The Balearic Islands’ water reserves have seen an improvement in January thanks to the heavy rainfall recorded across the archipelago. According to the latest official data, the overall level of water resources stands at 51%, two points higher than in December.
By island, Mallorca has risen from 49% to 51%, Menorca from 46% to 49% and Ibiza from 48% to 51%, with Ibiza returning to a state of normality for the first time since December 2022, after more than three years outside this scenario.
Eight demand units on the rise
The improvement is also reflected in the demand units (DUs). Eight of them recorded increases in January: Menorca, Artà, Manacor-Felanitx, Palma-Alcúdia, Tramuntana Nord, Tramuntana Sud, Ibiza and Formentera, while the Migjorn DU remained stable. The most notable gains were in the Tramuntana Sud, Tramuntana Nord and Ibiza DUs, which have moved into a situation of normality, and in the Artà DU, which has shifted to the pre-alert stage.
At present, 44.2% of Balearic territory is in a situation of normality, 45.6% is in pre-alert, and 10.2% remains on alert, corresponding to the Es Pla demand unit.
The overall index for the Hydrographic District stands at 0.489, a figure higher than one year ago (0.450) and two years ago (0.481), confirming a positive trend in reserves compared with recent years.
An exceptionally wet January
This improvement is directly linked to an exceptionally wet January. According to Spain’s State Meteorological Agency (AEMET), January was classified as very wet across the archipelago, with an average rainfall of 115.2 litres per square metre, almost double the historical average. In Mallorca, 119.9 l/m² were recorded, compared with a typical average of 59.5 l/m².
The interannual rainfall balance stands at 117% across the Balearics, with a particularly marked impact in the Pitiüses, where it reaches 159%. As for temperatures, December was warm, with an average of 11°C and a positive anomaly of +0.8°C.
Looking ahead to February, and given the time of year and the current situation, forecasts suggest that water reserves will continue to increase, consolidating the improvement seen in the most favoured demand units, without any major changes expected in the current scenarios.
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