Canales Reservoir, lake in Granada Province, Andalusia, Spain
Canales Reservoir is a dam-created water storage facility in Granada province that supplies water for irrigation, drinking, and electricity generation. The site covers approximately 156 hectares and holds around 71 million cubic meters of water, with levels that fluctuate depending on rainfall and local demand.
The dam was completed in 1988, submerging the village of Canales beneath its waters. It was built as part of the Guadalquivir river basin system to secure water supply and electricity production for the surrounding region.
The reservoir takes its name from the village of Canales, which was submerged when the dam was completed in 1988. Local communities have built their daily routines around water management, with irrigation and water supply forming core parts of how people live and work in the area.
The reservoir is accessible by car and has signs explaining its history and functions for visitors. You can walk along the shores to enjoy the quiet surroundings while observing both the natural landscape and how the water system operates.
The original village of Canales completely vanished beneath the water when the dam was finished in 1988. This lost settlement serves as a stark reminder of how infrastructure development transforms landscapes and communities, with the reservoir's name preserving the memory of what once stood there.
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