Embalse del Argos, reservoir in Cehegín, Spain
The Embalse del Argos is a dam made of loose materials with a clay core, standing about 37 meters (121 feet) high and stretching over 300 meters (984 feet) across. The water sits calm in a broad basin surrounded by gentle hillsides and offers views of the river valley below.
Plans for a dam at the Argos river began in 1866 to prevent flooding, but serious construction efforts did not start until the 1960s after soil and rock tests. Work began in 1967 and the dam opened for use in 1973.
The reservoir has become a familiar part of the landscape where local farming communities depend on its water for their crops. Visitors and residents often come to walk along the banks or watch birds, making it a place where people connect with both nature and their water management traditions.
The reservoir can be reached by local roads from Cehegín or Calasparra, with walking paths around the area available to visitors. Spring and early autumn offer the most pleasant weather for a visit, and it is best to stay on marked paths and respect the protected zones nearby.
The reservoir was officially classified as a safe dam with low failure risk in 1997 after decades of careful maintenance and updates to safety standards. When it first filled in 1973, local workers and engineers gathered to witness the completion of a project that took many years to build.
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