Barcis, Artificial reservoir in Valcellina, Italy

Barcis is a reservoir in the Valcellina valley within the Friuli Venezia Giulia region of northern Italy. The water sits at an elevation of 402 meters and is framed by wooded slopes and rock walls that drop down to the shoreline.

The dam was built in the mid-20th century to generate hydroelectric power and control flooding. The structure changed the landscape of the Cellina valley and created a new habitat for waterfowl.

The name Barcis comes from Latin and recalls the Celtic settlement of these mountain valleys. The village on the shore has kept its stone architecture and shows through its narrow lanes the building style of the pre-alpine region.

The road along the lake offers several parking areas and access to the water for canoes and small sailboats. Hiking trails begin at the northern shore and lead into the surrounding forests and mountain paths.

The reservoir is officially named after Napoleone Aprilis, president of the Cellina-Meduna reclamation consortium when the dam was built. The original 1941 plan would have flooded Barcis and rebuilt the village higher at Dint; after the 1944 Nazi fire and the postwar reconstruction, the dam was lowered to 50 metres so the village was never submerged.