Alex Trelinski
THE second-driest January of the 21st century has sparked fresh fears of a drought in Spain.
The government conceded this Tuesday that it was monitoring the situation ‘very closely’.
January’s rain levels were down to just 26% of normal figures, resulting in reservoirs falling to a national average capacity of 44.8%.
In the Guadalquivir area of Andalucia, capacity has been slashed to just 28.6%.
In contrast, the other end of Spain sees 95% reservoir capacity in the Basque Country, followed by 86% in the Cantabria region.
Some rain is forecast in parts of the country for the weekend, but nothing significant is predicted as high pressure systems continue to linger.
Speaking on Tuesday about possible government action, Agriculture Minister, Luis Planas, said: “We are going to follow the situation very closely to see what measures can be taken.”
Planas added that his department was already supporting sustainable irrigation, the use of recycled water, and energy efficiency which were ‘absolutely necessary for the future’.
“It is a matter of concern for the whole country but especially in some hydrographic confederations like the Guadalquivir which is suffering very significantly,” stated Planas.
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