Nizar Baraka, Minister of Equipment and Water, announced that the rainfall recorded across various regions of the kingdom from September 1st to January 20, 2026, reached 121.5 millimeters. He emphasized that this water influx has, on average, provided an additional year of potable water, following an increase in dam reservoir levels to 48 percent.
During his response to questions from parliamentary advisors in the weekly session, Baraka clarified that the rainfall recorded over the past three months has seen a significant rise of 114 percent compared to the same period last year, noting that this data reflects a tangible improvement in the country’s water situation.
The minister noted that the average rainfall has increased by 24 percent compared to 1990, while snow-covered areas have reached approximately 55,000 square kilometers, describing this figure as unprecedented, as it has not been recorded since 2018.
The government official reported that the volume of water stored in the dams totals 4.07 billion cubic meters, of which 3.6 billion cubic meters were recorded in just the last forty days, contributing to the rise in reservoir levels from 28 to 48 percent.
Regarding the water basins, Baraka mentioned that the basin of Oum Er-Rbia has seen its volume increase from 200 million cubic meters to 1.178 billion cubic meters, raising the reservoir level from 5 percent to 24 percent. He confirmed that several major and minor dams have reached a full capacity of 100 percent, prompting their managers to implement precautionary measures due to exceeding their storage capacity.
In terms of the Souss-Massa basin, the minister explained that its water stock has increased from 120 million cubic meters to 382 million cubic meters, which is equivalent to 52 percent of its capacity. He highlighted that this situation has provided an additional year of drinking water for the affected areas, with the Ait Baha region benefiting from two years of water supply after reservoir levels surpassed 100 percent at the Dkhila and Oulouz dams.
Baraka also revealed that the Hassan el-Dakhil dam in the Kairouan Ziz Gharis basin has reached a fill rate of 72 percent, ensuring a supply of potable water for more than two years for the water system in Er-Rachidia.
Concerning investments, the Minister of Equipment and Water pledged to expedite the completion of planned dam projects, indicating a reduction in the construction time for the Tamri dam by three years, with plans to begin filling it in June.
Baraka noted that drilling for water wells continues, highlighting the establishment of 4,220 exploratory wells with a flow rate exceeding 8,800 liters per second, benefiting around 5.8 million rural residents.
