Casablanca – A new report by Morocco’s Ministry of Equipment and Water has found that the country is suffering from a multi-year drought following a fourth consecutive year of low rainfall and climatic disruptions.
The national average filling rate of Morocco’s main dams was only 29.2% until July 18, 2022, a drop of almost half, compared to the same day (45.2%) in 2021, or even in 2020 (44.4%), the report documented.
Despite the emergency measures the government has implemented between 2018 and 2022, Morocco has experienced “a succession of drought years, with annual deficits of 71%, 59%, 59%, and 85% respectively.”
The Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah dam in Rabat recorded this year “the lowest water inflows in its history,” representing “a deficit of 93% compared to its annual average,” the report showed, noting that this is an alarming scenario.
The average filling rate of Morocco’s main dams has traditionally been at or above 31%. This traditional rate was often recorded during periods of increased drought, as observed in 1980-1985, 1990-1995, 1998-2000, and 2001-2002.
According to the ministry’s report, the 2018-2022 drought is the worst in 40 years, with total water inflows of 16.7 billion cubic meters, much below the previous historic record of 17.6 billion (1991-1995).
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Since September 2021, Morocco has experienced rainfall ranging from 11.5 to 325 millimeters on average, “which is a deficit estimated at 50% at the national level, compared to the average normal rainfall of this period,” the ministry reported.
Even more alarming, the area covered by snow has decreased dramatically between 2018 and 2022, from a peak of 45,000 square kilometers in 2018 to barely 5,000 in 2022, representing an 89% decrease.
The amount of snow days has also reduced dramatically, from 41 in 2018 to 14 in 2022, a 65% decrease in four years.
