The recent rains which affected the Kingdom contributed to a slight improvement in the filling rate of dams in Morocco, according to an announcement from the Ministry of Equipment and Water. According to data published this Sunday by the Nizar Baraka department, the overall filling rate of dams stands at 28.65%, recording an increase of 0.27% compared to the day before, for a storage volume of 4 billion 825.53 million cubic meters. This rate represents a slight improvement compared to the same period last year, when it was around 27.9%, with a stock of 4 billion 721.4 million cubic meters. However, this rate remains insufficient to meet growing water needs, particularly in the face of challenges linked to climate change and increased demand. The comparison between the watersheds reveals that the Guir Ziz Rheris basin displays a relatively high filling rate of 53.02%, followed by that of Loukous at 44.92%, then the Abou Regreg basin with 41.84%, and finally the Sebou basin at 36.76%. On the other hand, the filling rate of the Moulouya basin did not exceed 36.94%, that of the Drâa Oued Noun basin is 30.93%, that of the Sous Massa basin is 17.53%, that of Tensift is 51.07%, and that of the Oum Er-Rbiâ basin reaches only 6.58%. Several dams experienced a clear improvement in their filling rate during this period. The Oued El Makhazine dam, for example, increased from 62.9% last year to 69.1% this year, with a stock of 465 million cubic meters. Likewise, the Idriss I dam increased from 19% to 26%, bringing its stock to 293 million cubic meters. Despite this general improvement, some dams continue to face significant challenges. Al Wahda Dam, the largest in the country, recorded a significant decline compared to the same date last year, from 41% to 38.4%. In addition, the Al Massira dam, the second largest in the Kingdom with a capacity of 2 billion 657 million cubic meters, presents a notable weakness in its stock despite a slight increase in its filling rate, going from 1.2% to 2.9%, for a volume of 77.8 million cubic meters. Furthermore, the filling rate of the third largest dam, Bin El Ouidane, fell from 8% to 6%. It should be noted that the figures recorded until this Sunday remain insufficient to cover the growing water needs in Morocco. It is therefore imperative to strengthen strategic measures to ensure the sustainability of water resources, taking advantage of rainy periods to support water reserves and guarantee national water security.
