| Construction began | Sept 1, 1984 |
|---|---|
| Opening date | 1988 |
| Total capacity | 115,000,000 m3 |
|---|---|
| Surface area | 3.6 km3 |
The construction of the dam was first proposed by the Cyprus Water Development board in 1968. Following several feasibility studies, the French engineering company Sogreah [7] completed the detailed design in 1981. The contract for its construction was awarded in January 1984 to a consortium comprising J&P construction and Impregilo of Italy.
Its construction was opposed by environmental groups concerned about the effects of water diversion on the Limassol Salt Lake, a wetland located downstream to the rivers and used by migratory birds.[5] The dam is part of the Southern Conveyor Project, which carries water from the SW side of Cyprus to the SE part of the island, over a distance of 120 km. The dam has a central clay core zoned earth fill embankment with a height of 110m and a crest length of approximately 550 metres providing a water storage volume of 115 million cubic metres.[6]
The construction cost amounted to CYP £29,000,000. Part of the funding came from the European Investment Bank.[8] Construction was completed in September 1988. It was officially inaugurated by the then president, George Vassiliou, on 22 April 1989.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kouris_Dam
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