The Caprizi dam

03.11.2023 Chiara Scaini 1 min read

Credits: Eugenio Novajra

The Caprizi dam creates a small artificial lake in the upper Tagliamento valley. The Caprizi dam is one of the few obstacles in the main Tagliamento river course, while there are many dams or obstacles in its tributaries that might represent a threat to the riverine ecosystem.

In 1692, long before its construction, a large landslide (the Borta landslide) whose debris blocked the river, creating a small natural lake. After that, the water eroded the debris and generated a large flood wave towards the floodplain, causing strong damages.

The Caprizi dam is one of the few obstacles in the main Tagliamento river course, while there are many dams or obstacles in its tributaries (for example, the dam on the Degano river in Ovaro). Dams, often associated with water intake for human use, represent a threat to the riverine ecosystem.