Sustainable management of water resources

Due to the high amount of annual precipitation and the fact that the hydrographical basin of Albania with a total area of 43,305 km² is about 50 per cent larger than the country’s territory, Albania has abundant water resources. The total annual flow is 39.22 billion m3/year with 86 per cent of the annual flow in the humid winter season (October-May), and the remaining 14 per cent of the annual flow in the dry summer season (July-September). Overall renewable water resources amount to 13,300 m³ per capita, of which 65 per cent is generated within Albania and the remaining 35 per cent from countries upstream. In combination with the characteristic porous, karstic and fissured aquifers, this results in huge renewable groundwater resources of an overall 1,250 million m³/year in seven main geological strata. The plentiful water resources are used for urban, industrial and agricultural purposes as well as for hydroelectricity.

Related Subject(s): Environment and Climate Change

Countries: Albania