Acheloos River - Greece - marked course DE

The Achelous (, ''Akhelôios''), also Acheloos, is a

river A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...

Epirus Epirus () is a Region#Geographical regions, geographical and historical region, historical region in southeastern Europe, now shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay ...

, western

Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...

. It is long. It formed the boundary between

Acarnania Acarnania () is a region of west-central Greece that lies along the Ionian Sea, west of Aetolia, with the Achelous River for a boundary, and north of the gulf of Calydon, which is the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. Today it forms the western part ...

and

Aetolia Aetolia () is a mountainous region of Greece on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, forming the eastern part of the modern regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania. Geography The Achelous River separates Aetolia from Acarnania to the west; on ...

of antiquity. It empties into the

Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea (, ; or , ; , ) is an elongated bay of the Mediterranean Sea. It is connected to the Adriatic Sea to the north, and is bounded by Southern Italy, including Basilicata, Calabria, Sicily, and the Salento peninsula to the west, ...

. In ancient times its spirit was venerated as the river god

Achelous In ancient Greek religion and Greek mythology, mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. Accordi ...

Herodotus Herodotus (; BC) was a Greek historian and geographer from the Greek city of Halicarnassus (now Bodrum, Turkey), under Persian control in the 5th century BC, and a later citizen of Thurii in modern Calabria, Italy. He wrote the '' Histori ...

, taking notice of the shoreline-transforming power of the Acheloos River, even compared it to the

Nile The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...

in this respect: :'There are other rivers as well which, though not as large as the Nile, have had substantial results. In particular (although I could name others), there is the Achelous, which flows through

into the sea and has already turned half the Echinades islands into mainland.' (2.10, trans. Waterfield) It is said to have been called more anciently ''Thoas'', ''Axenus'' and ''Thestius''.

Course

The river Achelous begins at about elevation on the eastern slope of

Lakmos Lakmos () is a mountain in eastern Ioannina and western Trikala regional units. The mountain is a part of the Pindus mountain range. Its highest peak is the ''Peristeri'', at 2,295 m elevation. It stretches from the village Krapsi in the west to ...

mountain in the

Pindus The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; ; ; ) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly long, with a maximum elevation of (Smolikas, Mount Smolikas). Because it runs along the border of Thessaly and Epiru ...

range, near the village Anthousa in the westernmost part of the Trikala regional unit. One of its first tributaries is the Aspropotamos, meaning the

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

river. The river flows generally southwards, and forms part of the boundary between the regional units of Arta and Trikala, which is also the boundary between

and

Thessaly Thessaly ( ; ; ancient Aeolic Greek#Thessalian, Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic regions of Greece, geographic and modern administrative regions of Greece, administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient Thessaly, a ...

. Further downstream, it forms the boundary of Arta and

Karditsa Karditsa ( ) is a city in western Thessaly in mainland Greece. The city of Karditsa is the capital of Karditsa regional unit of the region of Thessaly. Climate Karditsa has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification: '' ...

, and further of

Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania (, ''Aitoloakarnanía'', ) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the geographic regions of Greece, geographic region of Central Greece (geographic region), Central Greece and the administrative regions of Greece, ...

and

Evrytania Evrytania ( ; ) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the modern regions of Greece, region of Central Greece (administrative region), Central Greece. Its capital is Karpenisi (approx. 8,000 inhabitants). Geography Evrytania is ...

. The river runs into the Kremasta reservoir, which is also fed by the rivers

Agrafiotis The Agrafiotis () is a river in Evrytania, Greece. The river takes its name from Agrafa Agrafa (, ) is a mountainous region in Evrytania and Karditsa regional units in mainland Greece, consisting mainly of small villages. It is the souther ...

and

Megdovas The Megdovas (, ), also known as Tavropos (, avroˈpos, is a river that flows through the Karditsa and Evrytania regional units, Greece. It is long.Kastraki reservoir, west of the

Panaitoliko Panaitoliko ( Greek: Παναιτωλικό) is a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Agrinio Agrinio (Greek language, Greek: Αγρίνιο, ; Lat ...

range. downstream from this lake, it flows into the Stratos reservoir. Further downstream, it runs through the lowlands west of

Agrinio Agrinio (Greek language, Greek: Αγρίνιο, ; Latin: ''Agrinium'') is the largest city of the Aetolia-Acarnania regional units of Greece, regional unit of Greece and its largest municipality, with 89,691 inhabitants (2021) as well as the seco ...

