About Odelouca Dam

Odelouca dam is one of Portugal's most recently completed large dams, built in 2012 on the river Odelouca in the Algarve region. The rockfill dam stands 65 metres tall and holds 157 million cubic metres. Its primary purpose is to secure the water supply for the western Algarve, one of Europe's most popular tourist destinations where summer water demand peaks sharply. The dam was built to complement the existing Arade system and address growing water stress in the region. Environmental concerns during construction led to the creation of extensive habitat compensation areas. The reservoir sits in a rural landscape of scrubland and citrus orchards, upstream of the busy coastal strip.