Water reserves on the up
HEAVY rain at the end of December in inland areas has swelled the reservoirs in the Segura basin, which serve the south of Alicante province and Murcia region.
The area managed by the Segura river and water authority (CHS) is still officially under emergency measures for drought – a situation which will be revised early this year by the new national government.
A CHS spokesman explained that precipitation at the head of the river, a mountainous area in the provinces of Jaén and Albacete, brought 45 cubic hectometres (hm3) to three reservoirs in the area.
This allowed two of them to nearly double their intake, with Fuensanta up by 32 hm3 to 77hm3 in total and Talave up by 10 hm3 to 20hm3.
As a result reservoirs in the Segura basin are now at 35% of total capacity compared with 24% at the same time last year.
The spokesman noted that the heavy rain led the Segura river and its tributary the Mundo river to burst their banks in some places.
The CHS has been carrying out works to repair the damage which was caused.
Emergency measures for drought in the south east of Spain were introduced in 2015 and have been in situ ever since.
This allows the CHS to use so-called drought wells, tapping into underground aquifers to ensure that the supply to homes does not have to be rationed.
Farmers have complained that the water they normally receive via a transfer from the Tajo river to irrigate their crops has been suspended.
This is due to the drought which is hitting reservoirs in the centre of Spain.
A CHANGE in the weather is set to bring snow to the summits of Alicante province today (Friday).
After a long period during which high pressure has dominated, a low pressure weather system is set to affect Alicante province and Murcia region for just 24 hours.
According to state weather agency AEMET, snow could fall above 1,200 metres in Alicante province.
This means that the summits of mountains such as Puig Campana (1,408m) and Aitana (1,558m) could be covered by a blanket of snow today.
They note that precipitation is more likely in the north of the province and the likelihood of snow and rain will increase as the day progresses.
The low pressure will be accompanied by strong winds from the north.
Today the village of Confrides in the Guadalest Valley is forecasted to have a high temperature of just 6°C, which will feel much colder in the wind – and a low of 0°C.
On the coast the mercury is set to reach 13°C in Benidorm and 14°C in Torrevieja.
The coast of Alicante province is on yellow alert today for heavy seas and a force seven wind.
The AEMET warning runs from 10.00 to 04.00 tomorrow.
High pressure is set to dominate once again from Sunday.