Livigno surroundings

The artificial lake, which for 30 years has occupied the North part of the Spöl valley, is without a doubt the element which has changed the characteristics of the whole area.

The treaties that resulted in the construction of the Dam in the Ponte del Gallo area were very difficult due to the international character of the waters of the Spöl. This river flows for over 23Kms along the valley, then it enters into the Swiss National Park and finishes up in Zernez, in the Alta Engadina, where Livigno's river flows into the Inn river.

Since the beginning of the 20th Century, Switzerland has been interested in the exploitation of the Inn river and needed an artificial lake to balance its irregular flow. The area chosen for the construction of the seasonal reservoir was high up in the Spöl valley.

The AEM Elettricità company from Milan began to undertake the hydroelectric development of Livigno's valley and in 1942 they presented a project of a tunnel to divert the waters from higher up into the river Adda.

The question thus involved all the nearby nations, as a result of this, after long negotiations for over 10 years, they arrived at an agreement between Italy and Switzerland (27.05.1957) and for the coodination of a project between the two of Milan and the Grigione Swiss Engadiner Kraftwerke AG.

The construction of the dam began in 1964 and finished in 1968. The official opening was held on 27th August 1971.