After several years marked by severe water stress, Morocco’s dams have recorded a notable improvement in their reserves. Fueled by continuous rainfall at the beginning of 2026, the overall filling rate has surpassed 42%, a level not seen at this time of year for several years.
According to the latest available data, the dam filling rate stands at 42.5%, representing a volume of approximately 7.12 billion cubic meters. This is the highest level observed since January 2021, when the reservoirs reported a filling rate of 44.4% at the same time.
A comparison with recent years highlights the significance of this improvement. In January 2025, the filling rate did not exceed 28%. It was 23.22% in January 2024, 31.6% in 2023, and 34.2% in 2022. This progress marks a break after seven consecutive years of water deficit.
The recovery of reserves is directly linked to the rainfall recorded since the end of 2025, which affected a large part of the national territory. It offers a welcome respite for water management, agriculture, and drinking water supply in a context where pressure on water resources had significantly intensified.
Historically, the highest filling level ever recorded remains that of January 2010, with a rate of 87.3%, following an exceptionally rainy year. While the current level remains far below this record, it nevertheless constitutes an encouraging signal after several years of prolonged drought.
However, this improvement does not eliminate all the challenges related to water management. Authorities are still called to continue efforts in the rationalization of usage, securing supply, and developing complementary solutions, particularly desalination and the reuse of treated wastewater.
The resurgence observed at the beginning of 2026 nonetheless provides valuable leeway for the Kingdom and rekindles hope for a gradual stabilization of the water situation, contingent on the continuity of rainfall and prudent management of available resources.
