Malaga reservoirs reach 13-year high as water levels hit 90% capacity

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The province’s dams hold over 540 million cubic metres - the highest volume since 2013 - forcing authorities to open floodgates across the region

Chus Heredia

Thursday, 12 February 2026, 12:26

Malaga province has not seen this much water in its reservoirs since October 2013. After several storms, the water level has surpassed 540 million cubic metres and the province's dams are at 90% of their capacity, even with the floodgates open.

In comparison, in November 2025, just three months ago, they contained half that (276 million cubic metres). We don't need to go too much back in time to remember periods of serious drought, when the reservoirs had fallen below the threshold of 100 million cubic metres. That was at the start of 2025.

100% y 98%

are the levels of the Conde de Guadalhorce and the Guadalhorce-Guadalteba reservoirs

The Guadalteba dam leads the ranking, with almost 150 million cubic metres, which is 98% of its capacity. It alone could provide water for Malaga city for three years.

Since last Thursday, it has been overflowing to the neighouring Guadalhorce, which now exceeds 122 million cubic metres.

The third in the system, the Conde de Guadalhorce, has been releasing water for days. It has even reached an all-time high of 169 million cubic metres, three more than its safety capacity allows.

Radical change in La Viñuela

The second reservoir with the most water in the province is La Viñuela. It exceeds 76% of its capacity, with 125 million cubic metres. It couldn't even reach 36 at this time last year, which forced authorities to put irrigation restrictions in place.

Marbella's La Concepción has been draining at different times since 2 January. If it didn't have a winter safety threshold of 48 million cubic metres, recent rains would have filled it to the point where it reached its full capacity of 57.

The Verde dam has not stopped draining downstream. The two flood abatement dams, Casasola and Limonero, are at their safety margins, with 13 and 14 million cubic metres, respectively.