Water on the island of Amorgos – The traditional management systems as inspiration for the future

One of the most crucial issues on the Greek islands is the management of water resources. The confined geography, the shift of local economy and society with the consequent abandonment of agricultural land, as well as the current challenges of touristic development and climate change, raise concerns regarding the sustainable future of these exceptional places and their treatment.

Within its projects, the Mitato of Amorgos constantly addresses the topic of traditional land and water management systems, as models that have survived for millennia and have allowed for sustenance in areas of extreme harshness. Apart from the Dry Stone Workshops and the terrace restoration they involve, as well as the project “The History of Water” which was realised in 2022 in collaboration with “Nissos Amorgos – Association for the Environment and Culture”, the Mitato of Amorgos has also focused on the study of traditional water management systems on Amorgos.

In June 2023, the Habitat Unit of the Technical University of Berlin (Technische Universität Berlin), in collaboration with the Mitato of Amorgos and under the supervision of researchers David Bauer and Christian Haid, visited Amorgos for the project “Amorgos Flux”, in order to study incoming and outgoing flows on the island in the fields of agricultural production, tourism, waste management and social infrastructure. In addition, a study of water infrastructure was carried out, including the modern network but mainly the traditional infrastructure, such as cisterns, wells etc.

The research was based on previous studies. Specifically, the modern water supply network of Amorgos had been surveyed in detail in the thesis of Frederikos Krosman-Nasiopoulos^[1]The recording and register of the numerous traditional structures had been realised in the context of the doctoral thesis of Katerina Kanakari^[2] , which dealt with the rural monument of Amorgos.

Map created by Angela Kouveli, Olga Tzioti, Evgenia Hatzistavrou, source: Kanakari Katerina, 2015.

In the framework of this thesis, 342 elements had been registered, namely:

• 251 cisterns
• 66 wells
• 20 springs
• 3 dams
• 1 watermill
• 1 aqueduct

The above elements refer to the rural space (outside the limits of settlements) and are presented in the map on the left. In continuation, in 2009, “Elliniki Etairia – Society for the Environment and Cultural Heritage” realised the project “Amorgos – Water Routes”, which showcased 20 registered monuments to be restored. The most interesting example of that work is the complex of wells in the village of Asfontylitis.

The restored complex of wells in Asfontylitis.

The Habitat Unit team of the Technical University of Berlin, with the assistance of the Mitato of Amorgos members, visited a significant amount of the traditional structures that had been registered in Ms Kanakari’s thesis and completed an architectural survey and photographic recording. Furthermore, the team recorded additional elements, such as the more recent water tanks that had been installed in fields in the early 1990s. It is worth noting that many of the traditional structures that were studied, particularly the cisterns, are in a relatively good condition and mostly in use. On the contrary, the more recent water tanks have fallen into disuse, while many of the wells have suffered damaged and aren’t used anymore. An indicative part of the survey realised by the Habitat Unit teams of the Technical University of Berlin in 2023 is available here.

In the framework of the wider research of the project “Amorgos Flux”, several urban design projects were realised, focusing on a different aspect each. Among them, the team of Fernando Garcia Hernandez, Huiti Jiang, Samantha Ochoa Chavez και Eugenia Cicero realized the study “Amorgos Neró”. The project seeks to integrate the elements of water and landscape, crafting a future environment that honors the island's intangible ancient water culture. To achieve this, a transformative initiative is underway to rebuild a deep and meaningful connection with water through the creation of a continuous water landscape through the existing hiking paths functioning as a tangible connection between the past and the present of the island, inviting people to trace the footsteps of the island's identity. Specifically, an intervention is proposed, located between two of the main settlements: Katapola and Chora. The proposal is made up of three different components that cross the island's natural landscape: a hybrid infrastructure that harvests water from the fog, hiking stops related to the old cisterns and, finally, an urban park in the city of Katapola.