As the month of May draws to a close, Morocco's reservoirs are confronting early and consecutive heat waves, a situation that typically raises concerns regarding the surface water supply and its direct impact from accelerated evaporation. However, an analysis of data released by the Directorate of Water Research and Planning within the Ministry of Equipment and Water reveals remarkably reassuring indicators regarding water security. As of Saturday, the overall filling percentage of the country’s reservoirs stands at 75.94%, indicating that three-quarters of Morocco's total dam capacity is fully stocked. This results in a strategic reserve of surface water amounting to approximately 12.93 billion cubic meters, based on official figures that cite a total regulatory capacity of 17.03 billion cubic meters.
Resilience Against Evaporation
The annual comparison showcases a significant and exceptional leap in the country’s water stock. On the same day last year, May 23, 2025, the overall filling level of the dams was only 40.02%, representing a mere 6.8 billion cubic meters at that time. This substantial and positive difference provides the national water system with a very comfortable margin and a robust barrier against the challenges posed by the hot summer ahead. Despite the remarkable rise in temperatures during the last week of May, which exceeded 40 degrees Celsius in several internal regions of central and southern Morocco, the enormous volume of stored water—nearly 13 billion cubic meters—relatively minimizes the percentage impact of evaporation, ensuring the sustainability of supplies for drinking water and irrigation in the months to come, especially for several dams designated for agricultural use.
Water Resource Distribution
Transitioning to a detailed examination of these water reserves geographically, it becomes evident that there exists a distribution that offers safety for most vital basins, albeit with natural and logical disparities between the basins in the north and those in the central and southern regions of the country. As May progresses toward its end, the leading basins with absolute abundance remain concentrated in the northern and central northern parts of Morocco. The Sebou Basin stands out with an impressive water volume of 4,746.84 million cubic meters and a filling rate of 88.39%. This achievement largely owes itself to the Al-Wahda Dam, the largest in Morocco, which has reached a filling rate of 88.76% with a stock exceeding 3 billion cubic meters.
The Loukos Basin recorded the highest national filling rate, nearing 97.23%, with a water volume of 1,792.41 million cubic meters, bolstered by full capacity in several dams such as Nakhla, Chefchaouen, and Sharif Idrissi. Meanwhile, the Ab Rhak Basin, responsible for supplying major urban areas on the Atlantic coast, achieved an advanced filling rate of 89.74%, amounting to 1,322.16 million cubic meters, which ensures full water security for the Rabat-Casablanca axis without facing summer pressures or austerity measures. The Tensift Basin also achieved an excellent filling rate of 94.78%, crucial for fulfilling the water demands of Marrakech and its surrounding areas as summer heat intensifies.
The Am Rabi Basin demonstrated significant resilience with a filling level of 65.72% (3,288.44 million cubic meters), while the Bin Elouidan Dam reached 93.83%. The Al-Masira Dam, however, has shown vital recovery with a filling percentage of 42.74% and a stock exceeding one billion cubic meters, indicating a substantial improvement compared to previous dry years. In the east, the Moulouya Basin maintained a filling percentage of 73.03% with a reserve of 512.27 million cubic meters, effectively securing the needs of the eastern region, particularly benefiting from the melting snow from the Eastern Middle Atlas peaks.
While the figures reflect a relative impact from the dry climatic conditions prevalent in these areas, the Souss-Massa Basin recorded a moderate filling percentage of 54.53%, significantly better than the 21.80% noted last year. Meanwhile, the Drâa-Tafilalet Basin remains the lowest nationally at 38.17%, followed by the Ziz, Guir, and Gres Basin at 51.47%, positioning these regions as primary targets for stringent water management programs to combat the upcoming drier summer weather.
In summary, Morocco enters the summer of 2026 equipped with strong strategic water reserves that alleviate concerns over acute water stress. Despite the notable resilience of the water infrastructure, calls from authorities and environmental civil bodies persist, emphasizing the need for continued governance and consumption rationalization. Public awareness remains an indispensable safeguard for protecting this stored water wealth against the challenges of evaporation and depletion.
As reported by hespress.com.
