Acheloos River - Greece - marked course DE

The Achelous ( el, Αχελώος, grc, Ἀχελῷος ''Akhelôios''), also Acheloos, is a

river A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of wate ...

in western

Greece Greece,, or , romanized: ', officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the southern tip of the Balkans, and is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Greece shares land borders with ...

. It is long. It formed the boundary between

Acarnania Acarnania ( el, Ἀκαρνανία) is a region of west-central Greece that lies along the Ionian Sea, west of Aetolia, with the Achelous River for a boundary, and north of the gulf of Calydon, which is the entrance to the Gulf of Corinth. Today i ...

and

Aetolia Aetolia ( el, Αἰτωλία, Aἰtōlía) is a mountainous region of Greece on the north coast of the Gulf of Corinth, forming the eastern part of the modern regional units of Greece, regional unit of Aetolia-Acarnania. Geography The Achelous ...

of antiquity. It empties into the

Ionian Sea The Ionian Sea ( el, Ιόνιο Πέλαγος, ''Iónio Pélagos'' ; it, Mar Ionio ; al, Deti Jon ) is an elongated bay of the Mediterranean Sea. It is connected to the Adriatic Sea to the north, and is bounded by Southern Italy, including C ...

. In ancient times its spirit was venerated as the river god

Achelous In ancient Greek religion and mythology, Achelous (also Acheloos or Acheloios) (; Ancient Greek: Ἀχελώϊος, and later , ''Akhelôios'') was the god associated with the Achelous River, the largest river in Greece. According to Hesiod, he ...

Herodotus Herodotus ( ; grc, , }; BC) was an ancient Greek historian and geographer from the Greek city of Halicarnassus, part of the Persian Empire (now Bodrum, Turkey) and a later citizen of Thurii in modern Calabria ( Italy). He is known f ...

, taking notice of the shoreline-transforming power of the Acheloos River, even compared it to the

Nile The Nile, , Bohairic , lg, Kiira , Nobiin language, Nobiin: Áman Dawū is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa and has historically been considered ...

in this respect: :'There are other rivers as well which, though not as large as the Nile, have had substantial results. In particular (although I could name others), there is the Achelous, which flows through

into the sea and has already turned half the Echinades islands into mainland.' (2.10, trans. Waterfield) It is said to have been called more anciently ''Thoas'', ''Axenus'' and ''Thestius''.

Course

The river Achelous begins at about elevation on the eastern slope of

Lakmos Lakmos ( el, Λάκμος) is a mountain in eastern Ioannina and western Trikala regional units. The mountain is a part of the Pindus mountain range. Its highest peak is the ''Peristeri'', at 2,295 m elevation. It stretches from the village Krap ...

mountain in the

Pindus The Pindus (also Pindos or Pindhos; el, Πίνδος, Píndos; sq, Pindet; rup, Pindu) is a mountain range located in Northern Greece and Southern Albania. It is roughly 160 km (100 miles) long, with a maximum elevation of 2,637 metres ...

range, near the village Anthousa in the westernmost part of the Trikala regional unit. One of its first tributaries is the Aspropotamos, meaning the

white White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

river. The river flows generally southwards, and forms part of the boundary between the regional units of Arta and Trikala, which is also the boundary between

Epirus sq, Epiri rup, Epiru , native_name_lang = , settlement_type = Historical region , image_map = Epirus antiquus tabula.jpg , map_alt = , map_caption = Map of ancient Epirus by Heinrich ...

and

Thessaly Thessaly ( el, Θεσσαλία, translit=Thessalía, ; ancient Thessalian: , ) is a traditional geographic and modern administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thes ...

. Further downstream, it forms the boundary of Arta and

Karditsa Karditsa ( el, Καρδίτσα ) is a city in western Thessaly in mainland Greece. The city of Karditsa is the capital of Karditsa regional unit of region of Thessaly. Inhabitation is attested from 9000 BC. Karditsa ls linked with GR-30, the ...

, and further of

Aetolia-Acarnania Aetolia-Acarnania ( el, Αιτωλοακαρνανία, ''Aitoloakarnanía'', ) is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the geographic region of Central Greece and the administrative region of West Greece. A combination of the histor ...

and

Evrytania Evrytania ( el, Ευρυτανία, ; Latin: ''Eurytania'') is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of Central Greece. Its capital is Karpenisi (approx. 8,000 inhabitants). Geography Evrytania is almost entirely formed ...

