According to the monthly bulletin on reservoirs, at the end of February, compared to January, there was an increase in the volumes stored in six monitored basins and a decrease in another six.

The number of reservoirs with water availability above 80 percent in relation to January decreased and the number of reservoirs with availability below 40 percent of the total volume was maintained.

Altogether, 60 reservoirs are monitored, of which 18 had availability over 80 percent of the total volume at the end of February and 14 had less than 40 percent of the total volume.

Comparing only with the month of February 2019, the availability in February of this year is lower in all river basins with the exceptions of Cávado, Ave, Douro, Tejo and Arade.

However, if compared with February 2018 this year, all basins have higher total storage values, with the exception of the Mira and Barlavento basins.

Another constant comparison in the bulletin, about reservoirs with less water, indicates that the situation is worse this year than last year but better than in 2018. Thus, in February 2020, reservoirs with less than 40 percent of storage were 14 (23 percent), in 2019 it was 12 (20 percent) and in 2018 it was 23 (38 percent).

At the end of February this year, the most critical situation in terms of water shortages was in the Sado basin, with seven reservoirs below 40 percent. Campilhas had only 9 percent of storage, Monte da Rocha 11 percent, Roxo 16 percent, Monte Gato and Monte Miguéis both with 26 percent, Fonte Serne with 30 percent and Pego do Altar with 35 percent.

The Guadiana basin also had four reservoirs below 40 percent, with Vigia only 27 percent, followed by Beliche with 32 percent, Caia with 34 percent and Odeleite with 39 percent.

Lagoacho, in the Mondego basin, was 12 percent at the end of February, Divor, in the Tagus basin, at 16 percent, and Bravura, in the Barlavento basin, at 32 percent.

The bulletin released on 3 March includes data on water resources stored in reservoirs in the Spanish part, with a rise in levels stored in the Minho, Lima, Douro, Tejo and Guadiana basins (data for 26 February), compared to January this year.

In Spain, from January to February the hydrographic basins of Minho and Lima went from 75.7 to 80 percent, that of Douro increased from 70.5 to 73.2 percent, that of the Tagus from 50.8 to 54 percent, and that of Guadiana from 40.9 to 41.2 percent.