Morocco’s dam reserves rise to 65.95% after recent thunderstorms

Morocco’s dam reserves rose to 11.23 billion cubic meters on Monday, Oct. 19, bringing the national filling rate to 65.95%, despite continued disparities among the country’s nine river basins, according to data from the Ministry of Equipment and Water.

Water reserves stood at 11.18 billion cubic meters, or 65.66% of total capacity, on Sunday. The increase over 24 hours amounted to approximately 49.42 million cubic meters, or 0.29 percentage points.

The rise followed thunderstorms, some accompanied by hail, that affected several provinces. Further thunderstorms were forecast for Monday evening, potentially adding to national water reserves.

Current dam levels are more than double those recorded on the same date last year, when the national filling rate stood at 31.89%.

Daily gains exceed early October increase

The increase recorded on Oct. 19 exceeded the approximately 43.7 million cubic meters gained by dams between Oct. 1 and Oct. 12, according to Hespress calculations.

Reserves reached 11.20 billion cubic meters, or 65.77% of capacity, on Oct. 12, before declining by around 18.72 million cubic meters by Oct. 18.

Monday’s level was approximately 30.7 million cubic meters above the Oct. 12 figure and 74.4 million cubic meters above the Oct. 1 level of 11.16 billion cubic meters.

However, reserves remained 11.68 million cubic meters below the level recorded on Sept. 24, when dams held 11.24 billion cubic meters, equivalent to 66.02% of capacity.

Ziz-Ghris-Ker basin records largest increase

The largest daily gains were concentrated in four basins, led by Ziz-Ghris-Ker, which added 23.69 million cubic meters. Its filling rate increased from 43.52% to 47.84%.

The rise was supported by gains at the Hassan Addakhil Dam, which added 14.08 million cubic meters as its filling rate climbed from 60.14% to 65.04%, and the Kaddoussa Dam, which gained 9.60 million cubic meters, raising its rate from 27.87% to 32.16%.

The basin’s filling rate also moved above the 47.22% recorded a year earlier, by 0.62 percentage points. On Oct. 12, it had stood at 42.73%, compared with 47.45% on the same date in 2025, according to Hespress data.

The Moulouya basin added 11.55 million cubic meters, bringing its filling rate to 65.81%, up from 64.16%.

The Mohammed V Dam’s reserves rose from 81.83 million to 89.55 million cubic meters, increasing its filling rate from 49.61% to 54.28%. The Hassan II Dam gained water as well, with reserves reaching 209.72 million cubic meters, or 59.29% of capacity, compared with 207.11 million cubic meters previously.

Moulouya’s filling rate stood at 62.09% on Oct. 12.

The Oum Er-Rbia basin gained 9.49 million cubic meters, although its filling rate increased only slightly, from 58.34% to 58.53%, due to its large capacity of approximately 5 billion cubic meters. The Al Massira Dam added 3.75 million cubic meters, while Bin El Ouidane gained 2.66 million cubic meters.

The Draa-Oued Noun basin added 6.68 million cubic meters, raising its filling rate from 36.47% to 37.11%. The Mansour Eddahbi Dam accounted for 5.40 million cubic meters of the increase.

Southeastern provinces record heaviest rainfall

The gains broadly corresponded with rainfall recorded over the previous 24 hours by Morocco’s General Directorate of Meteorology, with the heaviest precipitation concentrated in the southeast.

Boudnib recorded 60 millimeters, followed by Amlako with 41 mm, Tadighoust with 38 mm and Goulmima with 37 mm, all in Errachidia province. Tazarin in Zagora province recorded 35 mm, while Errachidia city and Rich each received 31 mm.

These areas fall within or near basins that recorded the largest increases in dam reserves between Oct. 18 and 19: Ziz-Ghris-Ker, with 23.69 million cubic meters; Moulouya, with 11.55 million; and Draa-Oued Noun, with 6.68 million.

By contrast, Souk Lqolla in Larache province recorded 50 mm of rainfall, the second-highest amount in the reported list, without a corresponding increase in the Loukkos basin’s filling rate. The basin remained broadly stable, with its rate edging down from 74.42% to 74.37%.

The contrast highlights that rainfall measurements over a 24-hour period and dam storage levels are distinct indicators. Rainfall in a given area does not automatically translate into an immediate increase in the reservoirs serving its basin.

Northern basins and Souss-Massa show little change

Several northern basins and the Souss-Massa basin recorded no significant gains, with slight declines in their filling rates.

Loukkos lost approximately 1.05 million cubic meters, with its filling rate falling from 74.42% to 74.37%. Sebou declined by 0.92 million cubic meters, from 76.54% to 76.52%, while Bouregreg lost 0.41 million cubic meters, with its rate slipping from 76.76% to 76.73%.

Souss-Massa also recorded a slight decline, with its filling rate falling from 47.24% to 47.18%, corresponding to a decrease of approximately 0.42 million cubic meters.

Within the Sebou basin, the Al Wahda Dam lost 3.14 million cubic meters, with its filling rate declining from 79.70% to 79.61%. The El Kansera Dam, however, gained approximately 2 million cubic meters.

The Tensift basin recorded an increase, with its filling rate rising from 74.57% to 74.98%, representing a gain of 0.82 million cubic meters.