Parched Plain of Spain

The Rain in Spain Falls Mainly . . . Er, Nowhere!

The Spanish government has acted to lessen the drought impact for the second time this year, the driest winter in memory. Water has been diverted to ensure supplies to 2.5 million people in the parched southeastern regions.

To reduce its heavy dependence on on imported grain, Spain needs much water to irrigate crops, and to increase hydroelectric output. Water restrictions have been in force since 2003 in some regions of the country.

Sequia en España – Drought in Spain– Photo by Empordako Aharia
[Creative Commons License – Some rights reserved]

Water reservoirs for consumption and agricultural use are only 44.1 percent full (down from 51.5 percent a year ago), and reservoirs allocated to Spain’s power stations are at 54.5 percent of capacity (down from 77.1 percent last year). Hydroelectric turbines provided only about five percent of Spain’s total demand in the last two months, down from 12 percent in wet years. News Report

In 2006, the drought-stricken Spain and France had their lowest corn production in 50 years, while in some parts of Australia there was no wheat harvest, and in the United States corn production fell 6 percent.