Alqueva Reservoir in Portugal – Fighting Desertification

Overview

In southeastern Portugal, in the Alentejo region, lies the Alqueva, one of Europe’s largest artificial lakes. Stretching for 85 kilometres, the reservoir has transformed an arid landscape into a vast lake region and provides water for agriculture. Yet the project, which submerged entire villages, remains controversial in an area increasingly affected by climate change and rising summer temperatures. Environmentalists, dam operators and farmers explore the benefits and drawbacks of this massive intervention in the region’s natural landscape.