The heavy rains of this winter and spring proved to be particularly beneficial for farmers after the intense prolonged drought last year. Despite the torrential rains and the intense weather phenomena that affected the agricultural areas, the increased amount of water that entered the dams is considered particularly important for the alleviation of the water shortage that our country is facing. The beneficial effects of this year's "golden" year were seen in the province of Famagusta and specifically in Lake Paralimni, which has increased amounts of water after almost a decade.
Nevertheless, Lake Paralimni is an important wetland with many peculiarities, which is historically connected with the city that took its name, Paralimni, as well as with the surrounding areas, Sotira and Deryneia. Its peculiarities and peculiarities determine the life of both the inhabitants of the surrounding areas and the farmers since the quantities of water it retains are used mainly for the enrichment of the underground aquifer and for irrigation needs of the agricultural plots of Kokkinochoria from Sotira to occupied Deryneia. On the other hand, the wetland is subject to residential development interventions both perimeter and almost within its area, while it has suffered great degradation in recent years mainly due to uncontrolled and illegal dumping of garbage.
At the same time, strong complaints are expressed by residents of the area about the drainage practices of the Lake which result in the quantities of water decreasing within almost 3 months. Practices, however, that are already applied during the British occupation in order to deal with the risk of malaria and nowadays for the enrichment of the aquifer.
Important wetland
Lake Paralimni is one of the few natural wetlands in our country and maintains a special value for the bird fauna. In a preliminary management plan for the Special Protection Zone of the Lake prepared in 2016 by the environmental consulting company IACO. Ltd in collaboration with the Cyprus Bird Association, it is noted that the lake, covering an area of approximately 273 hectares, is seasonal and brackish and 186 species of birds have been recorded in it, including Pelellaterina (Vanellus spinosus), Kalamokannas (Himantopus himantopus). and Nanoplumidi (Charadrius alexandrinus), species for which the area has been designated as a SPA. All three are priority species, in need of protection and conservation in the EU (Annex I to Directive 2009/147 / EC) and nest in Lake Paralimni in numbers that are important at European Union level.
The SPA Lake Paralimni, according to the Preliminary Management Plan, is the largest inland natural lake in Cyprus and one of the few natural wetlands in Cyprus. It is therefore of particular importance to birds and especially to coastal species that find refuge in wetlands. At the same time, in addition to the bird fauna, it hosts important species of flora and fauna, such as the endemic subspecies of water snake Natrix natrix cypriaca. For this reason, Lake Paralimni is very important and needs special protection.
The most important threats to the species and their habitats identified in the SPA area, according to the study, are poor water management of the lake, the expansion of residential development on the perimeter of the SPA area and within the lake that directly and indirectly puts pressure on species and their habitats (increased nuisance, presence of predators, habitat encroachment, increase in pollutants, etc.) and dumping of inert materials.
Divided into plots
It is noteworthy, in fact, that the overwhelming percentage of the area of the SPA of Lake Paralimni concerns areas divided into private plots. Specifically, 89,7% of the lake is private land and 10,3% of its perimeter is Halite land.
Also, on the borders with the Special Protection Zone, there is a Shooting Range as well as a motocross track, for which, nevertheless, efforts are made by the Famagusta Motorcycle Friends Club to move it to another area.
For the purpose of completing and implementing the Management Plan, it was deemed mandatory by the Government to expropriate the properties within the protection zone.
The area of the residential zone of the lake was determined by two Regulatory Administrative Acts (KDP 77/81 AND 92/88) as Zone C 'with building rates of 25% for hotels and 20% for residences. Then, with the first local plan of Paralimni, in 2007, the zones were modified with a reduction of the coefficients in the specific area with a change of the zone from C, to Da1, something that reduced the coefficients from 25% and 20%, to 0,5% and 0,5% for hotels and houses respectively.
On May 20, 2011, the forced expropriation of property was announced, following previous legal adventures in the Republic of Cyprus with complaints to the European Court for non-protection of the lake, which has been designated a Site of Community Importance and joined the Natura 2000 network, mainly for protection purposes. water snake. The owners had previously been informed by the Government of their intention to compensate them on the basis of the previous urban zone, ie zone C and not Zone Da1, compensation which was accepted by the owners with a reservation on the amount, since the initial assessment by on the Government side was € 12,5 million, the owners estimated at € 70 million.
Nevertheless, while the court decision on the value of the property and the amount of compensation was pending, on February 28, 2014 the Government announced the revocation of the expropriations while a proposal before them was its exchange with forest land.
Five years later, the stagnation observed in the issue of expropriation, leads to the growing degradation of the wetland, since the implementation of a management plan would loosen the hands of both the Government and the local authorities for the development of the area.
Drainage
This year's heavy rains have led, after almost a decade, to an increase in the amount of water in Lake Paralimni, creating a rare phenomenon for residents and visitors.
The outflow of the river "Vathi" in the eastern part of the lake and the outflow of the river "Vouni" at the border of the Sotira area also contribute to the concentration of water quantities.
Nevertheless, the hydrological regime of Lake Paralimni is strongly influenced by drainage projects. Despite the fact that, according to the Preliminary Management Plan (2016), the topography of Lake Paralimni supports the view that it has always been a shallow lake and swampy area, with significant seasonal variation of its waters, the drainage works carried out during the British occupation. played a key role in degrading its hydrological status.
Today, when the lake is full, it has a water depth of about 0,9 m and a capacity of 2.000.000 cubic meters. Due to its large area, limited water depth, combined with high evaporation and water outflows from it, the Lake is dry during the summer months.
To the west and southwest of the Lake there are lakes that were built by excavation and in which a quantity of water is maintained almost throughout the year and are the main habitat of the water snake. A few years ago, the Department of Environment carried out additional excavations in order to strengthen this habitat by creating a larger water surface and the natural enhancement of vegetation.
In order to utilize the water resources of the Lake, the Government constructed in 1963 an open canal with a length of 11.260 m with a slope of about 0,1% and a drainage capacity of 1000m3 / h, from the edge of the burrow (tunnel built in 1893 for the purpose of emptying the lake) to the location of Panagia, for the purpose of transporting water for artificial enrichment of the aquifer located in the coastal zone south of the Municipality of Paralimni through 32 small enrichment dams.
Today, large amounts of water flow out of the lake through the tunnel, due to the fact that the water outflow is regulated by placing volumes of soil inside the outflow channel. This is the most important reason why the water period of the lake is short.
According to the Chairman of the Coordinating Committee of the Irrigation System of Paralimni, Michalis Paraschos, the canal is of great importance as it works for the enrichment of the underground aquifer, while it also helps to prevent flooding of houses and the area of 1 April Avenue. According to him, in most of Lake Paralimni in the east, residential development had been created decades ago, with the result that the area southwest of Paralimni, which is adjacent to the lake, is a danger zone in case of overflow.
In fact, he complains that strangers illegally proceeded last month to block the door of the canal, as a result of which the intervention of the Fire Brigade is needed to block it.
Benefits from the development of the Lake
According to the Biologist and resident of Paralimni, Iakovos Tziortzis, great benefits and prospects are created from the proper utilization of the Lake in the wider area. The wetland is offered for environmental education purposes as well as for scientific research and could lead to the attraction of an ecotourism destination by increasing revenue, creating jobs and promoting the area.
However, basic conditions that need to be implemented are proper water management, good management practices for the protection of species and habitats and the implementation of the Management Plan.
Source: SIMERINI newspaper, 27/4/2019