The rains recorded in Mexico as a result of Hurricane Kay, which remains in category 1, have caused dams to recover their water storage, after a series of intense droughts, especially in the northeastern part of the country.
The General Technical Subdirectorate of the National Water Commission (Conagua) reported that as of September 5, the total storage level of the 210 main dams in Mexico was 73,954 million cubic meters. Although this represents 2,247 cubic meters less than the historical average recorded on this date, the water deficit is now only 3 percent, which in July was 13%.
“It represents a considerable recovery if one takes into account that this figure reached 13 percent approximately two months ago,” the agency said.
Conagua reported that of the 210 dams, 35 are 100 percent filled with 3,525 cubic meters; 53 have between 75 and 100 percent with 19,455 cubic meters; 50 are between 50 and 75 percent with 39,818 Mm3 and 72 have less than 50 percent with 11,156 cubic meters.
The dams with the greatest increases in recent storage are:
- Lazaro Cardenas, in Durango
- La Boquilla and El Granero, in Chihuahua
- Huites, in Sinaloa
- La Angostura, in Chiapas
- El Novillo, in Sonora
- Cajon de Peña, in Jalisco.
There is also a favorable increase in the water levels of the storage reservoirs of the Cutzamala System (El Bosque, Valle de Bravo, and Villa Victoria), which supply part of the Metropolitan Zone of the Valley of Mexico.
Víctor Bourguett Ortiz, general director of the Water Basin Organization of the Valley of Mexico of Conagua, pointed out that after the rains of the season a gradual increase is maintained. He pointed out that the reservoirs remain at 53.2 percent of their fill level, which represents 1.9 percent more than the figure recorded on August 29 and, at the same time, 20.2 percent less than the historical level of this date.
