Southern Conveyor Project
The Southern Conveyor Project (SCP) is a water transfer system in Cyprus that collects surplus water from the southwest of the island and conveys it to central and eastern areas. The main conveyor is 110 km long, with an eastern terminus at the Kouris Dam in Limassol District and a western terminus at the Achna Dam in Famagusta District.[1] The system redistributes the island's scarce renewable freshwater by transferring it to urban centers and to agricultural areas dependent on irrigation.[2][3]
The project was constructed in two phases. Phase I began in 1984 and was completed in 1994.[1] Phase II was completed in 1999.[4] The Southern Conveyor is the largest water development project ever executed by the Cypriot government.[1][5]
Purpose
[edit]The Southern Conveyor project was designed to secure a reliable supply for major Cypriot urban centers and agricultural regions into the twenty-first century.[6]
Cyprus possesses an arid Mediterranean climate. Annual rainfall averages 50 centimeters and falls mostly in winter; 80 percent of this annual rainfall is lost to evapotranspiration, leaving only 20 percent for usable freshwater. Prior to Cypriot independence in 1960, sixteen small dams provided localized water supply but failed to meet the demands of the island's population growth and the expansion of its tourism sector.[2][6]
Municipal and agricultural water supplies in Cyprus historically suffered from seasonal instability and overall insufficiency. Many of the island's rivers are seasonal, and coastal saltwater intrusion into inland porous aquifers has increased soil salinity, which means more freshwater irrigation is needed to prevent crop failure. The agricultural sector, largely reliant on irrigation, dominates water consumption in Cyprus, while municipal, industrial, and seasonal tourism sectors account for the remaining usage.[2][6]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 Smiljkovic, Z. (June 2001). Southern Conveyor Project Phase II – Cyprus, Final Engineering Consultancy Services Report (PDF). Cyprus Water Association (Report). Energoprojekt – Hidroinzenjering. p. 1. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 Groom, B.; Koundouri, P.; Swanson, T. (2005). "Cost–benefit analysis and efficient water allocation in Cyprus" (PDF). Department of International and European Economics Working Papers. Athens University of Economics and Business. pp. 321–324. Retrieved 27 September 2026.
- ↑ "Cyprus Water Board, Information on the Southern Conveyor Project". Archived from the original on 2012-02-06. Retrieved 2007-01-20.
- ↑ Smiljkovic, Z. (June 2001). Southern Conveyor Project Phase II – Cyprus, Final Engineering Consultancy Services Report (PDF). Cyprus Water Association (Report). Energoprojekt – Hidroinzenjering. p. 2. Retrieved 29 September 2026.
- ↑ "The Southern Conveyor Project – A guide to Cyprus' water network". FragmataLive. Retrieved 30 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 "Cyprus Southern Conveyor Project: Securing Water Supply". Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE). 2026-09-30. Retrieved 2026-09-30.
External links
[edit]"Southern Conveyor". Fragmata.info – Cyprus Water Dam/Reservoir Data Visualizer. Data from Cyprus Water Development Department.