Morocco Surpasses 70% Dam Capacity as Water Reserves Rebound

Rabat – Morocco has recorded a substantial recovery in its water reserves, with the overall dam capacity across the country reaching 70.3% as of Sunday.

Total water resources now stand at 11.8 billion cubic meters, an increase of around 153% compared with the same period last year. 

This rebound follows a series of well-distributed rains since the start of the season, allowing the country to regain a comfortable margin after years of water scarcity.

Dam levels have jumped from under 30% to above 70% over the past year, marking one of the most notable improvements in recent years.

The Sebou basin remains the largest contributor to the national water supply, with a 91.3% fill rate and over 5 billion cubic meters in storage. 

Dams such as Al Wahda (93%), Idriss I (94%), and Allal El Fassi (98%) show high levels, securing water for agriculture and urban use in this critical region.

In the Loukkos basin, reserves reach 94.2%, with nearly 1.8 billion cubic meters stored. 

Dams like Oued El Makhazine have reached full capacity, confirming favorable conditions in northern Morocco. Similarly, the Bouregreg basin holds 92.8%, with the Sidi Mohamed Ben Abdellah Dam (94%) contributing more than 1 billion cubic meters to the total.

The Tensift basin reaches 84.4%, storing nearly 192 million cubic meters. Dams, including Abou Abbas El Sabti (98%) and Mly Abderrahmane (95%), show strong capacity.

The Moulouya basin has reached 59.3%, with over 425 million cubic meters stored. The Mohammed V Dam (90%) illustrates the basin’s improvement, even as some reservoirs remain below full capacity.

The Oum Er-Rbia basin holds 44.8% of its capacity, totaling more than 2.2 billion cubic meters. 

Dams such as Ahmed El Hansali (86%), Moulay Youssef (87%), and Bin El Ouidane (62%) support this increase, while Al Massira (21%) continues to register lower levels.

The Souss-Massa basin now shows 54.5%, with nearly 399 million cubic meters stored. Certain dams have reached full or near-full capacity, while others remain at moderate levels.

The Guir-Ziz-Rheris basin reaches 60.1%, with more than 322 million cubic meters stored, led by the Hassan Addakhil Dam (77%). 

The Drâa-Oued Noun basin stands at 33.8%, totaling roughly 355 million cubic meters. While these levels remain lower than those in the north, the year-on-year improvement is significant.

With dam levels across the country surpassing 70% and total reserves at 11.8 billion cubic meters, Morocco confirms a marked recovery in its water resources. 

This improvement strengthens drinking water supply and irrigation security while reinforcing the importance of careful and sustainable management of water amid climate uncertainties.