We explore Greece and we discover many interesting and unknown aspects of it. Places and stories we didn’t know and are of particular interest. One such case is also the unknown whirlpool. The whirlpool that almost solved Athens’ water problem. It is an underwater spring near the village of Kiveri in Argolida. Today the locals call it Anavalo. And its story regarding the problem of Athens is interesting.
The Anavalo and its waters
The waters of Anavalos descend from the mountains to Lake Stymphalia and Tripoli Arcadia. However, it is not water that is considered directly drinkable as the waters of the spring are high in chlorides. This means that it is not drinkable without proper treatment. According to geologist Panagiotis Dodo, “in 1970 one of the world’s few projects to capture clean water from underwater sources from the sea itself was constructed, a semi-circular dam with blinking bays to keep the water level within the dam above sea level”.
The whirlpool and the Athenian problem it was going to solve
As Athens used to deal strongly with the problem of water in 1990, the Mitsotakis Government discussed the possibility that the spring of Anavalos could be used to solve it. There was always the choice of Mornos, but at the time it was empty and the result was to reveal the villages that had been covered. Also, a temporary but also costly solution was given by the Evin river. So the idea of using the waters of the whirlpool in this way did not go ahead and was never implemented in the future.
But the waters of The Anavalos didn’t go to waste. They “watered” the valley of Argolida. Now, the whirlpool provides water for irrigation through pipelines of a total length of 80 km. The data of the G.O.E.B. of Argonautlias indicate that the source serves more than 50,000 acres.
Seeing the landscape from above, you’re impressed. The remaining waters are poured with force into the sea. So millions of cubic meters of water are lost. Watch the video from youtube’s Haanity channel.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKEKvcRzZGQ[/embedyt]
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Frequently Asked Questions
The Anavalo is an underwater spring located near the village of Kiveri in Argolida, Greece. It is a natural whirlpool that descends from the mountains through Lake Stymphalia and Tripoli Arcadia. The waters are high in chlorides, making them unsuitable for drinking without proper treatment.
In 1990, the Mitsotakis Government considered using the waters from the Anavalo spring to address Athens' water crisis. However, the plan was never implemented. Instead, alternative solutions like the Mornos river and the Evin river were pursued, though they proved to be less ideal or more costly options.
Rather than being used for Athens' water supply, the Anavalo waters are now used for irrigation throughout the Argolida valley. Through a network of pipelines totaling 80 km in length, the spring provides water to over 50,000 acres of agricultural land in the region.
While the Anavalo was considered as an alternative to the Mornos river in 1990, the project was ultimately not pursued. The Mornos was empty at the time, which led to the revelation of villages that had been submerged. Although the Anavalo offered potential, other solutions were chosen instead.
Despite serving irrigation needs across Argolida, significant quantities of water from the Anavalo are still lost. The remaining unused waters are discharged with force directly into the sea, representing millions of cubic meters of water that could potentially be utilized.
