About Cijara Dam

Cíjara is a large gravity dam on the Guadiana river in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura, near the border with Ciudad Real. Completed in 1956, it holds 1,505 million cubic metres and is the first major reservoir in the Guadiana basin's chain of dams, followed downstream by García de Sola, Orellana, and eventually La Serena on the Zújar tributary. Cíjara serves irrigation, hydroelectric, and flood control purposes. The reservoir is surrounded by the Cíjara National Hunting Reserve, one of the largest protected hunting estates in Spain, covering over 25,000 hectares of Mediterranean forest. The area supports populations of red deer, wild boar, and Iberian lynx.