Low water levels in dams as fear of shortage looms

Low water levels in dams  and reservoirs are an ongoing cause for concern with summer just around the corner, despite authorities having announced a slew of projects to beat potential water shortages.

Water levels, which in March stood at 47 per cent capacity, have now fallen to 44.8 per cent. Some dams such as Argaka and Kalavassos have fallen below 30 per cent with fears they will soon run dry.

According to official records, the hydrological year and the rainiest months have passed, with dry weather now expected and inflow reduced, even as watering needs rise.

According to data from the Department of Water Development, the total capacity of the dams is 290 million cubic meters. At the moment, the dams and reservoirs hold under half of that, at 130.2 million cubic metres. water.

The dams are thus at 44.8 per cent of their capacity, when last year at this time they were at 68 per cent, holding 197 million cubic meters of water.

Kouris, the island’ biggest dam, is on the brink of drying up since out of a total of 115 million cubic metres it currently stands at only 44.1 million cubic metres, 38.4 percent of its capacity. Last year at this time, the dam had almost twice as much water and was 63.3 per cent full.

The dams of the south pipeline (Kouris, Kalavassos, Lefkara, Dipotamos, Germasogeia, Arminou, Polemidia and Achna) with a total capacity of 189.4 million cubic meters of water are at 40.8 per cent where last year they stood at 63.3 per cent of their capacity.

The Paphos dams (Asprokremmos, Kannaviou and Mavrokolymbos) with a capacity of 71.7 million cubic meters are little over half full, at 52.4 per cent. Last year they were at 77 per cent of their capacity. The Chrysochous dams (Evretou, Argaka, Pomos, Ayia Marina) with a total capacity of 26.1 million cubic meters are stand at just over half of that, at 52.1 per cent, where last year they stood at 74.5 per cent.

The Nicosia dams (Vyzakia, Xyliatos and Kalopanayiotis) with a capacity of 3.4 million cubic meters, have seen an even bigger drop, standing at 50.3 per cent full when last year they stood at 93.5 per cent.

The most dramatic drop, however, is recorded at the Argaka dam, which is currently only at 22.2 per cent, when a year ago it was 100 per cent full. The Kalavassos dam also has dropped to 29.7 per cent (from 43.5% last year) and Vyzakia to 33.9 per cent (from 88.2 per cent last year).

The dams doing relatively well, compared to the rest, are the Kolopanayiotis dam (at 94.5 per cent down from 100 per cent last year), Pomos (79.4 percent, down from 100 per cent last year) and Ayia Marina (78.5 per cent down from 89.3 last year).

According to the meteorology service, inclement weather over the next few days will not boost the dam’s inflow and significant rainfall is not expected.