Since 1960, attention was turned to the systematic study and construction of water development works, both for storage and recharge purposes. After a comprehensive survey of the island’s water resources, a long-term plan for the construction of major development projects was followed, involving the construction of a large number of dams. The current total storage capacity of surface reservoirs has reached 307.5 hm³ of water from a mere 6 hm³ in 1960, and will reach 325.5 hm³ with the completion of the Kannaviou dam. This is a truly impressive achievement when compared to other countries of the same size and level of development as Cyprus. The yield of these reservoirs is about 130-150 hm³/yr, however, this value is now seldom reached due to the decline in rainfall and hence in runoff.
Surface runoff for each Hydrologic Region
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At present, in Cyprus there are 106 dams and ponds: 35 large dams with a capacity of 286.1 hm³ of water, of which 4 are groundwater recharge-flood protection dams, 42 small dams with a capacity of 16.1 hm³ of which 32 are recharge-flood protection dams, and 26 ponds with a capacity of 2.5 hm³. Eighty-one percent (81%) of the dams, i.e. 85 in number, are earth fill or rock fill.
The remaining 19%, i.e. 20 in number, are concrete dams. Generally, these reservoirs are able to hold two to three times the average annual flow of a stream.
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Dam construction (1961 – 2004)