Potami Dam Lake
The lake of Potami is shaped by the Potami dam, in Amari province and was built in 2008, 25km south of Rethymnon. The lake has a capacity of 23 million cubic meters and is one of the most important wetlands in the southeast Mediterranean, with many species of birds and animals being recorded in the area. The dam gathers water from the gorge of Patsos, the small valley of Pantanassa, and the stream of Stavromana originating from Agia Fotini. Just above the barrier, one can still visit the ruined Fort Koules.
Visitors of the wider area visit the dam and admire the beautiful scenery. On July 2014, the dam came to light when two firefighters accidentally saw a crocodile, 2m long, on the shore! It was apparently freed by someone unconscious. Various Services participated in the capture of the lovely reptile, however, they didn't manage to trap it. The crocodile passed away in March 2015, after a really heavy winter for the Cretan standards.
