The recent overflow of Pomos dam is a remarkable event amidst Cyprus’ ongoing water crisis. After experiencing heavy rainfall, the Pomos dam, which has a capacity of 890,000m³, overflowed on Saturday morning. This occurrence highlights a sharp contrast with the broader situation of critically low water reserves across the island.
Pomos dam: Significance of the Pomos Overflow
Harris Kasioulis, the Paphos district engineer from the Water Development Department, indicated that the overflow was anticipated, noting that the dam had nearly reached its full capacity by Friday. Despite being one of Cyprus’ smaller dams, the overflow is particularly noteworthy following a dry year. Kasioulis expressed optimism, suggesting that this event offers a hopeful outlook for future rainfall.
Klirou Dam Also Reaches Capacity
Adding to the recent developments, the Klirou dam quickly followed suit in overflowing. Community leader Nicos Alexandrakis mentioned that they had expected the Klirou dam to overflow the previous week but observed a temporary reduction in water flow. However, the flow surged fivefold in the past few days, leading to the dam’s current state. Built in 2007 on the bed of the Serrachi River, Klirou dam has a capacity of almost two million cubic metres and has previously overflowed in February 2024, January 2022, and 2019.
Broader Water Crisis Remains Unresolved
Despite these two dams overflowing, the overall water situation in Cyprus remains alarming. The Water Development Department reported that the total capacity of all dams across the island stood at just 14.1 per cent as of Friday, a significant decline from 26 per cent at the same time last year. There has been a dramatic decrease in total water volume, plummeting from 75.61 billion cubic metres to 41.08 billion cubic metres.
The recent rainfall and subsequent dam overflows serve as a stark reminder of both the challenges and unpredictability of water management in Cyprus, as residents and officials alike hope for more consistent rainfall in the future.
