Morocco’s dam reserves surge to 76% capacity after heavy rainfall

Morocco’s water reserves have risen sharply following months of rainfall and snowfall, with the country’s dams now filled to more than 76% of their total capacity, according to official figures released Sunday.

Data published by the Ministry of Equipment and Water showed that Morocco’s dams reached an overall filling rate of 76.03% as of May 17, compared with just 40.22% on the same date last year.

The total volume of stored water currently stands at approximately 12.95 billion cubic meters, out of a national storage capacity of about 17.03 billion cubic meters.

The significant increase comes only weeks before the start of the summer season, when demand for drinking water and agricultural irrigation typically rises across the country.

Officials and water experts say the improved reserves place Morocco in one of its strongest water positions in years, easing concerns over water shortages after prolonged periods of drought and providing favorable conditions for agriculture.

The figures also reflected strong recovery across several of Morocco’s major river basins following heavy rainfall and snowfall recorded during recent months.

The Tensift basin recorded the country’s highest filling rate at 95.19%, followed closely by the Loukkos basin at 92.13%.

The Bouregreg basin, which supplies water to Morocco’s central urban corridor, including Rabat and Casablanca, reached 90.30% capacity, while the Sebou basin — one of the kingdom’s largest strategic water reserves — stood at 88.38%.

Further east and south, the Moulouya basin reached 73.72%, while the Oum Er-Rbia basin climbed to 65.65% after years of severe drought that had heavily depleted its reserves.

The Souss-Massa basin registered a filling rate of 54.82%, more than double last year’s level, while the Ziz-Ghris basin stood at 51.60%.

The Draa-Oued Noun basin recorded the lowest filling level among Morocco’s major basins at 37.49%, despite modest improvement, while dams in the Sakia El Hamra and Oued Eddahab regions remained at minimal levels because of limited inflows.

The improved water outlook follows an unusually wet spring season marked by repeated storms and snowfall in Morocco’s mountainous regions, helping replenish reservoirs and groundwater supplies nationwide.