History of the Alqueva Dam
The Alqueva Dam is the seventh largest dam in Portugal, located on the Guadiana River in the Alentejo interior, near the village of Alqueva. The construction of this dam led to the creation of the largest artificial water reservoir in Europe.
It is 96 m above the foundation and has a crest length of 458 m. Its installed electricity production capacity is 520 MW. At its maximum level, the reservoir covers 250 km², making it the largest artificial lake in Europe.
It was built with the aim of irrigating the entire Alentejo region and producing electricity, in addition to other complementary activities. Several infrastructures of the overall system have already been built (Pedrógão dam and Aldeia da Luz) and many others are at an advanced stage of planning.
History
1975 – Approval by the Council of Ministers for the implementation of the Project
1976 – Start of preliminary works (coffer dam/support infrastructure for the project)
1978 – Construction halted
1980 – Resolution of the Council of Ministers determines the resumption of work
1993 – Decision by the Council of Ministers to resume the project
1993 – Creation of the Alqueva Company Installation Commission (CIEA)
1995 – Resumption of work
1996 – Through Council of Ministers Resolution No. 8/96, the Government undertakes to “move forward unequivocally with the project” with or without EU funding
1996 – Award of the main civil construction contract for the dam and power plant
1998 – Start of concrete pouring.
2000 – Adjudicação da empreitada para a execução do primeiro bloco de rega do Sistema Global de Rega
2002 – Closure of the floodgates and start of filling the reservoir (March 8)
2002 – Opening of the Portel/Moura road over the crest to traffic
2004 – Inauguration of the hydroelectric power plant
2005 – Completion of the counter-reservoir (Pedrógão dam)
2008 – Start of work to expand the dam’s installed capacity.
2010 – On January 1, the Alqueva reservoir recorded a water level of 150.17 meters above sea level, which corresponds to 91 percent of its maximum capacity. This is the largest volume of water recorded in Alqueva since its floodgates were closed.
2010 – On January 12, the stored water level reached its maximum level of 152 meters, one meter below the maximum flood level for which the reservoir is designed. This represents a stored water volume of 4,150 cubic hectometres.
source: Wikipedia