THE PROBLEM OF WATER IN SPAIN

In Spain there is a problem with water, especially in the south where most of the land is
very dry and with little rain. The following are some of the principle reasons why there is
a problem:

Agriculture and urban demands. For example,

strawberry irrigation is reducing the amount of
water flowing to the Coto de Doana by up to
50%.

River pollution caused by nitrates and

phosphates from farming fertilizers. For
example, some 80% of the water from the Tajo
river is for agriculture.

Below shows the average rainfall in mm per month in Spains big cities:

Madrid Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Rainfall (mm) 35 36 39 45 43 31 10 11 34 48 53 44

Barcelona Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Rainfall (mm) 38 37 47 47 44 38 27 44 76 96 51 44

Seville Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Rainfall (mm) 66 61 90 57 41 8 1 5 19 70 67 79
Bilbao Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Rainfall (mm) 200 155 110 305 250 160 120 117 154 256 251 278

Valencia Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Rainfall (mm) 36 32 35 37 34 23 9 19 51 74 51 52

1. Make a graph representing the rainfall of each city.

2. Calculate the total rainfall in each city.
3. Calculate the percentage of rain that falls in autumn, winter, spring, and summer in each
city. Make a graph.
4. Write a report comparing the results of the different cities and also explain your opinion
about this problem.
5. Complete these phrases and/or answer the questions:
a. What are two of the problems with water in Spain?
b. True or False: The driest month in Bilbao has more rain than the wettest month in
Seville.
c. ___________________ is the month with the least amount of rain in Barcelona.
d. The month of July in the city of ___________ has the least amount of rain of all
the cities on the list.
e. The driest season for all cities is ____________.
f. The wettest season for most cities is _____________.