. It finally empties into the

, west of

Missolonghi Missolonghi or Mesolongi (, ) is a municipality of 32,048 people (according to the 2021 census) in western Greece. The town is the capital of Aetolia-Acarnania regional unit, and the seat of the municipality of Iera Polis Mesolongiou (). Missolon ...

Settlements

In order from upstream to downstream: * Katafyto * Gardiki * Mesochora * Koryfi * Myrofyllo * Petroto * Grimpiana * Mesopyrgos * Neo Argyri * Tripotamo * Kastraki * Stratos *

Palaiomanina Palaiomanina (, ) is an Aromanian (Vlach) village and a community of the Xiromero municipality. Since the 2011 local government reform it was part of the municipality Astakos, of which it was a municipal district. The 2021 census recorded 633 res ...

* Gouria * Neochori

Dams

There are five dams on the river. From upstream to downstream there is the Mesochora Dam which was completed in 2001 but has not impounded its reservoir. Below that is the

Sykia Dam The Sykia Dam is a mostly constructed but unused earth-filled embankment dam on the Acheloos River along the border of Karditsa and Arta, Greece. The tall dam is part of the Acheloos River Diversion which is intended to divert a portion of the ...

which is partly constructed. Further down is the Kremasta (1965), Kastraki (1969) and Stratos Dams (1989).

Acheloos River in mythology

History

In antiquity, the Achelous was the largest and most celebrated river in Greece, rising in

Mount Pindus The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; ; ; ) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly long, with a maximum elevation of (Mount Smolikas). Because it runs along the border of Thessaly and Epirus, the Pin ...

, and after flowing through the mountainous country of the

Dolopia Dolopia () is a mountainous region of Greece, located north of Aetolia. Geography Dolopia was located between Epirus and Thessaly, eventually absorbed into the latter. It was a mountainous district in the southwestern corner of Thessaly, lying bet ...

ns and Agraeans, entered the plain of

and

near

Stratus Stratus may refer to: Weather *Stratus cloud, a cloud type **Nimbostratus cloud, a cloud type **Stratocumulus cloud, a cloud type **Altostratus cloud, a cloud type ** Altostratus undulatus cloud, a cloud type **Cirrostratus cloud, a cloud type Mu ...

, and discharged itself into the

, near the Acarnanian town of

Oeniadae Oeniadae or Oiniadai (), or Oeneiadae or Oineiadai (Οἰνειάδαι), was a town in ancient Acarnania, situated on the west bank of the Achelous River, about 10 miles (16 km) from its mouth. It was one of the most important of the Acarna ...

. It subsequently formed the boundary between Acarnania and Aetolia, but in the time of

Thucydides Thucydides ( ; ; BC) was an Classical Athens, Athenian historian and general. His ''History of the Peloponnesian War'' recounts Peloponnesian War, the fifth-century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC. Thucydides has been d ...

the territory of Oeniadae extended east of the river. It is usually called a river of Acarnania, but it is sometimes assigned to Aetolia. Its general direction is from north to south. Its waters are of a whitish yellow or cream colour, whence it derives a later name of ''Aspropotamo'' or the White river, and to which

Dionysius Periegetes Dionysius Periegetes (, literally Dionysius the Voyager or Traveller, often Latinized to ''Dionysius Periegeta''), also known as Dionysius of Alexandria or Dionysius the African,''Encyclopædia Britannica'', 4th edition, 1810, 9''506/ref> was the ...

probably alludes in the epithet ἀργυροδίνης. Periegetes places the sources of the river near a place called

Chalcis Chalcis (; Ancient Greek and Katharevousa: , ), also called Chalkida or Halkida (Modern Greek: , ), is the chief city of the island of Euboea or Evia in Greece, situated on the Euripus Strait at its narrowest point. The name is preserved from ...

