Francisco Abellán Reservoir, body of water
Francisco Abellán Reservoir is a water storage structure in Granada province built to regulate the Fardes River and prevent flooding. It contains over 50 million cubic meters of water at full capacity and covers more than 200 hectares, with water levels that fluctuate seasonally and support extensive irrigation for local farms.
Construction of the dam began in the early 1990s and was completed in the late 1990s, following major flooding in 1973 that demonstrated the need for flood control in the Fardes valley. The project was designed to protect the area and provide irrigation water for farms during dry months.
The site is easily reached from highway A-92 or via the GR-3201 secondary road and offers a walking path along the dam top with good views of the surroundings. Parking facilities for motorhomes are available, and a nearby restaurant provides refreshments and boat rental services for those with proper permits.
The reservoir is also known as Embalse del Peñón de los Gitanos, named after a distinctive rock formation nearby. The rock walls contain fossils and Miocene-era layers that reveal evidence of an ancient sea, making the site geologically significant for understanding the region's distant past.
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