The Sant Antoni reservoir, in Talarn, began yesterday to release water after reaching 223.3 hm³, 98.5% of its capacity. The maneuver coincides with the increase in contributions due to the thaw in the headwaters of the Pallaresa and its tributaries, also in a context of meteorological warnings for intense rains.
The dam has opened one of its seven automatic gates and also the spillways located at the foot of the dam. The discharge flow has been set at 60 m³/s, while the current inflow reaches 110 m³/s.
More contributions due to the thaw
The reservoir has registered in the last week an increase of 13.11 hm³. That rise is attributed to the thaw in the high areas of the Pallaresa basin and of its tributaries, which continue feeding the reservoir in a sustained way in full spring.
At the same time, the facility maintains production activity and is turbining 214.3 gigawatts of energy. The combination of high water inflow, near-full level, and the need to regulate the system has led to activating the discharge.
Warnings for intense rains in the area
The situation coincides with an alert from the Agencia Estatal de Meteorología regarding possible flash floods in ravines due to intense rains of more than 15 l/m² in one hour. That scenario obliges to follow with attention the evolution of the flows, especially in sensitive mountain points and in rapid response watercourses.
Yesterday, in fact, a hailstorm was already registered in Tremp and La Seu, an episode that adds to the instability foreseen in the Pyrenees and the Pre-Pyrenees. With the reservoir practically full, the monitoring of the next hours will be key to adjust the water management in Sant Antoni.