. It is said to have been called more anciently Thoas, Axenus and Thestius. In the lower part of its course, the plain through which it flows was called in antiquity Paracheloitis after the river. This plain was celebrated for its fertility, though covered in great part with marshes, several of which were formed by the overflowings of the Achelous. In 1359 the Battle of Achelous between

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

forces under

Peter Losha Pjetër Losha was an Albanian clan leader in medieval Epirus. He belonged to the Losha ''fis'' (clan or tribe) and was the leader of a combined force of his own clan and the ''fis'' of Mazaraki and Malakasi. In 1360, he became Despot of Arta, Ro ...

and the

Despotate of Epirus The Despotate of Epirus () was one of the Greek Rump state, successor states of the Byzantine Empire established in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204 by a branch of the Angelos dynasty. It claimed to be the legitimate successor of the ...

under

Nikephoros II Orsini Nikephoros II Orsini Doukas (Greek: Νικηφόρος Β΄ Δούκας, ''Nikēphoros II Doukas''), was the ruler of Epirus from 1335 to 1338 and from 1356 until his death in 1359. Life Nikephoros was the son of John Orsini of Epirus and An ...

took place near the river Achelous. Nikephoros II was defeated and killed during the battle, and two new states were established in the area, the

Despotate of Arta The Despotate of Arta (; ) was a despotate established by Albanians, Albanian rulers during the 14th century, after the defeat of the local Despot of Epirus, Nikephoros II Orsini, by Albanian tribesmen in the Battle of Achelous (1359), Battle of ...

and the

Despotate of Angelokastron and Lepanto Gjin Bua Shpata (sometimes anglicized as ''John Spata'') ( 1358 – 29 October 1399) was an Albanian ruler in Western Greece with the title of Despot. Together with Pjetër Losha, he led raids into Epirus, Acarnania and Aetolia in 1358. He was ...

. In the 1960s, the

Kremasta Dam The Kremasta Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Achelous River in Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece. It is located just downstream of where the Agrafiotis, Tavropos and Trikeriotis rivers meet to form the Achelous. The dam was constructed betw ...

in the Aitoloacarnania-Evrytania boundary was under construction. The area is not forested. The dam, made of concrete, took years to complete, eventually flooding a portion of the western part of the prefecture of Eurytania. The dam includes a power station with transformer lines in the east. The dam powers electricity for the western part of Greece and the central part. It caused some soil erosion in some flooded valleys. The

Kastraki Dam The Kastraki Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Achelous River near the village of Kastraki in Aitoloakarnania, Greece. It was completed in 1969 for the purposes of hydroelectric power generator, flood control and irrigation. The dam's p ...

is downstream and was completed in 1969. Downstream of Katsiki, the Stratos Dam was completed in 1989. The arch bridges includes the Karafilio and the Ardanovo. The Acheloos River Diversion project has been the center of debate since the 1980s. It calls for four large dams, the Sykia, Mesochora,

Mouzaki Mouzaki () is a town and a municipality in the northwestern part of the Karditsa regional unit, Greece. Mouzaki is located on the southwestern edge of the Thessalian plain, where the river Pamisos descends from the Agrafa mountains. It is 17&nbs ...

and

Pyli Pyli () is a municipality in the Trikala regional unit, Greece. Situated 18 km west of Trikala, right at the bottom of two mountains Itamos, and Koziakas, which mark the beginning of the Pindos mountainline, Pyli marks the entrance to a grea ...

, along with a channel. The goal of the project is to divert annually from the river west towards the

plains in order to help irrigate of mostly cotton crops. Construction on the project has been stalled several times, the latest in 2005, because of environmental and social concerns.

References

Sources

External links

Acheloos
Ancient Greece Iconography at

Beazley Beazley is a surname, and may refer to * Charles Raymond Beazley, British historian * Christopher Beazley, British politician * David M. Beazley, American software engineer * John Beazley, British classical scholar * Johnny Beazley, American ba ...

Archive (

Oxford University The University of Oxford is a collegiate research university in Oxford, England. There is evidence of teaching as early as 1096, making it the oldest university in the English-speaking world and the second-oldest continuously operating u ...

)
Ecoguides on Achelous

TV2 Travel Channel on Achelous

(in Greek)

(in Greek)

(in Greek)

(in Greek)

(in Greek) - Trikalasport.gr

(in Greek)

{{Authority control Achelous River, Landforms of Aetolia-Acarnania Landforms of Arta (regional unit) Landforms of Evrytania Landforms of Karditsa (regional unit) Landforms of Kastoria (regional unit) Landforms of Trikala (regional unit) Rivers of Greece Rivers of Central Greece Rivers of Epirus (region) Rivers of Thessaly Rivers of Western Greece