Lago di Lucendro, reservoir

Lago di Lucendro is a reservoir on the Gotthard Pass in the municipality of Airolo, Ticino. Its dam, finished in 1947 by Motor-Columbus, stands 73 m high and was built as a hollow concrete column structure because material was scarce during the Second World War. The water is shared with the Sella reservoir in the Airolo power plant.

The reservoir was created in 1947 when a dam was built to store water for hydroelectric power generation and flood control. This project reflected post-war efforts to develop mountain resources and supply electricity to nearby towns and industries in the region.

The reservoir lies in the municipality of Airolo, and its water is used together with that of the Sella reservoir in the Kraftwerk Airolo power plant. The dam was built by Motor-Columbus, the company that completed it in 1947. A mountain road leads from the Gotthard Pass hospice to the dam, a few hundred metres away.

Easy trails circle the lakeshore, while more challenging routes climb toward Lucendro Pass through rocky terrain and alpine meadows. The site is accessible by car over the Gotthard Pass, with paths marked for different skill levels and a trail from San Carlo that leads gently to the dam.

The dam wall was built in 1947 using a pile construction of hollow concrete columns, because material was scarce during the Second World War. The water is used together with that of the Sella reservoir in the Airolo power plant.