About Evretou Dam

Evretou dam is located in the Paphos district on the Stavros tis Psokas River, a tributary system draining the rugged western Troodos. Completed in 1986 with a capacity of 24 MCM, the 72-metre earth-fill dam is nestled in a steep valley surrounded by dense pine and cedar forest, much of it within the Paphos Forest — one of the largest state forests in Cyprus. This setting gives Evretou one of the most dramatic and scenically rewarding approaches of any dam on the island. The Chrysochou valley downstream is among the most productive agricultural areas in western Cyprus, producing table grapes, avocados, and a wide variety of citrus fruits, all of which depend significantly on irrigation water drawn from the Evretou system. The dam also contributes to the water supply of Polis Chrysochous and surrounding coastal communities. The Stavros tis Psokas catchment receives some of the highest annual rainfall totals on the island — often exceeding 900 mm in the upper reaches — making Evretou one of the more resilient reservoirs during moderate drought periods. This higher rainfall is partly driven by the forest cover itself, which promotes orographic precipitation and slows surface runoff, giving the catchment an unusually reliable hydrological character. Evretou was completed during a period of rapid dam construction across Cyprus in the 1980s, as the government pushed to expand irrigation infrastructure ahead of Cyprus's growing agricultural export ambitions. Since then, shifts in land use, climate, and export markets have changed how the reservoir's water is allocated, with drinking water increasingly prioritised over irrigation during dry years. The dam is accessible by road and draws modest visitor interest from hikers exploring the Paphos Forest trails nearby.