Lake Plastiras, Artificial lake in Thessaly, Greece

Lake Plastiras is an artificial reservoir in the Karditsa regional unit of Thessaly, Greece, formed where the Tavropos or Megdovas river is dammed at its southern end. The water fills a branching basin with narrow inlets and peninsulas, bordered on all sides by land; flat, pale-brown strips of exposed shore lie between the water and the surrounding vegetated slopes. A long, narrow strip of orange-brown land crosses the water, and a pale grey-white shore curves along the lower edge.

The dam was built in the 1950s to supply water for irrigation and power generation. Work began in 1955 and the basin filled over several years, submerging parts of old settlements.

The reservoir carries the name of a Greek general and now attracts walkers who pass through stone villages along its shores. Fishermen sell their catch at small taverns while residents continue farming and raising livestock in the surrounding valleys.

A road circles the reservoir and gives access to several villages that can serve as starting points for walks or trips on the water. The route is winding and drivers should take care in fog or rain.

Some of the islands appear only when water levels drop and reveal remains of walls and terraced fields. Local shepherds once brought their flocks to these patches before the reservoir was filled.