Aposelemis Reservoir Shrinks to Just 23% of Normal Capacity

• Satellite data from Athens Observatory’s METEO unit show a dramatic decline
• From 1.2 km² of water in 2022 to just 0.44 km² in September 2025
• The current level is only 23% of the reservoir’s normal 1.9 km² surface
• Experts warn of risks for agriculture, ecosystems, and water supply
• Hotels and tourism services may face pressure if shortages spread

Watching the Water Disappear

The Aposelemis reservoir, built as Crete’s answer to chronic water shortages, now appears more like a shrinking pond when viewed from space. Satellite images processed by the METEO unit of the National Observatory of Athens, using the European Sentinel-2 satellite, paint a stark picture: the reservoir has been losing water steadily every September since 2022.

Back then, the flooded surface covered about 1.2 square kilometers, already below its standard 1.9 km² capacity. Fast-forward to mid-September 2025, and the water stretches across just 0.44 km². That is less than a quarter of its intended size.

A Growing Concern for Crete

Researcher Kostas Lagouvardos, presenting the findings, noted that the continuous decline raises serious questions for Crete’s future. It is not just households in Heraklion and the surrounding municipalities that rely on Aposelemis, but also farms and local ecosystems downstream.

Shrinking water levels mean:

• Reduced drinking water reserves for Heraklion and neighboring towns
• Stress on agriculture, which depends heavily on irrigation
• Threats to ecosystems, with wetlands and bird habitats at risk
• Tourism strain, as hotels, pools, and restaurants rely on a steady supply

For visitors, the science translates into something simple: if the trend continues, the island’s tourism infrastructure will feel the pinch. Hotels may be forced into water-saving measures, swimming pools could face restrictions, and even basic comforts like shower pressure may fluctuate in peak months.

The satellite view, showing four consecutive years (September 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025), is sobering. Each frame looks smaller, the waterline retreating like a tide that never returns.

Crete has long promoted itself as both hospitable and sustainable. But without enough water in Aposelemis, both locals and tourists will be asked to make do with less.