Situated approximately a 10 minute drive north of Vélez-Málaga, this is a man-made reservoir created in the late 1980s to provide water for the area.  It remained a secret from a housing development point-of-view for nearly 10 years due to its position and the encircling hills and mountains.  These hills and mountains, including the 2,000 metre high Mount Maroma, make it one of the most beautiful and varied locations along the whole of the Costa del Sol.  Since 2000 the development of villas and country houses, and the accompanying road infrastructure, have attracted people looking for beautiful countryside, a good climate, space to breathe, and a by-and-large tranquil way of life.  The villages surrounding the lake are Alcaucín, Los Roamnes, Viñuela, Periana and Puente Don Manuel, as well as approximately 15 small hamlets, all within a 10 minute drive of the lake; a little further away are the villages of Riogordo, Colmenar and Canillas de Aceituno.