Morocco’s Dams Filling Rate Reaches 50%

Rabat – The reservoirs of the main dams in Morocco reached nearly 8.04 billion cubic meters (m3) on March 6.

The number represents a filling rate of 50%, according to the General Directorate of Water.

Dams reserves had previously accumulated 7.38 billion cubic meters, representing a filling rate of 47.4%.

The Alwahda dam has the largest reservoir with a volume reaching 2.79 million cubic meters and a filling rate of 79.4% against 58.2% a year earlier.

The Idriss I dam comes in second position with a reservoir of 822.1 million cubic meters. It also had a filling rate of 72.8% compared to 81.2% on the same date last year (016.7 million cubic meter).

With a filling rate of 100%, the Oued El Makhazine dam is ranked third thanks to a reservoir of 672.9 qubic million.

The heavy rainfall in late 2020 and the first months of 2021 helped the filling rate to reach maximum levels after a draft season in 2019/2020.

The previous rough season impacted Morocco’s harvest and dams filling rate significantly.

With the recent rainfall, Morocco’s government expressed satisfaction with the country’s improving dam filing rates and agricultural output.

In January, Morocco’s Minister of Agriculture said that the country’s 2020-2021 agricultural season is showing signs of a bountiful harvest year.

Moroccan farmers cultivated 5.35 million hectares (Ha) of fall crops by January 22.

The cultivated area, which includes 9% irrigated farmlands, marks an increase of 9% compared to last season, the minister noted.

The cultivated area reached about 4.88 million hectares, including 9% irrigated, which are devoted in particular to autumn cereals (4.2 million hectares), the minister said.

He added that 51,800 Ha were sown during the period of January 15 to 21, 2021, mostly consisting of cereals (89%).