Alportel dam has been in the pipeline for years
Top officials at the municipal council of São Brás de Alportel met with Portugal’s minister for the environment last week to push the construction of the Alportel dam.
Mayor Vítor Guerreiro and deputy mayor Marlene Guerreiro stressed the importance of the dam’s construction in the Algarve’s efforts to fight chronic water shortage and urged the government to include São Brás de Alportel in the ongoing studies.
During the meeting with minister Maria da Graça Carvalho, local officials explained that São Brás has been fighting for the construction of a dam on the Alportel stream for decades. They also highlighted São Brás de Alportel’s “strategic central location”- upstream from major water-consuming areas in the Algarve – and its potential for population growth, agriculture, and forestry.
“São Brás de Alportel has unique characteristics that could significantly increase water storage capacity in the region. At the same time, the dam would help preserve and promote economic and tourism activities in the Serra do Caldeirão,” said mayor Guerreiro, cited in a council press release.
Deputy mayor Guerreiro, who oversees economic development and tourism, elaborated on this idea, stressing the importance of water management infrastructure in preserving rural villages in Serra do Caldeirão. She also underscored the role such projects could play in preventing depopulation and boosting tourism, making these territories more attractive for economic investment.
As one of Algarve’s most critical biodiversity reserves, Serra do Caldeirão is part of the Natura 2000 Network and classified as a National Ecological Reserve. It also holds official recognition as a mountain territory.
