Lake Vidraru, Reservoir in Argeş County, Romania
Lake Vidraru is a reservoir in Argeș County formed by a dam built across a mountain valley in the Făgăraș range. The water extends over ten kilometers, winding between forested slopes that rise steeply from the shoreline and create several inlets along the way.
The dam was built between 1960 and 1966 in a project that required around 40 kilometers of tunnels and galleries. Its completion brought electricity to the region and permanently altered the water level of the surrounding valleys.
A figure named Energia stands on the right shore, marking the connection between water and the power plant below. Visitors passing along the bank or viewing from the opposite hillside often notice this sculpture first, framed by the surrounding slopes.
A road crosses the top of the dam and provides access to the shore, where walking paths branch toward the surrounding ridges. Boat trips on the water are offered during summer when weather conditions are stable and the water level is high enough.
The power station operates more than 100 meters below ground inside a massif, using the elevation difference to generate large amounts of electricity each year. This installation remains invisible to visitors, though its turbines constantly draw water from the lake through tunnels into the valley below.
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