Data on water availability stored in reservoirs on 30 April (60 reservoirs monitored) do not show major changes compared to the end of March, with 32 reservoirs at more than 80 percent of capacity and the same four with less than 40 percent.

The data now available, compared with the previous month, indicate an increase in five river basins (Vouga, Mondego, Ribeiras Oeste, Tejo and Sado) and a decrease in eight.

"Despite the precipitation that occurred in the first four months of the year the Mira and Barlavento river basins show total storage values below the historical average values," APA said.

They add that the rise in storage levels in the reservoirs of the eastern Algarve (Odeleite and Beliche), although significant, has not yet allowed them to reach the historical levels of April.

In general terms, according to the document, storage levels in April were higher than the April storage averages (taking into account the periods 1990/91 and 2019/20), except for the Lima, Ave, Mira and Barlavento basins.

In relation also to the end of April but regarding the reservoirs on the Spanish side, APA notes that there was a decrease in water availability in all of them.

In the Minho and Lima basin (Spain) there was a drop from 80.1 percent in March to 72.6 percent in April. The Guadiana basin in Spain is still below 50 percent of total storage capacity (now a small decrease compared to March, from 41.5 to 41.2 percent).

As for the reservoirs with less water there is practically no change at the end of April compared to March.

In the Sado basin, the Monte da Rocha reservoir continues at 33 percent, Campilhas at 35 percent and Fonte Serne at 31 percent. Bravura, in the Barlavento basin, dropped from 35 percent to 34 percent.