. The river runs into the Kremasta reservoir, which is also fed by the rivers

Agrafiotis The Agrafiotis ( el, Αγραφιώτης) is a river in Evrytania, Greece. The river takes its name from Agrafa, the mountainous region where it flows. The river begins near the village Agrafa (municipality), Trovato in the north of Evrytania. I ...

and

Megdovas The Megdovas (, ), also known as Tavropos (, avroˈpos, is a river that flows through the Karditsa and Evrytania regional units, Greece. It is long.Kastraki reservoir, west of the

Panaitoliko Panaitoliko (Greek: Παναιτωλικό) is a former municipality in Aetolia-Acarnania, West Greece, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Agrinio Agrinio ( Greek: Αγρίνιο, , Latin: ''Agrinium'') ...

range. downstream from this lake, it flows into the Stratos reservoir. Further downstream, it runs through the lowlands west of

Agrinio Agrinio ( Greek: Αγρίνιο, , Latin: ''Agrinium'') is the largest city of the Aetolia-Acarnania regional unit of Greece and its largest municipality, with 106,053 inhabitants. It is the economical center of Aetolia-Acarnania, although its c ...

. It finally empties into the

, west of

Missolonghi Missolonghi or Messolonghi ( el, Μεσολόγγι, ) is a municipality of 34,416 people (according to the 2011 census) in western Greece. The town is the capital of Aetolia-Acarnania regional unit, and the seat of the municipality of Iera Polis ...

Settlements

In order from upstream to downstream: * Katafyto * Gardiki *

Mesochora Mesochora (Greek: Μεσοχώρα, before 1928: Βιτσίστα - ''Vitsista'') is a mountain village in the municipal unit of Pindos in the southwestern part of the Trikala regional unit, Greece. It is located in the Athamanika mountains (so ...

* Koryfi *

Myrofyllo Myrofyllo ( el, Μυρόφυλλο) is a village and a former community in the Trikala regional unit, Thessaly, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pyli Pyli ( el, Πύλη) is a municipality in the Tri ...

* Petroto * Grimpiana * Mesopyrgos * Neo Argyri * Tripotamo * Kastraki * Stratos *

Palaiomanina Palaiomanina (, rup, Cutsombina) is an Aromanian (Vlach) village and a community of the Xiromero municipality. Since the 2011 local government reform it was part of the municipality Astakos, of which it was a municipal district. The 2011 census ...

* Gouria * Neochori

Dams

There are five dams on the river. From upstream to downstream there is the Mesochora Dam which was completed in 2001 but has not impounded its reservoir. Below that is the Sykia Dam which is partly constructed. Further down is the Kremasta (1965), Kastraki (1969) and Stratos Dams (1989).

Acheloos River in mythology

History

In antiquity, the Achelous was the largest and most celebrated river in Greece, rising in Mount Pindus, and after flowing through the mountainous country of the Dolopians and Agraeans, entered the plain of

and

near

Stratus Stratus may refer to: Weather *Stratus cloud, a cloud type **Nimbostratus cloud, a cloud type **Stratocumulus cloud, a cloud type **Altostratus cloud, a cloud type **Altostratus undulatus cloud, a cloud type **Cirrostratus cloud, a cloud type Mus ...

, and discharged itself into the

, near the Acarnanian town of

Oeniadae Oeniadae or Oiniadai ( grc, Οἰνιάδαι), or Oeneiadae or Oineiadai (Οἰνειάδαι), was a town in ancient Acarnania, situated on the west bank of the Achelous River, about 10 miles (16 km) from its mouth. It was one of the most import ...

. It subsequently formed the boundary between Acarnania and Aetolia, but in the time of

Thucydides Thucydides (; grc, , }; BC) was an Athenian historian and general. His ''History of the Peloponnesian War'' recounts the fifth-century BC war between Sparta and Athens until the year 411 BC. Thucydides has been dubbed the father of "scientifi ...

the territory of Oeniadae extended east of the river. It is usually called a river of Acarnania, but it is sometimes assigned to Aetolia. Its general direction is from north to south. Its waters are of a whitish yellow or cream colour, whence it derives a later name of ''Aspropotamo'' or the White river, and to which

Dionysius Periegetes Dionysius Periegetes ( grc-gre, Διονύσιος ὁ Περιηγητής, literally Dionysius the Voyager or Traveller, often Latinized to ''Dionysius Periegeta''), also known as Dionysius of Alexandria or Dionysius the African,''Encyclopædia ...

probably alludes in the epithet ἀργυροδίνης. Periegetes places the sources of the river near a place called

Chalcis Chalcis ( ; Ancient Greek & Katharevousa: , ) or Chalkida, also spelled Halkida (Modern Greek: , ), is the chief town of the island of Euboea or Evia in Greece, situated on the Euripus Strait at its narrowest point. The name is preserved from ...

