El Niño worsens drought in rain-fed Colombian basins, reservoirs spared

Colombia's Chingaza reservoir system stands at 94.6% capacity, but the regional environmental authority (CAR) warns that rain-fed basins in surrounding provinces are critically low, below 10% of normal levels. The El Niño event is intensifying drought conditions in areas without reservoir storage, threatening water supply for agriculture and communities. The contrast between reservoir resilience and basin depletion highlights uneven drought impacts and potential for localized water stress.