The receding water in the Vinuela Reservoir has shocked and worried nearby residents who are already working under restrictions designed to try to limit use. Reservoir capacity is only around 12% after Spain experienced record high temperatures in July amid the country’s driest spell in more than 1,200 years. The crisis has also sparked what has been dubbed a “water war”, as concerned communities argue over exactly what led to this position. Image: The skinny bed of the Vinuela Reservoir in southern Spain In the Malaga region, it has led to a rift, with environmentalists blaming water shortages on farmers who have switched to more lucrative, water-demanding tropical fruits. But farmers insist soaring temperatures and increasingly severe and long droughts are caused by climate change – and they are suffering the consequences. Farmer Paco Marin, 45, told us that farmers were at the forefront of recognizing that lifestyles had to change. “Fires, droughts, everything is caused by climate change, but we as humans are all causing this climate change, so we have to change.” Image: Farmer Paco Marin He grows avocados and mangoes as well as the more traditional oranges, lemons and olives. But poor rainfall means his mangoes are half their usual size and as a result he has seen his income drop by almost a quarter in recent years. He shows us the irrigation system he has installed and says it is very efficient and does not waste water. However, environmentalists believe that irrigation networks contribute to water falls and want them banned along with more focus on water recycling and the construction of a desalination plant in the area. Image: Rafael Yus from Ecologists in Action “These (irrigation systems) must be stopped,” Rafael Yus of Ecologistas En Accion (Ecologists in Action) tells us. “And farmers should be encouraged to diversify and grow other fruits, not tropical ones.” We stand on the skinny bed of Vinuela Reservoir, where the buoys are covered, still attached to the equally beached boats and their anchors. Elena Sanchis used to run a water adventure business here, but for the first time she was unable to open this summer because the low water level made any adventure impossible. Image: Vinuela Reservoir. Photo: Chris Cunningham Read more: Firefighters from across Europe battle ‘monster’ blaze in France Fires across Spain amid heatwave with temperatures topping 40C He believes the community and authorities need to come together to try to work out a new approach to what is likely to become an increasingly difficult problem. “Growing tropical fruit doesn’t take up that much water,” he said. “I did my research – and we have to recognize that tropical fruit provides employment to about 10,000 people here. What will happen to them if tropical cultivation stops?” Spain is Europe’s main supplier of fruit and vegetables and is the world’s leading supplier of olives – but with poor yields, these supply lines now appear to be under threat. Spain’s water crisis is likely to extend far beyond its borders.
