Kouris Dam

Kouris Dam, also known as Φράγμα Κούρη in Greek, is the largest dam among the 107 dams in Cyprus. Located in the Limassol District, Kouris Dam collects water from the Kouris River, Limnatis River, and Kryos River. Additionally, it is supplied by the Diarizos River, which is connected to the dam through a 14.5-kilometre underground pipeline. This network of rivers, together with the dam, provides water to many areas of the island. Kouris Dam was built at an altitude of 250 metres and covers an area of 300 kilometres. It was constructed by the Cyprus Water Development board and was designed by the French engineering company Sogreah in 1981. The construction cost a total of CYP £29,000,000, with funding from the European Investment Bank. The contract for the construction of the dam was awarded to J&P construction and Impregilo of Italy. The dam was completed in September 1988 and was inaugurated by the then-president George Vassiliou on April 22, 1989. Before the construction of the dam, the whole village of Alassa had to be relocated to a new site overlooking the reservoir, between the Kouris and Limnatis valleys. This relocation cost around CYP£5,000,000. However, the dam's 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. Kouris Dam has a central clay core zoned earthfill embankment that stands 110 metres high and has a crest length of approximately 550 metres. This embankment provides a water storage volume of 115 million cubic metres. The dam is part of the Southern Conveyor Project, which transports water from the southwest side of Cyprus to the southeastern part of the island, over a distance of 120 km. Since its construction, Kouris Dam has overflowed three times: on March 4, 2004, April 6, 2012, and January 7, 2020. These overflow events were caused by heavy rainfall in the surrounding areas, which led to an excess of water in the reservoir. Kouris Dam plays a significant role in the water supply system of Cyprus. It is not only the largest dam in the country but also a part of a more extensive water transportation network. Despite initial opposition, the dam's construction has provided benefits to many areas of the island. With its impressive features, Kouris Dam continues to provide a reliable source of water to the people of Cyprus.