Latest news and stories about dam releases in Portugal for expats and residents.
Heavy rain and releases from dams have once again flooded the town centre of Alcácer do Sal, turning the main avenue into a canal.
After Kristin comes Leonardo, and after passing through Portugal these storms head for Spain. Hydrobiologist Adriano Bordalo e Sá warns that “the major rivers - the Lima, the Minho, the Guadiana, the Douro and the Tagus - have most of their catchment area on the other side of the border”.
To prevent flooding in several cities across the country, attention is now focused on the dams.
The Alqueva Dam resumed water releases today because of the 'persistence of elevated inflow rates' caused by heavy rainfall, restarting an operation that began on Wednesday and was halted after 48 hours, the company announced.
Worsening weather quickly raised the flow of the Sado River in Alcácer do Sal after releases from four dams during the early hours. Civil Protection says the situation “is under control” and expects the river flow to start falling from 04:00, despite the storm's peak coinciding with high tide.
The confluence of the Tagus with the Zêzere, combined with heavy rain and dam releases, caused the river to overflow its banks in Constância, as explained by CNN Portugal reporter Luísa Saragoça. Firefighters say the water level is rising by about a handspan per hour and warn conditions may worsen in the coming hours.
Flooding in Águeda and Coimbra is among the main concerns.
Silves has declared a “situation of municipal alert” after the River Arade overflowed on Wednesday, following days of intense rainfall, compounded by water releases from upstream dams. From late afternoon The post Silves declares municipal alert after river flooding appeared first on Portugal Resident.
The president of the Portuguese Environment Agency, José Pimenta Machado, says that this and next week will be periods of “particular concern” given the forecast precipitation, with Águeda the city at greatest risk of flooding. In the Algarve, the rain has created an unusual situation: five of the six dams are already at such high levels...
The rising water levels of the Ave and Vizela rivers will worsen until midnight, with peak releases from the dams, the Civil Protection commander said. There is a submerged bridge and roads have been closed.
The deputy commander of the Douro Harbour Authority, Pedro Cervaens, said today there has been an increase in discharges from the river's dams, which could put navigation and riverside areas in the estuary at risk.
The situation on the stretch of the EN262 is recurring.
The arrival of Storm Ingrid in Portugal is triggering preventive measures in several parts of the country, including controlled water releases from major dams. The depression is expected to bring The post Storm Ingrid forces Algarve dam releases as flood risk increases across Portugal appeared first on Portugal Resident.
Heavy rainfall associated with Depression Ingrid has led authorities to carry out preventive discharges from dams to lower reservoir levels, raising the likelihood of flooding in affected regions.
Officials warn that ongoing or planned discharges from the Beliche and Odeleite dams may cause flooding downstream and ask people to stay away from riverbanks, low-lying zones and to follow local safety instructions.
The region's six reservoirs are at an average of 77% of maximum capacity. Funcho (84%) is sending water to the Arade reservoir (59%). Controlled releases will soon be made at Odeleite (83%) and Odelouca (80%).
