Segura basin starts new hydrological year with reservoirs more than half full

Water reserves have fallen slightly in recent weeks but remain more than half full, with 589 hm³ stored ahead of October

Happy hydrological new year! I'm sure you had it marked on the calendar. In case you didn't, it starts on October 1, and the Segura basin is in good shape, especially compared to last year. The latest figures show that the reservoirs across the Segura basin are holding 589 hm³ of water, putting them at 51.7% of their total capacity.

Levels have fallen over recent weeks, with another 13 hm³ lost in the past seven days. This is normal for the summer period, when there is little rainfall and water reserves are gradually drawn down.

Despite that recent decline, the current situation looks much better than it did a year ago. The Segura reservoirs have 383 hm³ more water than they had at the same point in 2025.

They are also well above the usual level for this time of year. The long-term average for the end of September is 299 hm³, meaning the basin currently has 290 hm³ more than average. That gives the Region a strong starting point as the new hydrological year gets under way.

The situation in the Tagus basin is also worth watching, as water from there reaches the Segura through the Tagus-Segura transfer. The Tagus reservoirs are currently at 55.5% capacity, with 6,134 hm³ stored. That is down from 7,090 hm³ at the same point last year.

Across Spain, the picture is also fairly positive. National water reserves stand at 33,801 hm³, or 60.3% of total capacity. At the same point last year, reservoirs were at 55.8%, while the average for the past decade is 45.3%.

The Segura is one of several Spanish basins currently above the halfway mark, alongside the Tagus, Duero, Galicia Costa and Júcar.

So, a good start to the 'new year' for the Segura basin. What happens next will depend now on how much rain arrives during the autumn and winter months.

Read also: Warm Mediterranean raises risk of intense autumn rain in Murcia

Images:Confederación Hidrográfica del Segura