Project Title 

Overall Objective 

Output

Location

Type of investment

Description of investment

The works encompassed:

• Repairs of the earth fill body;
• Repairs of the spillway;
• Installation of a new sluice valve/gate;
• Installation of the bridge over the spillway;
• Installation of gauging posts so that water levels can be checked and monitored;
• Fencing at some sections; and
• Construction of earthen pathway to access the earth fill dam.
   

Intended beneficiary

Scope of works

Built in 1900, the Kouklia/Kukla reservoir is one of the oldest and largest water reservoirs in Cyprus. It is an earth filled body type of reservoir. Since its construction and especially for the past 50 years, it has only received limited maintenance. Further, it was never desilted. As a result, the initial capacity of the reservoir was reduced due to the silt accumulation while its retention is compromised due to leakages in the earth filled body. 

Besides its importance in water accumulation, the reservoir has become a sanctuary for fauna, especially for migrating birds.

Initially, the scope of the project included, besides the works mentioned above,  the desilting of the reservoir. However, a study conducted during the design phase demonstrated that the desilting would not bring benefits to the water retention capacities of the reservoir due to the soil composition. With  reduction in rain fall, the volume of rainwater reaching the reservoir is less than one hundred years ago. By desilting, water perfusion to the aquifer will increase. While it made sense in the past for recharging the aquifer, it does not today due to the reduced volume of rainwater reaching the reservoir. For that reason, it was decided that desilting will not be considered.

Actions taken by UNDP

1. Designs
   Completed at the beginning of 2022, including a study on desilting.
2. Property checks
   Completed in 2022
3. Procurement
   Completed in 2022
4. Implementation of Works
   Works completed in October 2023