About Orellana Dam

Orellana is a gravity dam on the Guadiana river in the province of Badajoz, Extremadura. Completed in 1963, it holds 808 million cubic metres and sits downstream of Cíjara and García de Sola in the Guadiana's chain of major reservoirs. Orellana serves irrigation and hydroelectric purposes. The reservoir's relatively shallow, wide profile creates extensive shoreline habitats and the area is designated as a Special Protection Area for birds under EU environmental law, supporting important breeding populations of herons, storks, and other waterbirds.