Dams: Water stocks improving but still below average
However, this rise remains modest, only 6.1%, when compared to the three-year average of 829.1 million m³.
The overall dam filling rate stood at 37.2% on July 3, 2025.
Northern dams, which hold 91.8% of the country's total water reserves, recorded a higher filling rate of 43.5%, marking a 25.3% increase compared to the same period last year.
In contrast, dams in the Central and Cap Bon regions reported much lower filling rates: 12.4% (56 million m³) and 27.2% (16.8 million m³), respectively.
Water inflows: Mixed trends
Cumulative water inflows from the current season (Sept 1, 2024 – July 3, 2025) reached 959.6 million m³, a 48.5% increase compared to last season (646.2 million m³). However, these inflows dropped by 45.5% compared to the multi-year average of 1.76 billion m³.
Helpful But Insufficient Rainfall
Despite recent rainfall, its impact on dam levels remains limited.
Safa Slama, head of water resources at the Agricultural Development Commission in Siliana, told TAP news agency that while the rain was beneficial for many crops, it wasn't enough to significantly raise dam levels.
In August, Siliana saw six rainy days, with the heaviest rainfall in Kesra (49 mm), Sidi Bourouis (38 mm), and Makther and Rouhia (30 mm).
In early September, the highest rainfall was recorded in El Krib (41 mm), Gaâfour (28 mm), and Laroussa (25 mm).
Water reserves at local dams stood at 17% (Siliana Dam), 21% (Ermil Dam), and 2.2% (Lakhmes Dam), with respective storage capacities of 29 million m³, 1.8 million m³, and 6 million m³.
Persistent drought and future strategy
Tunisia has been facing drought conditions for five consecutive years. Studies confirm the ongoing drought and a noticeable decrease in rainfall, affecting both drinking water and irrigation supplies.
The government has identified water management as a key priority going forward, focusing on rationalizing water consumption across all sectors, reducing demand and increasing use of non-traditional sources, such as seawater desalination and treated wastewater reuse.
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Dams: Water stocks improving but still below average
Water reserves in all Tunisian dams saw a significant 28% increase, reaching 880 million m³ as of July 3, 2025, compared to 688 million m³ on the same date in 2024, according to data from the National Observatory of Agriculture (ONAGRI). However, this rise remains modest, only 6.1%, when compared to the three-year average of 829.1 million m³. The overall dam filling rate stood at 37.2% on July 3, 2025. Northern dams, which hold 91.8% of the country's total water reserves, recorded a higher filling rate of 43.5%, marking a 25.3% increase compared to the same period last year. In contrast, dams in the Central and Cap Bon regions reported much lower filling rates: 12.4% (56 million m³) and 27.2% (16.8 million m³), respectively. Water inflows: Mixed trends Cumulative water inflows from the current season (Sept 1, 2024 – July 3, 2025) reached 959.6 million m³, a 48.5% increase compared to last season (646.2 million m³). However, these inflows dropped by 45.5% compared to the multi-year average of 1.76 billion m³. Helpful But Insufficient Rainfall Despite recent rainfall, its impact on dam levels remains limited. Safa Slama, head of water resources at the Agricultural Development Commission in Siliana, told TAP news agency that while the rain was beneficial for many crops, it wasn't enough to significantly raise dam levels. In August, Siliana saw six rainy days, with the heaviest rainfall in Kesra (49 mm), Sidi Bourouis (38 mm), and Makther and Rouhia (30 mm). In early September, the highest rainfall was recorded in El Krib (41 mm), Gaâfour (28 mm), and Laroussa (25 mm). Water reserves at local dams stood at 17% (Siliana Dam), 21% (Ermil Dam), and 2.2% (Lakhmes Dam), with respective storage capacities of 29 million m³, 1.8 million m³, and 6 million m³. Persistent drought and future strategy Tunisia has been facing drought conditions for five consecutive years. Studies confirm the ongoing drought and a noticeable decrease in rainfall, affecting both drinking water and irrigation supplies. The government has identified water management as a key priority going forward, focusing on rationalizing water consumption across all sectors, reducing demand and increasing use of non-traditional sources, such as seawater desalination and treated wastewater reuse.
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Water reserves in dams are stable
According to the latest data released on Friday by the National Observatory of Agriculture (ONAGRI), the overall fill rate of dams in Tunisia stood at 35.7% as of March 7, 2024. Water reserves in these facilities remained relatively stable compared to the same period last year, at 840 million cubic meters (m³). However, compared to the average recorded over the past three years, there has been a slight decline of 4.6%. It is important to note that the fill rate varies significantly across regions. Dams in the north of the country have a fill rate of 41.1%, accounting for 90% of the total water reserves in Tunisia's dams. In contrast, dams in the Cap-Bon region have a fill rate of 32.3%, while those in the central region are at just 13.8% of their capacity. ONAGRI also highlighted that water inflows into the dams on March 7 reached 2.960 million m³, with nearly 1.9 million m³ coming from dams in the north. Total water usage from the dams on that day amounted to 1.226 million m³. The Ministry of Agriculture is working to address the water scarcity issue by either raising the height of existing dams or constructing new ones, such as the Upper Mellegue Dam. Water scarcity challenges Tunisia ranks 18th globally in terms of drought and 20th for water stress, according to data from the World Resources Institute. These figures are included in a report titled 'Climate Inflation: Challenges and Opportunities in the Face of Climate Change,' prepared by the Arab Institute of Business Leaders. The report underscores the major challenges Tunisia faces, including rising temperatures, declining rainfall, and increasing water scarcity and drought. Over the past three decades, Tunisia has experienced a temperature increase of approximately 0.4°C. For instance, the average temperature between May and September 2022 was around 27.9°C, but it dropped to 27.1°C in the summer of 2023. The agricultural sector, which consumes about 80% of the country's water resources, is particularly vulnerable to these climate changes. This poses a significant challenge in a context of dwindling water resources. Tunisia is currently in a state of water stress, with only 420 cubic meters of water available per capita annually—a deeply concerning situation. As dam levels continue to decline and water stress intensifies, this vital resource is becoming increasingly scarce. While some blame irresponsible water usage by citizens, authorities also bear a share of the responsibility for this critical issue.
