As the summer season approaches, the island of Crete is bracing for a water shortage crisis. The dams that serve as vital reservoirs for the region are alarmingly depleted, with their water levels plummeting to concerning lows. While vital, the lake reservoirs are proving inadequate in mitigating the island’s water shortage crisis. Municipalities across Crete are scrambling to implement measures to conserve and manage the dwindling water resources as the island braces for a potentially parched summer.
The Bramiana Dam in Ierapetra, with a capacity of 14,500,000 cubic meters, held a mere 9,500,000 cubic meters in March, a staggering 34.4% decrease from the previous year. Similarly, the Faneromeni Dam Lake in Mesara, designed to hold 18,000,000 cubic meters, has dwindled to a paltry 3,860,000 cubic meters, a 53% reduction from the previous March.
The Aposelemis Dam, with a capacity of 27,000,000 cubic meters, mirrors this distressing trend. Its reserves dropped from 10,230,000 cubic meters in March 2023 to a meagre 7,350,000 cubic meters this year, a 28% decline.
The Potamos Dam is an exception. It is the only reservoir in Crete that maintains a relatively stable water supply.
The lack of rainfall and the impending summer heat have affected agricultural production, but more alarmingly, they have drained the island’s dams to unprecedented levels. The situation of the Aposelemis Dam is particularly disheartening, with its water reserves steadily diminishing.
The Valsamiotis Dam in Chania, near Vatolakos in Kissamos Province, is facing a similar problem as it struggles to meet the region’s substantial irrigation demands.
According to data from the OAK, the Aposelemis Dam experienced a brief respite in February, when substantial rainfall in the first two days of the month replenished its reserves by an impressive 800,000 cubic meters, reaching a total of 3.9 million cubic meters. However, the subsequent prolonged drought has undone this temporary relief, leading to a dramatic depletion of water reserves and culminating in the current dire situation.
[…] the sultry days of summer approach, Crete finds itself grappling with an alarming water scarcity crisis. The once-brimming dams that serve as vital reservoirs for the region have been reduced to mere […]