Reservoir levels up (and down)

The New Year rains mean 2008 ends with the an increase on last year, but some reservoirs are still down 12 per cent on 2007

THE New Year brought some of the best news ever for drought-stricken Andalucia.

At 36 per cent full, the reservoirs across the region are currently two per cent higher than they were at the same time last year.

But while meteorologists estimate that the heavy rains of Autumn and Winter will put 2008 at five per cent above the average rainfall for the region, the majority of reservoirs still stand at under 50 per cent full.

In addition there is a huge variation between reservoirs, with some up ten per cent on last year, while others are down the same amount.

Taking Malaga province as an example, the reservoirs have gone up nine per cent overall, and currently sit at 32 per cent full.

But while Guadalhorce reservoir, for example, is up 12 per cent to 23 per cent full, Lake Vinuela is a massive 12 per cent down on last year and currently stands at just 13 per cent full.

In Cadiz, reservoir levels are up five per cent, with, for example, Lake Guadarranque up nearly 20 per cent on last year to 76 per cent full.

In Cordoba the levels have gone down overall and currently sit at 30 per cent full. Lake Iznajar, for example is three per cent down on last year and sits at 20 per cent full.

In Sevilla levels are down by three per cent to 56 per cent full, while in Jaen they are up an incredible eight per cent.

Across Spain, the reservoirs have gone up over six per cent on last year.