Lac de Tolla, Artificial lake in Corsica, France
Lac de Tolla is a reservoir on the Prunelli river in Corse-du-Sud, held back by the Barrage de Tolla, a gravity dam 87 m high and 120 m long. The lake lies at 552 m altitude, covers 5 km² and has a winding shoreline of inlets and narrow arms between rocky, vegetated slopes. The dam's smooth grey downstream face curves between the hills, with a parapet and walkway along its crest.
The dam was built as a postwar infrastructure project to supply water and generate power for the region. It became an important water storage facility for Corsica and its communities.
The lake's shores were landscaped for leisure: pedal boats, rowing boats, fishermen, paillotes and a beach. Swimming, kayaking and paddling are allowed, but motorized boats are not. Anglers fish for pike, pike perch, perch, carp, roach and catfish. The reservoir is busiest with tourists from June to September.
The D3 road runs along the north shore, and a belvedere on the heights above the lake looks down on the dam. Swimming, kayaking and paddling are allowed, but motorized boats are not. The lake is busiest from June to September; anglers fish for pike, pike perch, perch, carp, roach and catfish.
During Storm Fabien on 20 December 2019, the dam overflowed without being damaged; between 3 November and 20 December that year, 90 million cubic metres entered the reservoir, three times its capacity. At full output the plant releases 11 cubic metres per second.
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