TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Hsinchu’s Baoshan Reservoir has fallen to about 30% capacity, but the Water Resources Agency said Tuesday that water supplies nationwide remain stable.

The WRA said rainfall in reservoir catchment areas south of Hsinchu has reached only about 20% of the historical average since the dry season began in November, per CNA. Baoshan’s storage rate, at roughly 32%, is the lowest in Taiwan.

Deputy Economic Affairs Minister Lai Chien-hsin (賴建信) said early drought measures launched last June have kept storage at major reservoirs between 32% and more than 97%. He noted that levels at Baoshan and Shihmen reservoirs are higher than during past severe droughts and urged the public not to worry.

The Central Weather Administration said western Taiwan recorded its lowest winter rainfall since 1951. Rainfall from March to May is forecast to be below normal to near normal, prompting scrutiny of possible alert-level changes.

To address reduced flows in the Touqian River, the WRA has increased transfers from Shihmen and Yongheshan reservoirs to support Hsinchu. In the south, the Tsengwen-Nanhua pipeline is reallocating water among Chiayi, Tainan, and Kaohsiung.

Lai said orange and red alerts would be issued only if domestic supply is affected. He urged continued conservation, noting that spring fronts are typically weak.

Storage at Tsengwen and Wushantou reservoirs stood at 280 million metric tons, rising after the Tsengwen-Nanhua pipeline began operating in January, per UDN. Shihmen holds about 170 million metric tons, while Baoshan and Baoshan No. 2 together store nearly 18 million metric tons, well above levels seen in past extreme droughts.

The WRA said it has secured more than 730 million metric tons through water-saving dispatch, supplemented by reclaimed water and river subsurface flows, while tightening irrigation and industrial conservation.