Zervreilasee, reservoir located south-west of Vals in the canton of Graubünden, Switzerland
Zervreilasee is a reservoir in the Canton of the Grisons situated at approximately 1900 meters elevation in an alpine valley surrounded by steep cliffs and forests. The clear water fills the valley between high peaks and is held back by a 151-meter-high concrete dam at its lower end.
The lake was created in the 1960s through the construction of a dam that flooded the village of Zervreila, which had existed here for centuries. The storage facility was built to hold water for electricity generation and regional water supply.
The name Zervreilasee refers to the village of Zervreila that once stood here before the dam was built and now lies beneath the water. For local people, this reservoir represents the connection between their mountain heritage and the practical need to manage water resources in the region.
The lake is reachable from Vals by postal bus in about twenty minutes, and short paths from the parking area lead to the dam. A popular hiking route from Vals to the water takes about two and a half hours and passes through meadows and forests.
The lake serves as the starting point for an extended hiking circuit that connects all four lakes in the surrounding area - Zervreilasee, Guraletschsee, Ampervreilsee, and Selvasee - in a single tour lasting about six hours. This four-lake loop allows visitors to experience the full variety of the high alpine lake landscape in one outing.
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