About Dipotamos Dam

Dipotamos dam is located in the Larnaca district on the Pentaschoinos River, upstream of Lefkara dam in the same catchment system. Completed in 1986 with a capacity of 15.5 MCM and standing 60 metres tall, the earth-fill structure was built to work in tandem with Lefkara, giving the Water Development Department greater flexibility in managing the Pentaschoinos catchment across the full range of rainfall conditions from wet to dry years. The Pentaschoinos system is one of the more important river catchments in the south-eastern Troodos, and having two reservoirs operating in series on the same river allows operators to stage storage — filling Dipotamos first during heavy rainfall, then releasing water progressively to Lefkara as needed, reducing the risk of spillage losses. The dam sits in a remote valley of the eastern Troodos foothills, an area that sees little tourist traffic but is valued for its quiet rural character, traditional stone terracing, and scattered almond and olive groves. Dipotamos primarily supports agricultural irrigation in the surrounding region, with a smaller contribution to drinking water supply compared to its downstream partner. The combined capacity of Dipotamos and Lefkara — just under 30 MCM — makes the Pentaschoinos system a meaningful contributor to Larnaca district's water budget, particularly given the district's limited rainfall and the absence of the large-capacity reservoirs that anchor supply in the Limassol and Paphos districts. Dipotamos also acts as a buffer during heavy winter rainfall events, absorbing peak flows that would otherwise overwhelm downstream channels and potentially cause flash flooding in the lower Pentaschoinos valley.