*Souvales is the name given by the locals of Ios island to natural depressions along streambeds that retain water. In some cases, these formations are reinforced with stone constructions to enhance water management.

The SOUVALES project focused on constructing a network of 50 small-scale dry-stone weirs. This initiative included an apprenticeship and hands-on workshop on the traditional practice of water management with micro-dams (souvales). The network of 50 dry-stone micro-dams was constructed along the Mavroudí stream in Kambos, Ios, near the archaeological site of Skarkos. The project was carried out through a participatory process that combined a dual educational program (apprenticeship and hands-on workshop) with the involvement of volunteers from Ios, other parts of Greece, and abroad.

Apprenticeship Program
4 young craftspersons undertook a three-week apprenticeship under the guidance of 2 experienced stonemasonry tutors. They were trained in all stages of the construction process, from material collection and transportation to the foundation and completion of the micro-dams.

Hands-on Workshop
15 participants from Greece and abroad attended a five-day hands-on workshop, which included hands-on engagement in the fieldwork of building dry-stone micro-dams. The workshop also featured a series of parallel educational activities, guided tours, and open events across the island of Ios.

Open Events

To encourage the involvement and participation of the local community in the project, several public activities were organized, including: Open worksite days, where volunteers could participate in the construction works, a walking tour at Chora of Ios, and a guided walk at the agricultural landscape of Ios, exploring traditional water management infrastructure. Lastly, a closing event was held, presenting the outcomes and the impact of the project for the people of Ios island.

As part of the Med-RESET project, an educational initiative was launched to create a short documentary on traditional water management practices using micro-dams. This involved students from the Ios secondary school, who actively participated by constructing micro-dam models in their schoolyard. Additionally, they visited the worksite to document the work as part of their project.​

The project Med-RESET (Mediterranean REsilient inSular Ephemeral sTreams), aims to reintroduce the traditional practice of building dry-stone weirs in ephemeral streams on arid Mediterranean islands. The SOUVALES program is implemented within the context of the “Mediterranean REsilient inSular Ephemeral sTreams” (Med-RESET) project, which is supported by the Donors’ Initiative for Mediterranean Freshwater Ecosystems (DIMFE). The project is co-funded by the Municipality of Ios and implemented under the coordination of MedINA in collaboration with our team, Boulouki, Save Ios, and WWF Hellas. The apprenticeship and the workshop SOUVALES | Landscape futures and resilient practices for water management on the Mediterranean islands is financially supported by the General Secretariat of the Aegean and Island Policy, and receives in-kind sponsorships from several companies.