s seen as a hot dry country because of the numbers of tourists who go to Alicante, Murcia and Almeria.

  27. Stuart,

    Browing back on some of the comments on this site, I said:-
    caccia
    MAY 29TH, 2014 6:49 AM
    @Fred,
    “Whoops, did you not say you rented from a GERMAN. At least I rent from a SPANIARD, hows that for being patriotic to a country one live’s in”.

    Stuart sald:- “Caccy – memory dysfunction. Fred does’nt rent he owns a property”.

    May I correct you Stuart. During one of the debates between Fred and I regarding the quality of buildings he happened to mention that he had purchased an old convent and was in the process of modernizing the property to sell and in doing so was renting a place to live in from a German architect and was giving a comparison of the quality of the building structure to a Spanish building structure.

    I’m afraid you don’t really follow certain conversations to make such an accusation and perhaps Fred would have the decency in correcting your misquote.

  28. Fred,

    Richard West, head of the DWP’s counter-fraud teams, said: ‘Cases range from people hiding foreign assets and homes to those moving abroad, either temporarily or permanently, at the taxpayers’ expense.
    ‘Benefit cheats need to know that even if they are out of the country, our teams will still investigate.

  29. Caccia, you’re wildy off-topic again aren’t you? This is a thread about the worst drought in Spain for 150 years. You really must stop this trolling and baiting. Nothing in your bizarre off-topic quote applies to me, and never will.

    Yes, I own a house in Spain and it is being renovated. I have rented a house whilst the larger works are underway this summer and autumn. Stuart is correct, I live in Spain and reside in Spain. What I haven’t done is live in Spain like a perpetual tourist for decades, which of course is what you do Caccia. You keep all of your capital interests in the UK and give the bare minimum to Spain. I’m happy to clear that up for you.

  30. Our lakes are brimming compared to 12 months ago. Southern Spain should be able to take a few months of constant sunny dry conditions this year?

    This headline is wrong?

    Also why have you banned one person when others deliberately troll. No names are needed, you know who!

  31. Stuart, it’s the desert of Europe. But the other parts won’t suffer a drought this year.

    And yes I live in Spain, unlike yourself living in France (hilarious talk). YOU are besotted about Spain because you didn’t fit in, it bit you on the ass, then you left!

    Do you want my NIE number or something connard?

  32. Stuart weirdly mentioned not being able to drink Rioja in 10 years. Does he not realise that the Rioja wine region is in the north of Spain, near to the Basque country? Plenty of rain (and water) there this last 12 months, same as here in most of central Spain.

  33. Because a lake is brimming currently does not mean that a drought is not already underway. Those lakes will very quickly diminish over the summer as water is pumped to larger towns and cities. The water table is the issue.

    And why can’t a person who has lived in Spain comment on Spain? Strange logic.

  34. As a concerned American, I have been deeply hurt seeing how Spain is suffering thanks to the predations of Geoengineering and especially that of the US over its on territory. As specifically recommended by Dr Edward Teller in 1997 in Sicily “Toward a Physics-Based Modulation of Global Change” (Global Climate) “chemtrailing” has achieved complete suffusion of the jet cruise layer of the Troposphere with “submicroscopic aluminum oxide” (Teller’s precise recipe) via aerosol dispensing from commercial airlines jets as contractors for the US military in this country. The entire front purpose of his presentation with the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory was to advocate introducing huge amounts of aluminum oxide in the atmosphere – into one relatively thin layer. He said “stratosphere” but Troposphere will work, and is infinitely more practical if one can get commercial airliners to join the endeavor. Who do you think was at the “International Seminar on Planetary Emergencies”? This oxide is perfect for bringing water vapor out of humidity into microdroplet form, causing clouds. In this case, they are the nearly omnipresent strange “gooey” tendrillized faux cirrus of incredible density, duration, and region coverage. This manufactured cloud – designed in part to block sunlight under the false rubric as proposed by Dr Teller and Co to prevent global warming without incurring costs to manufacturing industrial base via strangulating regs and such – does not dissipate. This is key. It hogs the water vapor and holds it without letting go. It deprives regions prone to low rainfall of getting much at all – if any. See California. The larger aspect was also well known to Dr Teller and was the real, hidden reason for his recommending such a brutal and sky-polluting “solution” – as the patent for HAARP (US 4686605) gleefully spells out: suffusing a region of the atmosphere with aluminum oxide greatly increases the efficacy of their method of inducing pulsed, continuous EMP to any point and altitude they desire – “with greater energy than gotten from an airburst atomic detonation.” Pretty plain, there. The purpose? Here’s the patent title – “Method and Apparatus of Altering a Region of the Earth’s Atmosphere.” It’s all about EM mastery of the entire Troposphere wind and cloud making capacity. When they were only doing Chemtrailing to get enough junk up there, it was desiccating the atmosphere. They hadn’t reached the critical level needed for Phase 2. Thus, all that water-hogging wonder oxide did was dry out the air all over the Northern Hemisphere, at least. Thus, chentrailing over Spain was the worst thing to do as far as rainfall there was concerned. But they had the “Bigger Picture” in mind, so die already until we’re done, OK? But now they can create heavy rainfall storms anywhere they want to, if they have a system of transmitting antennae. Any such system will do if hooked up to the patent’s apparatus. To close, as Dr Teller and the CFR symposium on Geoengineering 2008 both agreed upon perfectly – the metal oxide must be continuously replenished as it has finite residence time. The cost? About $500 million per year. The means? A single premium multibillion dollar annuity that pays out annually the 500 mil required and never drains the principle. CFR was very concerned any country and “even very wealthy individuals” could pull this off monetarily. That’s why they have to keep chemtrailing all the time all over the world where airlines fly. Oh, you call these mere “Persistent Contrails” and “chemtrails” are a conspiracy theory. Let’s go there – if you want to walk out of this auditorium with your head under your arm, (no offense).

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