Alqueva Dam

Distance (km): 50.00

Distance (minutes driving): 50

The Alqueva-dam is dam in the river Guadiana in the Alentejo-region in Portugal. The dam leis on the border of the districts of Beja and Évora.

In 1990, after years of discussion, the decision was made to build the dam, which was completed in 2002 and the eigth of Februari, the dam was closed. It took ten years for the reservoir to fully fill up. The village of Aldeia da Luz was projected to become fully submerged by the reservoir and was relocated. The surface area of the lake is around 250 square kilometres, with a shore of 1200 kilometre.

Around 23 kilometres downstream, you'll find the Pedrógão-dam. Both dams generate electricity. In dry periods turbines pump water from the second lake back to the first one. This water is used for irrigation as well as cooling water.

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