Exceptional Precipitation in 2025-2026 Season Boosts Water Reservoir Levels

The exceptional rainfall during the 2025-2026 season has significantly improved the water reservoir levels, offering reassuring prospects as the summer season approaches.

Since the beginning of the hydrological year on September 1, cumulative inflows have reached approximately 1.56 billion cubic meters, a volume significantly higher than the average of recent years. This abundant precipitation has allowed the country's main hydraulic structures to recover to substantial levels.

The northern dams, which concentrate the majority of the country's surface water resources, are showing a filling rate of around 78%, according to agricultural expert Aniss Ben Rayana during his appearance on the radio. In the Cap Bon region, the situation is even more favorable, with retention levels reaching up to 98% of their capacity. Some dams, such as Beni Mtir, have even exceeded their maximum level, prompting authorities to carry out controlled water releases to avoid any risk to infrastructure and transfer the water to other hydraulic structures.

This notable improvement should ensure a stable supply of drinking water during the summer, a period traditionally marked by a surge in consumption, without fear of water cuts, particularly in the Cap Bon region. However, this improvement is unevenly distributed across the territory. The central dams continue to show worrying levels, with a filling rate not exceeding 13%. The Nebhana dam, in particular, is almost dry. These reserves are crucial for irrigating the Sahel, Kairouan, and Sfax regions, where agriculture heavily depends on water supplies.

To mitigate these regional disparities and strengthen water security, the Sousse desalination plant has been connected to the national distribution network of the Sonede, allowing for a reduction in pressure on northern resources and ensuring a more balanced supply.

Another significant challenge: water evaporation losses. A non-negligible portion of the volumes stored in dams is susceptible to evaporation during the summer months due to high temperatures, often exceeding 40°C in certain regions. According to experts, these losses can reach several dozen million cubic meters each year.

In the face of this challenge, technical and environmental solutions are being studied, such as artificial cloud seeding above hydraulic structures, partial covering of retention areas, use of anti-evaporation films, or optimization of water release management.

While the current situation is reassuring, the need for sustainable management of water resources becomes increasingly pressing as drought episodes become more frequent due to climate change.

By Imen HAOUARI