Overview
- The Confederación Hidrográfica del Miño‑Sil's drought technical office declared the prealert (yellow) this Monday after reviewing falling river flows and reservoir trends.
- Measured river flows in the demarcation are about 45% below typical July values and recent rainfall from March to July was roughly 49% below the seasonal average.
- Reservoirs have fallen sharply, with the basin losing 57 hectometres cubed in seven days and overall storage at about 70.4% capacity while the Baíña reservoir sits at 43.68%, under 50% for the first time in 15 years.
- The CHMS has asked more than 150 municipalities to step up monitoring and to restrict nonessential uses such as street washing, garden irrigation, sports-field watering and fountain use, and some towns like Baiona are already enforcing bans and police controls.
- Local risks include stressed groundwater and village intakes such as Xinzo de Limia and the Louro alluvial supply, and officials say they will watch rainfall, river gauging and reservoir levels for signs that would trigger escalation to alert or emergency measures.