In order to preserve the richness and diversity of Crete, it was decided some years ago to build a dam, about ten kilometers from Rethymnon constutuer with the goal of a reserve of water for irrigation but also develop an ecological reserve.
The dam created a lake which has a capacity of 22.5 million m3.
This is a dam-dam with a height of 55m measuring 350 m thick at the base and the top 10 m, a length of 265 m.
It drains the water of 60 square kilometers and is used to irrigate 2400 ha. Its overflow was able to pour 1,325 m3 per second!