Lake Monte Cotugno

History

The lake was formed by the dam on the river Sinni, built from the 1970s and operational since 1983. It is the largest earth-fill dam in Europe: about 1,850 metres long, 60 metres high and 260 metres wide at the base. The lake can hold up to 530 million cubic metres of water, which, through a 145-kilometre aqueduct, reaches the farmland of the Metapontino and the Taranto area, homes in Basilicata and Puglia, and the industries of Taranto.

What to see

• The great expanse of water, which can be admired from the roads and viewpoints around Senise.
• The dam, a feat of engineering that has been included several times in the FAI’s «I Luoghi del Cuore» (Places of the Heart) census.
• The avandiga, the small dam built during the works: today it is submerged and only resurfaces when the water is very low.
• The landscape of the Sinni valley, with the Pollino mountains on the horizon, lovely for cycling or walking.

Useful information

• The lake is a water reserve and is not equipped for swimming; recreational fishing is allowed with a licence.
• The shores offer little shade: the best times are spring, autumn and the cool hours of summer.
• Nearby are the castle of Isabella Morra in Valsinni and the village of Chiaromonte. More lakes are covered in the guide The Lakes of Basilicata.