Of the 56,043 hm3 of capacity that the water reservoirs in Spaincurrently the 82.64% is fullaccording to the most recent update of the Peninsular Hydrological Bulletin released by the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Democratic Challenge (Miteco) this Tuesday March 17th.
Official data indicates that the retention of this water resource decreased compared to the previous week.
The behavior of the reservoirs serves as a thermometer to measure the water situation of the country. As the year progresses, the figures on stored capacity take on special importance due to the impact of water on daily life even in all types of industries.
Date: Tuesday March 17, 2026.
Ability: 56,043 hm3.
Total impounded water: 46,313 hm3.
Percentage of impounded water: 82.64%.
Variation from a week ago: -182 hm3.
Weekly percentage change: -0.32%.
Reservoired water recorded one year ago: 34,125 hm3.
Percentage of water impounded a year ago: 60.89%.
Andalusia: 84.49%.
Aragon: 85.29%.
Asturias: 86.84%.
Valencian C.: 54.09%.
Cantabria P. Vasco La Rioja: 78.19%.
Castile-La Mancha: 69.24%.
Catalonia: 88.05%.
Community of Castilla y León: 85.02%.
Estremadura: 86.49%.
Galicia: 87.02%.
Murcia: 33.78%.
Navarre: 87.05%.
Regardless of the capacity of the reservoirs in Spain, you must always be responsible with their use. For this reason, Miteco published a series of tips to save water from homes, specifically from the garden.
In Spain, single-family homes with gardens consume between 2 and 5 times more water than apartments. The garden is usually, therefore, a large consumer of water. But there are solutions to avoid it.
One of the most obvious options to reduce water consumption in the garden is to use plants that have modest irrigation requirements or that simply do not require any irrigation once they have established themselves well. This does not mean that
We have to fill the garden with cacti and prickly pears. In reality, most of the species traditionally used in our gardens (Mediterranean trees, shrubs and bushes) are very undemanding in irrigation.
Typically, more than two-thirds of the water used in a garden is dedicated to maintaining grass. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that grass is the largest consumer of water in our modern gardens. Therefore, limiting its extension is the safest and most effective way to cut water consumption.
Covering garden surfaces with natural materials such as stones or gravel, tree bark, greatly reduces water costs while achieving pleasant aesthetic effects. The coatings prevent excessive heating of the soil, protect against wind and erosion, prevent the appearance of weeds and grasses and facilitate the concealment of irrigation systems.
Localized irrigation systems supply water to plants through “drippers” that water at low pressure. These systems allow each plant to provide the exact amount it needs and avoid water loss due to evaporation. For this reason, they use between half and a quarter of the water that sprinkler irrigation would require.
Rainwater that falls on roofs and patios can be used for garden irrigation. Once collected through gutters or patio drainage, it can be taken to a small tank where it will be stored and then watered.
A small semi-buried tank is ideal for storing rainwater, although we can also use other improvised containers, from a barrel to a drum or an old bathtub. It is advisable to place the tank in a high area of the plot, to be able to irrigate by gravity.
Water during the coolest hours of the day, this way you will avoid losses due to evaporation and damage to the plants. Also, remember that excessive watering makes plants less resistant to dryness and more sensitive to diseases.
