Nizar Baraka: Cumulative Water Inflows at Dams Have Exceeded 12.17 Billion Cubic Meters

Speaking at a press briefing following the meeting of the Government Council, Mr. Baraka highlighted the exceptional nature of this period, marked in particular by inflows of 11.74 billion cubic meters recorded since December 12, 2025, accounting for 96.4 percent of total inflows.

He further noted that since January 11, inflows have reached nearly 8.82 billion cubic meters, a volume exceeding that recorded over several full hydrological years.

According to Mr. Baraka, the filling rate of the Kingdom’s dams has seen a significant improvement, rising from 31.1 percent on December 12, 2025 to 69.35 percent on February 11, 2026, with a stored water volume of 11.62 billion cubic meters, a level not reached since 2018.

Regarding the situation in the hydraulic basins, the minister explained that most of them recorded significant inflows this year, particularly the Sebou basin, with 5.086 billion cubic meters to date and a dam filling rate of 91.57 percent, and the Loukkos basin, with 1.786 billion cubic meters to date and a dam filling rate of 93.49 percent.

Similarly, the recorded water inflows have contributed to rising reservoir levels, with data from most of the Kingdom’s hydrographic basins showing that 31 dams have reached a filling rate exceeding 80 percent, he said.

In light of this exceptional and ongoing situation, Mr. Baraka stressed that proactive and gradual water release operations have been implemented in order to maintain reserve capacity to absorb new inflows, thereby protecting citizens while preserving the integrity of hydraulic infrastructure. He noted that volumes released since September 1 have reached 4.278 billion cubic meters in dams filled to 100 percent.

He also pointed out that dam water releases coinciding with inflows from downstream tributaries of these structures have led to river overflows, causing flooding, particularly in low-lying areas in the Gharb and Loukkos regions.

In view of the acceleration of climate change and the exceptional meteorological phenomena experienced by the Kingdom since late 2015 and early 2020, notably floods and sudden flash floods, Mr. Baraka indicated that the “Integrated National Disaster Risk Management Strategy by 2030” is currently being finalized. He added that a study has been conducted to establish, within the Ministry of Equipment and Water, a national center equipped with an integrated load forecasting system and a dedicated monitoring system.

Editorial team/le7tv