Streams flowing into the
Amfilissos River
The
Amfilissos area lies in the foothills of Karvounis, a
limestone mountain which contain large acquifers.
The streams that tumble down the hillsides remain in water
throughout much of, and often all of, the year. They are
not navigable but provide a rich supply of drinking water
and washing water (originally for
communal
laundries)
for the inhabitants of the area. They are harnessed
through a network of channels, around the villages of
Koumeika, Skoureika and Neochori, to sustain all kinds
of local agriculture throughout the year. In former
centuries they also powered
water mills,
although little trace of these mills remains today.
The paths of
streams are of fundamental significance in the Amfilissos
flow grid. They should not be interrupted, dammed or
diverted, as this would destroy the balance of the diverse
kinds and locations of water supply in the area. They
should be kept clear of pollution: waste water from human
habitation should not be returned to the streams as the
water in the streams needs to be of drinking quality
throughout the whole course of each stream. There should be
a permanent public corridor beside the full length of each
stream to provide access and inspection opportunites, so
that that its flow can be kept clear and the water kept
pure. Paths along these corridors also make for excellent
recreational routes and access to localities. not reachable
via roads and tracks. There should be interchange
possibilities between the streamside paths and the roads
and tracks in the area, wherever these cross.
Thus the stream paths in the Amfilissos flow grid support a
variety of flows: of water vital for nature, agriculture
and human life, and of people on voyages of access and
recreation.
Stream flowing past the taverna at
Koutsi, still in water in the dry season, joinined with
additional springs originating in the taverna's
courtyard
