Morocco Dam Levels Drop to 67.50% Fill Rate in Early September 2026
Morocco's dam reservoirs fell to a 67.50% fill rate on September 1, 2026, after losing 1.46 billion cubic meters of water in under four months, according to the Ministry of Equipment and Water.
Morocco's national dam fill rate dropped to 67.50% as of September 1, 2026, after the country's dams lost 1.46 billion cubic meters of water in less than four months — down from 76% on May 18. Total water reserves held in Moroccan dams now stand at 11,493.38 million m³, according to data from the Water Research and Planning Department at the Ministry of Equipment and Water.
Despite this usual seasonal decline, the situation remains far better than a year earlier: the current rate is double the 33.79% fill level recorded on September 1, 2025. The drop is mainly attributed to withdrawals exceeding 400 million m³ per month throughout the summer, driven by irrigation, drinking water supply and evaporation.
Sharp gaps between river basins
The decline was far from uniform across Morocco's nine major river basins, with losses ranging from under 5 percentage points to more than 17 points:
| River basin | Decline since May 18 (points) | Stock on September 1 (Mm³) |
|---|---|---|
| Moulouya | -17.24 | 396.08 |
| Tensift | -15 | 162.35 |
| Loukkos | -12.2 | 1,561.37 |
| Guir-Ziz-Ghris | -11.94 | 216.91 |
| Bouregreg | -11 | not specified |
| Sebou | -7.9 | 4,322.95 |
| Oum Errbia | -6.23 | 2,975.34 |
| Souss-Massa | -6.15 | 350.91 |
| Draâ-Oued Noun | -5.31 | 339.51 |
Mohammed V dam hit hardest, Agdez the only exception
Among the country's major dams, Mohammed V, in the Moulouya basin, recorded the sharpest drop of all: its fill rate fell from 91% on May 18 to just 25.97% on September 1, as seasonal irrigation releases were concentrated there. The Oued El Makhazine (-18.4 points to 72.59%), Idriss I (-18.3 points to 76.68%), El Kansera (-18.3 points to 72.68%) and Hassan Addakhil (-17.7 points to 53.35%) dams saw similarly steep declines.
Other dams proved more resilient, led by Al Wahda (with a capacity of 3,452 Mm³), which dropped only 3.5 points to settle at 84.32%, along with Tiddas (-2 points to 90%) and Al Massira (-1.8 points to 40.21%). Agdez dam was the only exception nationwide, with its fill rate rising from 35% to 38.69% over the same period.
Why it matters
Dam reserve levels remain a critical indicator for Morocco, which relies on these facilities to secure both drinking water and agricultural irrigation. While the year-on-year comparison points to an overall improvement in the water situation, the rapid drawdown of some major dams — Mohammed V foremost among them — is reviving the debate over water resource management as Morocco continues to face consecutive years of drought.