Algeria’s dams 83.9% full

Algeria’s 65 operational dams are 83.90 percent full, a record rate following the recent heavy rainfall in northern regions of the country, said Saturday the Ministry of Water Resources. In the country’s east, which recorded the highest rate, 23 dams are 85.40 percent filled, said a Ministry’s release. The filling rate of 17 dams in the Cheliff region reached 85.06 percent, while those in the central region are 83.62 percent full, and those in the western region are 78.56 percent full. Algeria intends to have 84 dams by the end of 2014 to reach a total water storage capacity of 8.9 billion cubic metres, against nearly 6.8 billion cubic metres at present, the source said.