Cristina Hodgson
WATER levels in Malaga reservoirs continue to drop at an alarming rate, especially in the Viñuela which has reached a ‘critical’ situation.
According to the Junta’s Hidrosur network, the reservoir stands at 15.75 cubic hectometers, which is 9.58% of its capacity.
Levels which are alarmingly close to the historic minimum recorded on October 31, 2008, when the reservoir was left with only 15.2 cubic hectometres, at 9.2% of its capacity.
Until recently, the reservoir supplied water to 180,000 inhabitants of 14 towns and provided water for irrigation of the 6,200 hectares of the Guaro Plan.
However, since early October of this year, the water from the Viñuela for irrigation was cut and more recently for the consumption of the population.
When a dam falls below 11% of its capacity, extracting water from it becomes almost impossible as what is left at the bottom is only mud.
Since early last month, Axarquia farmers have turn to recycled water for irrigation and more recently the inhabitants of this region have received drinking water from the La Rosaleda pumping station and it is expected that soon the population will also receive water from the wells of the Chíllar river.
With these measures in place it is hoped that the water levels of La Viñuela reservoir will cease from dropping any further, or at least at minimum levels, expectant on much needed rain for the reservoir to start recovering its capacity.
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