The project of the Foupana dam, aimed at reinforcing water availability in the Algarve, is in public consultation until October 12 through its Environmental Impact Study. Promoted by the Association of Beneficiaries of the Irrigation Plan of the Sotavento of the Algarve, the project is located in the municipalities of Alcoutim and Castro Marim and predicts a reservoir of 491 hectares with capacity to store 99 cubic hectometers of water, also including a 4.6-kilometer connection tunnel to the Odeleite-Beliche system.
The construction of the dam, mentioned since the 1970s, aims to directly benefit the two municipalities crossed by the Guadiana, bordering Spain, through increased water guarantee for current and future consumption, including agricultural purposes. The recommended option, called "Axis 3", was chosen after analysis of three alternatives for being environmentally more favorable, resulting in a smaller reservoir area and less impact on land use, habitats, and protected areas.
The Environmental Impact Study acknowledges that the project will generate significant negative impacts both in the construction and operation phases, particularly on biodiversity and water resources, due to the alteration of the natural flow regime of the Foupana stream. To mitigate these effects, minimization and compensation measures are planned, accompanied by monitoring programs, and the Iberian lynx will also be monitored due to the risk of roadkill on the IC27 in the surrounding area of the future reservoir.
The necessary investment was estimated between 150 and 200 million euros, according to a study contracted by the Portuguese Environment Agency in 2021. The structure will be an embankment dam with a central bituminous concrete cutoff wall, a solution that presents behavioral advantages in response to seismic events. In April, the Minister of Environment and Energy, Maria da Graça Carvalho, confirmed the advancement of the Foupana, Alportel, Girabolhos, and Ocreza dams within the Portugal Transformation, Recovery, and Resilience program.
