Levels rise in Malaga reservoirs: recent rain provides enough water for two months of consumption

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La Viñuela has recorded the highest increase and now has reserves for three years of urban use in the Axarquía area

Chus Heredia

Malaga

Tuesday, 23 December 2025, 15:56

We bid farewell to 2025 with a bonus gift for the reservoirs in Malaga province. The latest rains have provided enough water for Malaga city to last for two months. Furthermore, all indications are that the stored volume will continue to rise, not only due to runoff, but also because rain is forecast to continue uninterrupted until Sunday.

As a result, the seven reservoirs in Malaga province were storing 286 million cubic metres of water as of 5pm on Monday, eight million more than the previous week. This is the first notable increase thus far this hydrological year, which began on 1 October. In just a single day, there was an increase of two million cubic metres.

Numbers per reservoir system

The Guadalteba holds the most water - over 80 million cubic metres. In the same system, the Gualhorce has 45 and the Conde is holding 30. All three have recorded increases of well over one million cubic metres apiece. They now have enough water for more than three years of peace of mind for the Costa del Sol capital. That is without adding the reserves of El Limonero (11 million cubic metres) and Casasola with another eight. These are the defensive dams designed to regulate the flow of the Guadalmedina and Campanillas rivers respectively. As if those were not enough, Malaga city also has 21 active wells (16 in the Aljaima-Fahala system in Cártama town and five in the Lower Guadalhorce in Malaga city itself).

286

million cubic metres are now stored in the province's seven reservoirs. They are at 47.5% of their total capacity, which is 115 million cubic metres more than this time last year.

Pending projects

On the western Costa del Sol, the reservoir at La Concepción has 36 million cubic metres, gaining over one million cubic metres more just this past week. Due to its small size, together with Marbella's desalination plant, the Fuengirola and Guadalmansa (Estepona) wells and the local water resources of some municipalities, it only guarantees supplies for one year. Until there's a second desalination plant (the preliminary design project is currently out for tender) or the Gibralmedina dam is built (the project has been drafted, but is awaiting final permits and funding), this time buffer cannot be extended.

In the Axarquia area, severely affected by the last drought, La Viñuela reservoir now holds 72 million cubic metres. It has gained two million cubic metres more in a single week, the most of any reservoir. This is enough volume to supply the urban needs of the area for three years.

The province's surface reservoirs are at 47.5% capacity, totalling 115 million cubic metres more than at this time last year.