Evora, Portugal, Jan. 28, 2026 (Lusa) - The Alqueva dam, in Portugal's interior Alentejo region, will begin controlled discharges on Wednesday, starting at 4:00 p.m., by opening the mid-depth spillways, in response to the fact that the reservoir is close to its full storage level.
In a statement, the Alqueva Development and Infrastructure Company (EDIA) revealed that, at 4 p.m., it "will open the dam's mid-depth spillways" to carry out "controlled discharges."
This operation aims to respond to "the persistence of high inflows in the Alqueva-Pedrógão System, which have raised the reservoir levels to a figure close to full storage level," the company explained.
"An initial discharge flow of 600 cubic metres per second (m3/s) is expected, which, added to the turbine flow, makes a total discharge flow of 1,200 m3/s," the company reported.
The water from the Alqueva discharges will flow to the Pedrógão Dam, which is also included in this multi-purpose project and has been discharging into the Guadiana River since the 21st of this month.
"The flow discharged at the Pedrógão Dam will be in the order of 1,500 m3/s," revealed the company managing the Alqueva Multi-Purpose Project (EFMA).
According to the company, "storage in Alqueva was being managed primarily through the turbining of hydroelectric power stations, allowing volumes to be regulated and energy production to be ensured".
At the same time, it explained, "the Pedrógão Dam, located 23 kilometres downstream, carried out discharges that contributed to the management of tributary flows".
"However, given the persistence of high inflows, it became necessary to complement this operation with controlled discharges also in Alqueva, ensuring the maintenance of the reservoir's operational safety margins," it explained.
The discharges that began today in Alqueva will "cause a rise in the levels and flows of the Guadiana River downstream of the Alqueva and Pedrógão dams, a situation that is being monitored on an ongoing basis by the Alqueva Development and Infrastructure Company in conjunction with the relevant authorities," the statement said.
The company, which has given assurances that it is constantly monitoring the hydrological situation, has requested the cooperation of local authorities, civil protection agents and the public to ensure the safety of people and property, recommending that particular attention be paid to riverside areas and areas at risk of flooding, as well as the adoption of preventive measures.
The maximum level of the Alqueva reservoir is 152, which corresponds to a total storage capacity of 4,150 cubic hectometres of water.
The last controlled discharge operation at the Alqueva dam was carried out in 2013, also to manage the volume of water in the reservoir, which was approaching its maximum storage capacity, the company recalled.
Alqueva reached its full storage level for the first time in 2010, eight years after the sluice gates were closed, which led to the first discharge operation, repeated again in 2011.
In 2014, 2024 and 2025, the reservoir also reached maximum storage capacity, but there was no need to discharge water because the levels were controlled by the hydroelectric power station's turbines.
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Lusa
