The picturesque Mornos artificial lake, nestled approximately 150 kilometers northeast of Athens, has been a lifeline for the Greek capital’s water supply for decades. This sprawling reservoir, created in 1979 by damming the Mornos River, once submerged the village of Kallio beneath its depths. However, this summer has unveiled a stark reality as the receding water levels have partially revealed the remnants of Kallio, a haunting symbol of the unfolding water crisis.
According to data released by the National Observatory of Athens, the surface area of Mornos Lake shrank from around 16.6 square kilometers in July 2023 to just 12.8 square kilometers this July. This significant reduction highlights the alarming rate at which Greece’s vital water resources are dwindling.
The situation is equally dire across the country, with several islands already grappling with water shortages. Prolonged drought, coupled with decreased rainfall and snowfall, has cast a shadow over other regions as well, foreshadowing a more widespread crisis.
On Tuesday, the Environment and Energy Ministry announced that over the past two years, water reserves at Mornos and the other three main reservoirs supplying the greater Athens area have plummeted by approximately 30 percent, now standing at about 703 million cubic meters. With half of Greece’s population residing in the greater Athens area, this decline poses a significant concern for future water security.
“There was low rainfall, and in particular snowfall, during the winters of 2022-2023 and 2023-2024,” noted Professor Dimitrios Emmanouloudis of Mountain Water Management at the Democritus University of Thrace. His observation underscores the critical impact of changing weather patterns on the country’s water reserves.
The combination of intense heatwaves, increased demand from tourism, and insufficient natural replenishment has exacerbated the strain on Greece’s water supplies. As the nation confronts these challenges, there is a growing urgency to address the sustainable management of water resources to safeguard the needs of its residents and the environment.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
