The drought in Catalonia and the impact on reservoirs
For many months, the drought has significantly affected Catalonia, causing a drop in reservoir reserves. This situation has led to the complete visibility of the ancient town of Sant Romà de Sau, which is normally submerged under water.
The recent rains have contributed to an increase in the reserves of the Sau swamp, going from 4.7% to 45.7% of its capacity. This increase has allowed almost the entire old town of Sant Romà to be submerged again, showing only the upper part of the church.
Tourism and restrictions
The Sau marsh is a tourist attraction in Catalonia, and the recovery of its reserves has led to an increase in visitors. This has led to the imposition of restrictions to regulate vehicle and visitor access to the marsh area.
Current situation and measures taken
Almost two months after the lifting of the state of emergency due to drought, reserves in the reservoirs of the Ter and Llobregat basins are at 36.8%. The Government of the Generalitat of Catalonia has relaxed some restrictions in response to this recovery of reservoir reserves.