05-07-2025
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.
