Morocco’s Dams See Rising Reserves After Rains, but Water Vulnerability Remains
Recent rainfall has had an immediate impact on several of Morocco’s dams, leading to a noticeable increase in stored water volumes. The Chefchaouen dam has even reached a full 100 percent filling rate, illustrating the direct effect of this rainy episode on certain facilities. At the national level, however, the improvement remains limited, as overall dam filling stood at just 33.6 percent at the start of the week.
Figures released by the Ministry of Equipment and Water show significant inflows over the past 24 hours, particularly in the northern basins. These additional volumes have strengthened, to varying degrees, the storage capacity of several hydraulic infrastructures considered strategic for the country’s water supply.
In Larache province, the Oued El Makhazine dam recorded the largest increase, with an additional 12.1 million cubic meters, bringing its filling rate to 76.5 percent and reinforcing the reserves of a key regional facility. The Dar Khrofa dam, also in the province, received 5.9 million cubic meters, but its filling rate remains low at 14.4 percent, highlighting a persistent structural deficit.
In Rabat, the Sidi Mohammed Ben Abdellah dam, a cornerstone of drinking water supply for the capital and its surrounding area, gained 6.3 million cubic meters and is now close to 80 percent of capacity. This confirms a gradual improvement in storage levels in this strategic basin.
Further north, the Charif Al Idrissi dam in Tetouan province rose by 4.9 million cubic meters and is now near full capacity at 94.5 percent. The Kharroub dam in the same area added 2.7 million cubic meters to reach 55.1 percent. In the Tangier Assilah region, the Ibn Battouta dam increased by 3.3 million cubic meters, pushing its filling rate to 60.7 percent.
For Ayoub El Arqi, a researcher specializing in climate and water security, these developments must be viewed with caution. In his assessment, the improvement is largely temporary and insufficient to fundamentally alter the country’s overall water trajectory. The rapid recharge of northern dams stands in sharp contrast to the situation in central and southern basins, which continue to face long term shortages. The current improvement, he stresses, offers only a brief respite within a broader context of persistent water stress.
He also warns against overreliance on rainfall to rebuild reserves. While the recent inflows are welcome, they remain subject to increasingly volatile climatic conditions. This uncertainty, he argues, calls for a more forward looking approach to water management, based on diversifying water sources, notably through desalination and the reuse of treated wastewater, rather than relying on unpredictable rain episodes.
El Arqi further points to the disparities observed between different dams. Some refill quickly, while others remain at low levels despite the rains. This unevenness raises questions about the effectiveness of inter basin connections, infrastructure performance, as well as the impact of evaporation and agricultural use on the sustainability of reserves. Without better demand management, he warns, the current gains will remain fragile.
For the researcher, the present period should serve as an opportunity to fundamentally rethink public water policies. Water security, he recalls, is not measured by a one off increase in reservoir levels, but by the state’s ability to ensure lasting and equitable access to water in the face of accelerating climate change. This structural challenge, he concludes, cannot be met by rainfall alone, but requires long term strategic choices.
Editorial team/le7tv
