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Relentless rain brings mixed fortunes for AndalucÃa as farms grind to a halt but reservoirs surge
Storms have eased water worries but left farmers unable to work saturated land
Created with AIAfter nearly two weeks of almost constant rain, Andalucía is facing a strange and uneasy balance. While reservoirs across the region are filling at a pace not seen in years, large parts of the countryside have been brought to a standstill, with farmers unable to plant, harvest or even enter their fields.
Fields under water and farming on pause
The alarm has been raised by Asaja Andalucía (Young Farmers’ Agricultural Association), which warns that agricultural activity has effectively stopped after the passage of the last three storms. Its president, Ricardo Serra, has described a situation of “total paralysis” across much of the Andalusian countryside, with soils so saturated that machinery simply cannot operate.
“There are crops that have not been planted, others that are at risk, and harvesting campaigns that are losing momentum just when progress is most needed,” he explained. While water is essential, Serra summed up the sector’s frustration clearly: “It’s clear we need water, but we also need a little bit of clear weather to be able to do our work.”
Winter cereals are among the hardest hit. Asaja says sowing has not been possible in many areas, and what has already been planted could be lost. The situation is particularly worrying in Seville, with similar concerns in Córdoba and Cádiz. According to the organisation, 50 percent of wheat has not been sown and will not be, as the deadline passed on December 15. Wheat that is already in the ground has been underwater for around 25 days, leaving farmers unsure how it will develop.
Other crops are also stuck in limbo. Potato planting has been on hold since December, while sunflower sowing is falling behind because the ground remains waterlogged. Harvesting has also been affected, especially citrus fruits, where Serra says progress was strong until the rain returned and disrupted everything.
Asaja is now calling for some flexibility in certain CAP rules, particularly those linked to crop rotation, to give farmers breathing space while the land remains unworkable.
Reservoir levels continue to climb
At the same time, the rain has dramatically boosted water reserves. Andalusian reservoirs are now at 61.26 percent of capacity, holding 6,790 cubic hectometres of water. That is an increase of almost 990 hm³ in just seven days and marks nine consecutive weeks of rises.
These figures place reservoirs around 20 points above the average of the last ten years and more than 23 points higher than at the same point last year, when storage stood at just over 4,200 hm³. This sharp turnaround follows a similar pattern to the the recovery seen last spring, when heavy rain began to reverse years of drought pressure.
The Guadalquivir basin has seen the largest weekly rise, gaining 758 hm³ to reach 59.09 percent of capacity. Other basins, including the Andalusian Mediterranean and Cádiz’s Guadalete-Barbate system, have also recorded strong increases, while reservoirs in Huelva remain close to full.
Nationally, Spain’s reservoirs are now at 67.3 percent capacity, underlining just how widespread the impact of the recent storms has been.
For now, Andalusia finds itself caught between relief and concern, with full reservoirs offering long-term security, but relentless rain making day-to-day life increasingly difficult for those working the land.
>>> Follow our Andalusia Weather Watch Facebook group for more weather news or see our Weather & Climate page <<<
Images: AI and Junta de Andalucía
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