Vegoritis Lake pumping station

There were three major human interventions in the region’s hydrology:

1. The construction by the Public Power Corporation (DEI) and operation from 1955 to 1989 of the Arnissa Tunnel to transport water from Lake Vegoritis to the Agras Hydroelectric Power Plant. For over three decades, millions of metric tons of water were channelled from Vegoritis through the Arnissa Tunnel, leading to a dramatic drop in its water level.

2. The creation of a network of canals and tunnels connecting the four lakes in the region. Part of this system, designed to provide additional water to Lake Vegoritis, is the Petron–Vegoritis tunnel in the Agios Panteleimon area. The tunnel, with a total length of 2.5 km, was constructed in 1962–63 so that excess water from Lakes Zazari, Cheimaditis, and Petron would flow into Lake Vegoritis via a sluice gate.

3. The construction of a pumping station and a water conveyance pipeline directly from Lake Vegoritis to cool the lignite-fired power plants, which contributed to a massive reduction in the lake’s water volume and water level.

The impact of human interventions on the hydrology of Lake Vegoritis has been catastrophic! Lake Vegoritis has lost more than 60% of its original volume and a vast portion of its surface area.

Today, the facilities associated with these interventions remain inactive, as the drop in lake levels prevents their operation, and the environmental awareness of local communities also acts as a barrier. Unfortunately, Lake Vegoritis is recovering at a very slow pace, as another factor that is uncontrollably depleting the region’s water resources is agricultural well drilling. There are thousands of wells around the lake’s perimeter that draw water from the aquifer, and crops are typically irrigated by sprinkler systems, which is the most “wasteful” method of irrigation.

However, the Vegoritis pumping station in Agios Panteleimon has remained a sad ruin of an industrial building, reminding us that from 1976 to 2000, the Public Power Corporation (DEI) pumped millions of metric tons of water from Lake Vegoritis and squandered it to cool its lignite-fired power plants.

The drop in water level, combined with pollution, has caused a decline in the water quality of Lake Vegoritis, shifting it from an oligotrophic to a mesotrophic state. A promising sign is that in recent years, the lake has been showing signs of recovery, both in terms of water volume—as evidenced by the rising water level—and in terms of water quality.

 How to Get There

The pumping station is easily accessible from the village of Agios Panteleimon. Leave the coastal road at the Naoumidis restaurant and head south along the paved road. The pumping station is located about 500 meters past the last house in the village.