Spain's Reservoirs At 39.5% Of Capacity As Drought Continues - Reuters

[hatrack]

MADRID - One of Spain's worst droughts drained water reserves further in the past week as reservoirs lost another 1.1 percent of their capacity to stand at 39.5 percent, official data showed on Tuesday.

Water levels are below the same point in 2005 -- a year declared the worst for rainfall since records began 147 years ago.
Irrigation water in the south and east of the country has already been rationed and is likely to reduce the maize crop this year. The power industry is also suffering, as, in a wet year, 12 percent of Spain's electricity comes from hydroelectric plants.

Over the past six weeks, reservoir levels have declined an average 1.3 percent a week as rain levels have been negligible.

Some relief may be on the way as Spain's meteorological institute warned of heavy rain in the eastern half of Spain over the next few days.

EDIT

http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/38072/story.htm