ITALIAN TRANSLATION

THE LAKES OF THE SILA

The lakes of the Sila are located in the Sila Grande,at the bottom of valleys formed in the quaternary period, and consist primarily of artificial basins.Lake Cecita [located in the national park reserve] is the largest,fallowed by the Arvo and the Ampollino. Lakes Votturino, Ariamacina, Passante and Savuto, are bodies of water of minor dimensions.In Dicember of 1916, by special governmental decree, the "society for the exploitation of the hydrolic patrimony of the Sila" was allowed to build three reservoirs in the valleys of LA SILA: to collect the waters of the following rivers: NETO. ARVO AND AMPOLLINO.The first lake to be created was the Ampollino, in 1926, followed by the Arvo in 1931 and the Cecita in 1951.

Link: Lago Savuto

LAKE AMPOLLINO

The damming of the Ampollino river, situated on the border between the SILA GRANDE OF COSENZA and the SILA PICCOLA OF CATANZARO, inundated a picturesque valley, praised with enthusiastic appreciation by Normann Douglas, and which contained traces of human habitation from the Neolitic period. Lake Ampollino is fed by the waters of the river Ampollino and also by the Savuto river, whose waters are pumped from the hydroelectric basin of lake Savuto.[The hydroelectric plant was built in 1939 after a project of the architect Giovanni Muzio-the lake was dammed between 1920-1923]. THE Ampollino is also replenished from the waters of lake Arvo via subterraneal tunnel. The hydro plant of lake Ampollino, operated by ENEL until recently, is now controlled [after a public auction called "Asta Silana"], by the Spanish company ENDESA as aresult of the privatization of the energy sector. This represents a singular case in which industry and environment complement one another. After their use in producing electricity, the waters of lake Ampollino are channeled to the Ionian sea.

LAKE AMPOLLINO: PHOTOS TAKEN
AROUND CAPOROSA VILLAGE

Date: 24/06/2004
Author: Aldo Costanzo