Diga del Panperduto, Water management system in Somma Lombardo, Italy.
Diga del Panperduto is a water control structure in northern Italy that captures water from the Ticino River and distributes it into two main canals. The installation consists of a 700-meter-long dam with a basin varying between 50 and 90 meters wide, featuring several gates and intake mechanisms.
Built between 1862 and 1884 by engineers Eugenio Villoresi and Luigi Meraviglia, the dam marked a turning point in regional water management. This project made it possible to irrigate vast areas and advance electricity production in the Lombardy region.
The dam represents how water management shaped agriculture and cooperation between Italy and Switzerland in this region. Visitors can see how controlling the Ticino River became central to local life and farming.
The structure is located near Malpensa Airport and is relatively easy to reach. The navigable basin section allows visitors to observe the operational mechanisms of the installation.
The dam's basin offers a rare chance to see the inner workings of a water control system up close. This level of access is uncommon, as most similar structures remain restricted to visitors.
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