The rafts that provide irrigation water to the fields in Tenerife are showing a worrying downward trend in water reserves to face a high-risk summer due to drought. The declaration of a water emergency is currently in the period of allegations until the 15th and ensuring agricultural irrigation in the interior of the Island is one of the main reasons for taking this measure by the Council. May begins with an average storage of 40% in the 23 reservoirs of the Balten network in Tenerife. It was at 42% on the 1st and had already dropped to 40.7% on the 9th. The year-on-year comparison paints an even bleaker picture. Thus, the filling level on May 9th, 40.7%, is lower than the same month in 2023 (42%), which was already poor. The lack of rain, coupled with high temperatures – last April was the warmest on record and only saw 27% of the expected rainfall – is causing a rapid decline in stored water volume.
Regarding this, Primary Sector Councilor Valentín González comments: “That 40.7% on the 9th represents 1,966,896 m3 of reserves. At the same time in 2023, the stored volume was 2,030,992 m3 (42%). This means around 80,000 m3 less. He emphasizes that “it is important to note a relevant fact here, that last year the Mountain Reservoir of Taco was under resealing works, hence it was empty.” González adds that “this year, it has a stored volume of 630,340 m3, slightly distorting the comparison.” Therefore, he clarifies, “we would actually be talking about a difference in reserves compared to 2023 of about 700,000 m3 less, with the rest of the reservoirs having much lower levels than they did at the same time last year. This is why we need to manage the demand.”
Critical Situation
The situation is particularly critical in two of the reservoirs, La Tabona (La Guancha) and El Boquerón (Valle de Guerra, La Laguna), where they don’t even reach 10% of capacity (6% and 5.3%, respectively). The situation is slightly better in the south of the Island, thanks to regenerated water, with a level of 47.3%, and white water (wells and galleries) at 52.2% for a total of 49.9%. The north, depending entirely on underground runoff or rainfall, barely reaches 36.1% of total filling.
“I’ve Never Seen a Year Like This”
Blanca Pérez, the Council’s Natural Environment councilor, emphasizes that “only 27% of the expected rainfall occurred in April” and states: “I’ve never seen a year like this, but we’re coming from the previous year, which was also very bad, and we’ve been suffering from a persistent drought since 2016.” She acknowledges the “logical concern” but also mentions that “bold measures” have been taken within the legislative framework that allows for a water emergency. The councilor guarantees “water for consumption” but emphasizes: “This Island cannot afford to lose its mid-range agriculture, and we all need to make an effort to support the producers.” A productive sector, she summarizes, “which is fragile but feeds us and maintains our landscape.” She stresses that “in the mid-range areas, it is a fundamental element for fire prevention.” Tenerife is facing an unprecedented water emergency. Water consumption restrictions are already in place in several municipalities or for irrigation in the Northeastern fields. The current level of the reservoirs does not bode well for a good summer. On the contrary.
