Kouris Dam, , is the largest
dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use, aqua ...
of a network of 107 dams in
Cyprus
Cyprus (), officially the Republic of Cyprus, is an island country in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. Situated in West Asia, its cultural identity and geopolitical orientation are overwhelmingly Southeast European. Cyprus is the List of isl ...
. It is in the
Limassol District
The Limassol District, or simply Limassol or Lemesos, is one of the six districts of Cyprus. , it had a population of 262,238, 75,7% of which was urban The district's capital city is Limassol. Part of the British Overseas Territory of Akrotiri an ...
and is fed by the
Kouris River along with other smaller watercourses including the Diarizos River which has its water diverted to Kouris Dam via an underground pipeline.
History
The dam lies at an altitude of and collects the water delivered by the rivers
Kouris, Limnatis and Kryos. Furthermore, water from Diarizos River is diverted to Kouris Dam via a long connecting tunnel. It has an overall catchment area of
2. The dam is located northwest of the city of
Limassol
Limassol, also known as Lemesos, is a city on the southern coast of Cyprus and capital of the Limassol district. Limassol is the second-largest urban area in Cyprus after Nicosia, with an urban population of 195,139 and a district population o ...
and west of the village of
Ypsonas. For its construction the whole village of
Alassa had to be relocated to a nearby site overlooking the reservoir (between the Kouris and Limnatis valleys) at a cost of around CYP£5,000,000.
Its construction was opposed by environmental groups concerned about the effects of water diversion on the
Limassol Salt Lake, a wetland located downstream to the rivers and used by migratory birds. The dam is part of the Southern Conveyor Project, which carries water from the SW side of Cyprus to the SE part of the island, over a distance of 120 km. The dam has a central clay core zoned earthfill embankment with a height of 110m and a crest length of approximately 550 metres providing a water storage volume of 115 million cubic metres.
The construction of the dam was first proposed by the Cyprus Water Development board in 1968. Following several feasibility studies the French engineering company
Sogreah completed the detailed design in 1981. The contract for its construction was awarded in January 1984 to a consortium comprising
J&P construction and
Impregilo of Italy.
The construction cost amounted to CYP £29,000,000. Part of the funding came from the
European Investment Bank
The European Investment Bank (EIB) is the European Union's investment bank and is owned by the 27 member states. It is the largest multilateral financial institution in the world. The EIB finances and invests both through equity and debt sol ...
. Construction was completed in September 1988. It was officially inaugurated by the then president,
George Vassiliou, on 22 April 1989.
Since its construction it has overflowed three times: on March 4, 2004, on April 6, 2012,
and on January 7, 2020.
In popular culture
In 2008, rumours held that a crocodile or other large reptile was swimming in the dam, leading to humorous references to a "Cyprus Loch Ness Monster." Local community leaders authorized a search but did not find such a creature.
Gallery
Kouris Dam, Cyprus.jpg, Road photo of Kouris dam
Ruined Church of Ayios Nikolas in Kouris Dam.jpg, Ruined Church of Ayios Nikolas in Kouris Dam
Kouris Dam - overflow day 8 April 2012 -c.jpg, Kouris Dam - overflow day 8 April 2012
See also
*
List of reservoirs and dams in Cyprus
References
{{Reflist, 30em
Dams in Cyprus
Dams completed in 1988
Buildings and structures in Limassol District
1988 establishments in Cyprus