In a notice published on social media, Alcoutim Council, a town in the northeast of the Algarve, located on the banks of the Guadiana, around 40 kilometres from the mouth, highlighted that the alert is based on information about the hydrological situation provided by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) and the Alqueva Development and Infrastructure Company (EDIA).

“According to the hydrological situation of the APA and constant monitoring and updating with weather forecasts, there may be an increase in the flow of rivers and a consequent rise in the level of the flow of the Guadiana River”, informed the Faro district council, one of the most affected by the successive episodes of rain and wind that are hitting Portugal.

The Alcoutim Council highlighted that, according to EDIA, “due to the high flow of tributaries, discharges from the Pedrógão dam”, located on the Guadiana River, in the municipality of Vidigueira, district of Beja, are expected to occur in the next few hours.

“In order to safeguard people and property, given the rising level of the Guadiana River, we inform you of the need to take preventive and self-protection measures”, warned the municipality of Alcoutim, a municipality located on the Portuguese side of the Guadiana River and which borders the municipality of Sanlúcar de Guadiana, belonging to the province of Huelva, in the Spanish autonomous community of Andalusia.

The rains over the last few days have contributed to replenishing the levels of water stored on the surface and in aquifers, which have been depleted in recent years due to the drought in the Algarve and southern Portugal.

Today, EDIA reported that the Alqueva dam, in Alentejo, is half a metre from its full storage level and, at 9 pm on Wednesday, discharges began at the Pedrogão dam, located 23 kilometres downstream from the Alqueva dam.

In a statement, the company managing the largest Portuguese dam indicated that these discharges “will cause a temporary increase in the flow of the Guadiana River downstream of the Pedrógão dam”, in the municipality of Vidigueira, in the “order of 280 cubic meters per second”.

“Therefore, we alert riverside populations, fishermen, farmers and other users of the area to adopt the necessary precautions”, added the company, remembering that “the time until an increase in runoff is observed in Mértola could be after 6 pm”.

Alcoutim borders, to the north, the municipality of Mértola and the River Guadiana also passes through the municipalities of Castro Marim and Vila Real de Santo António, on its way to its mouth.