Rambling archer

Does anyone know the extent of the problem of the shortages of water for domestic use.
At the end of last year we were told that the Algarve and Alentejo regions were in dire straits for water, and that further north there wasn't the same acute shortage.
Has anything changed?

EMR

Not really, this winter has been very dry.
The restrictions in parts of the Alentejo will probably be imposed again this summer.
The Algarve is seeing a significant increase in land being bought back into Agriculture, land requiring irrigation.
A few years ago fountains were drained and switched off, golf course watering restricted,I would not be surprised to see this repeated in 2018.
Lakes and water courses that should be filling up are dry,gardens are having their irrigation turned on , months earlier than normal.
I know of a couple who want fishing to find their usual lake empty.

mfesharne

I'm near Pedrogao Grande & Lake Cabril etc which I'm told is one of the main water sources & Cabril is helluva low....... which I guess is at least partly due to the fires last year & of course lack of winter rains.

What would help is getting some of the commercial woodland out but (ATM) there seems to be precious little of that going on in my area at least.

macliam

For our part of the Alentejo things are not too good. The nearest barragem is only a trickle, my own small barragem is usually topping over by now but it's still only half-full at the moment. Unless there is a LOT of rain in the next couple of months it will start the summer at the lowest point in the last 6 years..... bad news for the terrapins!

GeniB

It continues to surprise me that households ,especially new builds are not required to install guttering and rain barrels here. In a country with regular problems of drought it would seem to be essential. Using grey water to irrigate gardens etc-as well We installed three rain barrels and guttering on a building at the end of our garden when we first arrived .It regularly supplied enough water to top up our swimming pool several times. Thats 50 euro's a pop.If everyone did it it could make a big difference. I would also like to see the new hotel builds installing de-sallination units too.We can't make it rain,we can't stop the fires,but we can save as much water as possible ourselves.

liveaboard

The first year we were here was considered a bad drought, but this year is much worse.
My fields should be fully saturated with water, but they're like dust. I'm having to irrigate my orchard, in what should be the wet season.

In southern Portugal, most of the rain comes in winter, a little in spring / fall, and zero in summer. So we're facing a long dry season ahead.

So far, I'm not aware of any usage restrictions here in the west. I don't know what the regional water authorities are planning for the tourist season; the reservoirs are mostly empty but I suppose they still have wells to draw from.
For the moment.

I have irrigation water from the huge Santa Clara reservoir in the hills up north. Farmers along the canal here can still use as much as needed, it has enough to keep going for another year or two. This is very much an exception though. Only a small percentage has this access.

Hopefully the coming couple of months will bring enough rain to get us through summer.
If I didn't have access to Santa Clara water, I'd consider building a swimming pool sized underground cistern; that's what's used in places with this sort of water insecurity.

The coming years will inform us as to whether this is the new normal, or just a passing anomaly.

Lentisc

Please excuse my flippancy, it's just seems how things seem to be moving here in Portugal now.

I am waiting for an email from the Finances telling me that I will only be allowed 1/2 a cup of water per week, failure to do so will invoke a €30,000 fine.

Education on water conservation is needed, not a massive big stick.

Little rant over.

GeniB

Well our prayers have been answered .. slightly.. It has rained for three days and most of the nights here in the Algarve.. No where near enough... but something at least.

Moses2013

Education is one thing, where does it start though? Questions should be asked why golf courses are allowed, why more hotels are built etc. Of course it's all about money, but one day people have to realise that it's unsustainable.

GeniB

Modern Golf courses (like Espiche) have recycle systems that collect the water under ground and re-use it. Hotels and Golf courses provide much needed cash for the economy .They should of course be eco friendly and recycle grey water for use in the gardens.. or have dry garden landscapes. etc.(hotels) .Most are these days.

If everyone did their bit though it would make a huge difference.

EMR

Hotels,golf courses employ tens thousands how will their lives be sustainable without jobs.

Moses2013

Best example is Las Vegas. You could build the golf course in Portland.
We just have to learn that some places were never made for so many people, or certain industries
If rain is a problem, move the golf course and hotel to Porto and build a roof.

EMR

People have lived in the Algarve for thousands of years.They have had to adapt to dramatic changes.
It has probably never been wealthier, employed more people , had a larger population..
We have the ability to use science to use reneeabke energy sources to reach water sources currently not exploited., to de salinate sea water..
You can move a golf course but 100s thousands of people.?
Europe is already facing the migration from desertified areas of North Africa, do you want to add the millions who live in southern Europe to the problems.

Moses2013

The planet doesn't care about wealth. You don't have to move 100's of thousands. Just don't promote an already unsustainable place to more people and build more hotels. Of course you can use science, but even in so called wet areas, there's already not enough water for all.


The other problem is that the water you have is then polluted.

EMR

Looking at the daily weather reports its seems to have been raining for the last two weeks with wet weather continuing through next week.
I feel sorry for the golfers, this is their peak season.
Has all this rain made a significant difference , are the reservoirs filling up and will drought be avoided this summer.