Water Levels worrying low.

[Anarita John]

Rode to Asprokremmos Dam on Saturday. I've only seen the water levels lower once before, in the drought between 2004 and 2008, when for part of this time, we were on water rationing, having water for just 3 days a week, for us, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Let's just hope we have an extremely wet winter.

IMG_20240622_161859 (912 x 456).jpg (149.2 KiB) Viewed 2363 times

IMG_20240622_161905 (912 x 456).jpg (137.01 KiB) Viewed 2363 times

IMG_20240622_162032 (912 x 456).jpg (79.08 KiB) Viewed 2363 times

[Kili01]

Yes, you are right. Just checked the Govt's Reservoir Storage website, Current water levels there is 46.9% full. So less than half. We should all try to reduce our use of water.
Here in Chloraka the water pressure to the taps has been reduced.

Wonder if you have you seen any sign of the desalination plant that we had for the last very bad drought here? I seemto remember it was a 'mobile' unit?

[Anarita John]

Was talking to a man down at Mandria Beach and he had seen activity at the desalination plant. Don't know if it is in operation though.

I know agriculture has had its water usage cut. What amazes me though, they are still irrigating their fields during the day, and even when the sun is at its hottest. With automatic timers, it would be easy to set the irrigation for during the night. Most crops would survive without water during the day.

[Dominic]

The Asprokremmos is actually just under 50% full. In 2016 and 2017 it was a lot lower. The 7 year cycle was an observation we made back in 2018/2019 when all the reservoirs overflowed. If you looked back over the last 30 years or so (all data available) then every 7 years the reservoirs overflowed. Why this pattern should happen I have no idea, but it was just something we observed. That means the next one will be due in 2025/2026.

When it happens, it is spectacular. The valleys are transformed and dried-up river beds become raging torrents.

Here are some pics from that time:

https://www.paphoslife.com/the-weather/xeros-in-winter

[cyprusmax47]

I know agriculture has had its water usage cut. What amazes me though, they are still irrigating their fields during the day, and even when the sun is at its hottest. With automatic timers, it would be easy to set the irrigation for during the night. Most crops would survive without water during the day.

Peanuts grow best in high humidity as they are native to tropical rainforests. So farmers use micro sprayer irrigation to keep the humidity high without getting the soil too wet. Every few hours on and off depending the air temperature. Actually quite difficult to manage.

Max
Ex-farmer

[71 Trans Am]

Max - Ex Farmer
A man of many talents - Also Chief Cat Spotter - Though you haven't spotted many lately - You might need a refresher course.

[Dominic]

Nah, they aren't active much during the day at the moment.

[cyprusmax47]

Max - Ex Farmer
A man of many talents - Also Chief Cat Spotter - Though you haven't spotted many lately - You might need a refresher course.

Well, concerning Cat Spotter: I asked several times Dominic to remove it as he put it on and I am not able to remove it. (So, not so many talents )

And yes, I was farmer for 12 years, during the 80s/90's, when I decided to farm fruits instead of peanuts. End of 1990, photo-voltaic became my hobby and later my job till today.

Max
RES Consultant

[Dominic]

I don't recall you asking me to remove your special rank, but it is now gone. I was tempted to assign you the Forum Curmudgeon rank, now that Devil is no longer with us, but instead I left it blank.

[71 Trans Am]

What about "Ex Farmer"

[cyprusmax47]

I was tempted to assign you the Forum Curmudgeon rank, now that Devil is no longer with us, but instead I left it blank.

A very sensible decision ....

Max

[WHL]

Is there a minimum age limit to be the forum Curmudgeon ?

[71 Trans Am]

Curmudgeon -
a crusty, ill-tempered
1. : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man. 2. archaic : miser.

Thinking of applying WHL - Do you think you fit the bill

[WHL]

Curmudgeon -
a crusty, ill-tempered
1. : a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man. 2. archaic : miser.

Thinking of applying WHL - Do you think you fit the bill

My wife is the one who is pushing me to apply for the position, she reckons I'm the biggest moaning, bad tempered old git on the planet..

[Ams]

The Asprokremmos is actually just under 50% full. In 2016 and 2017 it was a lot lower. The 7 year cycle was an observation we made back in 2018/2019 when all the reservoirs overflowed. If you looked back over the last 30 years or so (all data available) then every 7 years the reservoirs overflowed. Why this pattern should happen I have no idea, but it was just something we observed. That means the next one will be due in 2025/2026.

When it happens, it is spectacular. The valleys are transformed and dried-up river beds become raging torrents.

Much as I am enjoying the Forum Curmudgeon discussion, I thought I'd comment on Dominic's post to say I've been here 20 years and, without looking up stats, have observed the same thing - droughts/rainy years go in cycles. A few years of low levels of rain, so that reservoirs fall drastically - we've had water cuts imposed in the past as a result - followed by a few years of rainy winters when eventually the reservoirs overflow to great celebration.

I remember being so puzzled the 1st time I saw the party atmosphere on Asprokremmos dam. It was my second year in Cyprus (both rainy) and 1st in Anarita, and we were exploring the area having moved in in February, and came across the party on the dam wall - back then they didn't close it off, so the stalls were spread along the wall. We couldn't understand why it was an occasion, but thought it great all the same. When later the dam fell to 14% and we had water cuts, I off course understood why the dam overflowing was an occasion.

And like Dominic I really enjoy the dramatic overflow and raging rivers - this year they hardly had any water in them at all.