Southern Taiwan reservoirs see water levels rise as rainy season begins

Zengwen Reservoir's water storage has climbed to 12.67% as Taiwan enters its plum rain season, alleviating concerns over water shortages in the south. The reservoir, along with Wushantou and Nanhua, now holds a combined 90.3 million tons of water, up from 72 million tons earlier in the week.

Water levels at Wushantou Reservoir stand at 14%, and Nanhua Reservoir at 27.2%. While Zengwen and Wushantou saw significant increases, Nanhua's levels have not risen substantially. The Water Resources Agency noted that the southern region typically experiences a 9:1 ratio of rainfall between the wet and dry seasons, making lower levels during the dry period normal.

Recent online rumors have suggested that the proliferation of solar panel installations in central and southern Taiwan is hindering rainfall. However, authorities dismiss these claims as baseless, pointing out that reservoir levels naturally rebound with the onset of the rainy season, even with solar panels remaining in place. They emphasize that the "solar panel drought" theory resurfaces annually during dry spells and subsides with the rains, lacking any factual basis.