The persistent drought is continuing to strain Morocco’s water reserves. Over the seven first months of 2024, the filling rate of national dams dropped to 29%, down from 30% a year earlier.
According to data from the Ministry of Equipment and Water, the volume of water across national dams settled at 4.7 billion cubic meters, compared to 4.8 a year earlier.
The consistent drop in water reserves is mainly attributed to the drought and rising temperatures.
To mitigate the effect of drought on water resources, the country has adopted a series of measures. In recent years, Morocco lifted subsidies on cultivating water-intensive crops and launched several campaigns to reduce water wastage.
In addition, the North African country has launched the construction of 20 seawater desalination plants that should become operational by 2030.
While Morocco is already located in one of the most water-scarce regions in the world, climate change has worsened the trend. Between 1961 and 2017, Morocco’s overall rainfall fell by 43% during spring, and 26% in winter.
Experts warn of a growing imbalance between water needs and existing resources. According to data from the Moroccan Institute for Policy Analysis (MIPA), a think tank, the water deficit is projected to reach 4 to 7 billion cubic meters annually by 2050.