Nicosia, Cyprus. Water flow into Cyprus’s dams this month has made it the best May on record, the Water Development Department said on Thursday. By May 19, 9.6 million cubic metres had flowed into the island’s reservoirs, according to department data.
Record May inflow since 1987
The department said the figure marks the most inflow for the month of May since it began keeping detailed records in 1987.
Reservoir storage and southern conveyor system
As of May 19, total storage in the dams of the southern conveyor stood at 71.2 million cubic metres, or 37.6 per cent of capacity. The southern conveyor system includes Kouris, the island’s largest dam, and carries water from the western mountains to agricultural and residential centres, including Nicosia, Larnaca, and Famagusta.
Spring rains reverse recent drought conditions
The heavy rains during the spring months have largely reversed the severe drought experienced in Cyprus over the last few years.
March and April inflows also near record levels
March recorded 35.4 million cubic metres of inflow, the highest of the last 40 years, the department said. In April, 23.6 million cubic metres flowed into the reservoirs, making it the second-best April on record.
How do record inflows this spring affect your expectations for water availability in Cyprus this year?