Recent rainfall has had a minimal impact on the water levels of Cyprus’ dams, with only 400,000 cubic metres of water collected, according to Marios Hadjicostis, Chief Technical Engineer at the Water Development Department, speaking to the Cyprus News Agency.
As January draws to a close, Hadjicostis highlighted that only heavy rains in February or March could offer a way out of the “tragic situation” facing the country’s water reserves. He explained that for the inflow to be considered on track for the season, the daily collection should have been around 3 million cubic metres during January, and winter inflows should have been between 30 to 40 million cubic metres. However, he acknowledged that even the small amount collected is beneficial.
Regarding the recent rainfall, Hadjicostis said it was heavy at times but scattered across isolated areas. In Paphos, rainfall amounted to just 3 to 5 millimetres, resulting in a small increase in the region’s dam water levels. In contrast, Troodos received heavier rains, around 20 to 25 millimetres, leading to a more substantial inflow. Despite this, total water collected across all dams reached only 11% capacity, compared to 26% last year, which was still insufficient for agricultural needs.
Hadjicostis noted that Cyprus requires an additional 45 million cubic metres of water. Over the past 24 hours, only 400,000 cubic metres have been collected, a mere 1% of the required amount.
He also drew a comparison between the rainfall in Cyprus and Greece, noting that while Greece experienced 150 millimetres of rainfall in Attica, Cyprus received only 19 millimetres. For Cyprus to recover from its water shortage, similar rainfall in a short period would be necessary, ideally 100 millimetres within two days, he said.
Looking ahead, Hadjicostis estimated that another million cubic metres of water could be collected over the next three days, but he reiterated that more substantial rainfall is needed, although it remains a difficult, not impossible, prospect.
Finally, he explained that snowfall helps keep rivers flowing, preventing water from being absorbed by the dry ground, but snow alone will not solve the water crisis. As snow melts, some of the water evaporates, some is absorbed by the earth, and a portion reaches the dams. To gather a satisfactory amount of water, Cyprus needs heavy, short-term rainfall.
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