Portugal Travel

Water has begun pouring into a highly contentious hydroelectric dam near the town of Alqueva, 150km (90mi) southeast of Lisbon, which will create the largest artificial lake in Europe when it is filled to capacity over the next four years. The dam, which will eventually measure some 250 sq km (156 sq mi), will irrigate the parched south of Portugal, create jobs and supply electricity to 180,000 people.

While the €2 billion (US$175 billion) project has universal support among politicians, environmentalists and archaeologists have been kicking up a stink about it and were on hand to protest when the Portuguese Prime Minister, Antonio Guterres, officially opened the sluice gates last week.

Archaeologists are angry because the dam will submerge a Roman fort and some 160 rocks bearing Stone Age etchings, while environmentalists are fuming because the habitats of several rare flora and fauna will be affected. The 400 inhabitants of the village of Luz are none too pleased either - their homes are about to be swept away in the tide of 'progress' and they are being forced to relocate to a replica village on the banks of the new lake.