A technical project that became a natural landscape
A few kilometres southeast of the city of Veria, after the village of Agia Varvara, the Aliakmon River dam creates an impressive artificial lake that looks absolutely natural. The project was constructed to tame the flood outflows of the country's longest river, which were created due to the lack of a stable lowland bed. At the same time, it helped to avoid the formation of marshes, to support the irrigation of crops and the water supply of the area, but also to tourism.
As early as the mid-1950s, the Aliakmonas River had begun to be controlled through diversion projects. The lake is the result of extensive technical interventions completed in 2008. Its extent, the crystal-clear water, the wide front of the dam and the ravine located at the back, between the Pieria Mountains and Mount Vermio, compose a highly photogenic landscape.
Around the area you can take hiking trails, recreational walks, go cycling on the banks, and even do water sports. For hiking trails, it is recommended to observe basic safety measures, especially on off marked trails.
The existence of the lake is not limited to the natural landscape: it contributes substantially to the local economy through the agricultural sector and tourism, while its environmental and developmental functions make it a pillar for the region.
As early as the mid-1950s, the Aliakmonas River had begun to be controlled through diversion projects. The lake is the result of extensive technical interventions completed in 2008. Its extent, the crystal-clear water, the wide front of the dam and the ravine located at the back, between the Pieria Mountains and Mount Vermio, compose a highly photogenic landscape.
Around the area you can take hiking trails, recreational walks, go cycling on the banks, and even do water sports. For hiking trails, it is recommended to observe basic safety measures, especially on off marked trails.
The existence of the lake is not limited to the natural landscape: it contributes substantially to the local economy through the agricultural sector and tourism, while its environmental and developmental functions make it a pillar for the region.
