* The author is part of the community of readers of La Vanguardia
These photographs in La Vanguardia's Readers' Photos of the Baells reservoir, in Berguedà, could have been taken today, but, in reality, they are exactly 8 years old, since they correspond exactly to October 18, 2015 .
The drought was already hitting very hard at that time. It has become a cyclical phenomenon that we must get used to and take radical measures to use water sustainably.
In the same way as today, the monastery, which was not normally accessible (only by boat), could be reached 8 years ago quietly on foot in the same way we can do it today.
This is Sant Salvador de la Vedella. Founded in the year 830 by the monks of San Saturnino de Tavèrnoles, it still stands after the construction of the reservoir. Ruins of old houses from one of the three towns that were submerged are also visible: Miralles, Baells and Sant Salvador de la Vedella.
The objective of this reservoir is to regulate the upper basin of the Llobregat River, supply water to the metropolitan area of Barcelona and produce hydroelectric energy.
The Baells reservoir is currently at 25% of its capacity, when last year it was at 35% and the average for the last five years is 77%.
