Aljustrel, Beja, Portugal, Feb. 6, 2026 (Lusa) - The Roxo dam, in the district of Aljustrel, in Portugal's interior Alentejo region, has reached its maximum capacity and is already discharging water into a stream that flows into the River Sado, the president of the association managing the dam confirmed on Friday.
Speaking to the Lusa news agency, the president of the Roxo Beneficiaries Association (ABR), António Parreira, said that the water is being released through the surface spillway, installed at around 136 metres, as this dam in the region of Beja "is at 100%" of its capacity.
"It is discharging through the surface spillway, a situation we were very concerned about, because we already have very high floods downstream of the dam," he stressed.
According to the president of ABR, the bottom spillways of the dam, which was inaugurated in 1967 and serves the Roxo Hydro-Agricultural Development, were not used due to problems with a valve in one of the floodgates.
"It's a problem we have to solve when the water recedes, towards the end of the summer," António Parreira acknowledged.
When questioned by Lusa about the effects of the heavy rainfall recorded in recent weeks on the fields served by the hydro-agricultural development, the leader assured that "all the land next to the dam and the river is flooded".
"And the cereals planted next to the river have all died," he added.
The president of ABR also criticised the decision by the Portuguese Environment Agency (APA) to discharge water from the Alvito dam, in the municipality of Cuba, in the same region, which ended up reaching the Roxo.
"At that time, we drew the APA's attention to the fact that the Roxo would, sooner or later, fill up and cause great pressure on the river and the roads, which is what happened," he stressed.
António Parreira also alluded to the need to clean up the Roxo river, which the ABR had previously requested from the APA.
"They cleaned it up a little, but it didn't help much. And now the APA says that it is the farmers who have to clean up the river," criticised the association's president, insisting that "the river has to be cleaned up because it is a danger to the local population".
Thirteen people have died in Portugal since last week as a result of the Kristin and Leonardo storms, which also left many hundreds injured and homeless.
The total or partial destruction of homes, businesses and equipment, the fall of trees and structures, the closure of roads, schools and transport services, and the cutting off of power, water and communications and now, vast areas of flooding, are the main material consequences of the storms.
The Central, Lisbon and Tagus Valley and Alentejo regions are the most affected.
The government has extended the state of emergency until the 15th for 68 districts, which will benefit from support measures worth up to €2.5 billion.
The state of emergency in mainland Portugal was initially declared between 28 January and 1 February for around 60 districts, and was then extended until the 8th for 68 districts, and again until 15 February.
CYMP/AYLS // AYLS
Lusa
