Following the footsteps of the Andros Routes initiative, which focuses on documenting, preserving, and creatively showcasing Andros’ historic hiking trails, the Andros Research Center has spent the past three years developing a similar initiative dedicated to the island’s traditional management of surface waters and springs, recognizing these resources as essential to Andros’ long-term sustainability.

The initiative began in 2023 with our first project to study and document the springs of central Andros, including their historical and legal documentation, with support from the Cycladic Identity initiative of the Museum of Cycladic Art.

Over the past year and a half, this work has continued through the design and implementation of the project “Springs of Andros – Participatory Observatory for Springs & Surface Waters of Andros,” which is supported by the Cyclades Preservation Fund and the Green Fund.

As part of this project, and with funding from the Green Fund, the Andros Research Center sought collaboration with the National Observatory of Athens and its well-known Meteo team. A cooperation agreement was subsequently signed to provide scientific and technical support for the selection and installation of two meteorological stations in central Andros, an area where meteorological data remain relatively scarce.

The installation of these weather stations is of particular importance, as they will enable the continuous collection, recording, and analysis of meteorological data for Andros and allow these observations to be correlated with the availability of surface waters. The flow of these waters is critical for preserving the island’s flora and biodiversity, supporting wildfire management, and, more broadly, addressing the impacts of climate change.

Accordingly, on 15 May 2026, following months of preparation and in collaboration with the National Observatory of Athens, and with one of the Observatory’s technicians present, a high-precision Davis automatic weather station was successfully installed and has since been operating on the grounds surrounding Konaki – Hikers Inn in Katakalaioi.

The station continuously measures air temperature, relative humidity, atmospheric pressure, solar and ultraviolet radiation, wind speed and direction, and rainfall. Its operation and maintenance are overseen by a team of volunteers from the Andros Research Center in cooperation with the National Observatory of Athens, as the station has been incorporated into the nationwide METEO meteorological station network.

As part of its public-benefit mission, the Andros Research Center has ensured free public access to the station’s recorded data, which are available at: https://penteli.meteo.gr/stations/andros-katakalaioi/

At the same time, with the contribution of our scientific advisor Thanasis Anastasiou, the Andros Research Center has spent the past year designing, automating, and preparing the installation of a second, lower-cost meteorological station. This model, through its design, assembly, and installation methodology, can serve as a template for the deployment of additional stations in the future, both by our organization and by other organizations on the island. This second station is expected to be installed shortly at the Andros Research Center’s headquarters in Agios Spyridon.

Both stations are expected to serve not only as research infrastructure supporting scientific studies on Andros but also as educational resources for the island’s schools.

We extend our sincere thanks to our scientific advisor, Thanasis Anastasiou, for his ongoing voluntary contribution, as well as to the outstanding team of the National Observatory of Athens and METEO for their invaluable support and continued collaboration.