About Riano Dam

Riaño is an arch dam on the Esla river in the province of León, Castilla y León. Completed in 1987 after decades of controversy, it holds 641 million cubic metres. The construction of Riaño required the flooding of seven villages in the Esla valley, an event that generated intense local opposition and remains a painful memory in the region. Despite the social cost, Riaño provides vital irrigation water for the agricultural lands of the Duero basin, drinking water for León, and hydroelectric power. The reservoir is set against the backdrop of the Cantabrian Mountains, near the Picos de Europa National Park, in some of the most dramatic mountain scenery in Spain.