Morocco faces severe water stress as dam levels drop below 28%

Morocco’s water stress has reached a critical stage, with dam filling rates plummeting to just 27.87 percent, according to data released Monday by the Directorate General of Water Engineering. The figures, available on the “Morocco of Dams” portal, reveal a significant decline in water reserves over recent months.

After reaching a filling rate between 31 and 32 percent last May, dam levels have now fallen to under 28 percent. The total water volume in the dams is currently 4,221.55 million cubic meters, compared to just over 29 percent at the same time last year.

Key factors contributing to the crisis include siltation and high evaporation rates during the summer. Major cities, such as Casablanca, have begun implementing austerity measures, including reduced water flow and limited bathroom access, in response to the worsening situation.

The data shows that many of Morocco’s dams are at “modest” levels. The largest, Wahda Dam, is 51 percent full, while the second largest, El-Massira, is only 1.3 percent full. Other significant dams include the Ben Widan Dam at 4.9 percent, the Idriss I Dam at 25.7 percent, and the Mohammed V Dam at 10.3 percent.

Overall, 63 dams across Morocco are affected, reflecting a broader trend of diminishing water reserves. This decline is attributed to several factors, including insufficient rainfall in recent years and record heatwaves.

The situation is particularly dire in the southeastern and eastern regions, as well as the southern provinces. Despite the general decline, the Locos Basin remains the most filled at nearly 55 percent, followed by the Sebou Basin at 45.05 percent, and the Tansift Basin at 44.83 percent.

Conversely, the Bouregrag Basin is only 25.02 percent full, with other basins, including Oum El Rabi, showing alarming low levels of 4.37 percent. Other basins, such as Mellouya, Souss Massa, Draa Oued Noun, and Ziz Ker Gress, are also critically low, with filling rates ranging from 11.81 percent to just over 24 percent.

The Ministry of Equipment and Water’s updated data underscores the urgency of addressing Morocco’s water crisis as the situation continues to deteriorate.