. It is said to have been called more anciently Thoas, Axenus and Thestius. In the lower part of its course, the plain through which it flows was called in antiquity Paracheloitis after the river. This plain was celebrated for its fertility, though covered in great part with marshes, several of which were formed by the overflowings of the Achelous. In 1359 the Battle of Achelous between

Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...

forces under

Peter Losha Pjetër Losha was an Albanian clan leader in medieval Epirus. He belonged to the Losha ''fis'' (clan or tribe) and was the leader of a combined force of his own clan and the ''fis'' of Mazaraki and Malakasi. In 1360, he became Despot of Arta, Ro ...

and the

Despotate of Epirus The Despotate of Epirus ( gkm, Δεσποτᾶτον τῆς Ἠπείρου) was one of the Greek successor states of the Byzantine Empire established in the aftermath of the Fourth Crusade in 1204 by a branch of the Angelos dynasty. It claim ...

under

Nikephoros II Orsini Nikephoros II Orsini - Doukas (Greek: Νικηφόρος Β΄ Δούκας, ''Nikēphoros II Doukas''), was the ruler of Epirus from 1335 to 1338 and from 1356 until his death in 1359. Life Nikephoros was the son of John Orsini of Epirus and ...

took place near the river Achelous. Nikephoros II was defeated and killed during the battle, and two new states were established in the area, the

Despotate of Arta The Despotate of Arta ( sq, Despotati i Artës; el, Δεσποτάτο της Άρτας) was a despotate established by Albanian rulers during the 14th century, after the defeat of the local Despot of Epirus, Nikephoros II Orsini, by Albania ...

and the

Despotate of Angelokastron and Lepanto Despot or ''despotes'' ( grc-gre, δεσπότης, despótēs, lord, master) was a senior Byzantine court title that was bestowed on the sons or sons-in-law of reigning emperors, and initially denoted the heir-apparent of the Byzantine emperor. ...

. In the 1960s, the

Kremasta Dam The Kremasta Dam is an earth-fill embankment dam on the Achelous River in Aetolia-Acarnania, Greece. It is located just downstream of where the Agrafiotis, Tavropos and Trikeriotis rivers meet to form the Achelous. The dam was constructed betw ...

in the Aitoloacarnania-Evrytania boundary was under construction. The area is not forested. The dam, made of concrete, took years to complete, eventually flooding a portion of the western part of the prefecture of Eurytania. The dam includes a power station with transformer lines in the east. The dam powers electricity for the western part of Greece and the central part. It caused some soil erosion in some flooded valleys. The Kastraki Dam is downstream and was completed in 1969. Downstream of Katsiki, the Stratos Dam was completed in 1989. The arch bridges includes the Karafilio and the Ardanovo. The Acheloos River Diversion project has been the center of debate since the 1980s. It calls for four large dams, the Sykia,

Mouzaki Mouzaki ( el, Μουζάκι) is a town and a municipality in the northwestern part of the Karditsa regional unit, Greece. Mouzaki is located on the southwestern edge of the Thessalian plain, where the river Pamisos descends from the Agrafa moun ...

and

Pyli Pyli ( el, Πύλη) is a municipality in the Trikala regional unit, Greece. Situated 18 km west of Trikala, right at the bottom of two mountains Itamos, and Koziakas, which mark the beginning of the Pindos mountainline, Pyli marks the entra ...

, along with a channel. The goal of the project is to divert annually from the river west towards the

plains in order to help irrigate of mostly cotton crops. Construction on the project has been stalled several times, the latest in 2005, because of environmental and social concerns.

Sources

External links

Acheloos
Ancient Greece Iconography at Beazley Archive (

Oxford University Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

)
Archived
2009-10-31) - MSN

Encarta ''Microsoft Encarta'' is a discontinued digital multimedia encyclopedia published by Microsoft from 1993 to 2009. Originally sold on CD-ROM or DVD, it was also available on the World Wide Web via an annual subscription, although later articles ...

Ecoguides on Achelous

TV2 Travel Channel on Achelous

(in Greek)

(in Greek)

(in Greek)

(in Greek)

(in Greek) - Trikalasport.gr

(in Greek)

{{Authority control Achelous River, Landforms of Aetolia-Acarnania Landforms of Arta (regional unit) Landforms of Evrytania Landforms of Karditsa (regional unit) Landforms of Kastoria (regional unit) Landforms of Trikala (regional unit) Rivers of Greece Rivers of Central Greece Rivers of Epirus (region) Rivers of Thessaly Rivers of Western Greece