- Verzasca Dam
The Contra dam (or Verzasca dam) is a 220-
meter high archhydroelectric dam in the "Val Verzasca",Switzerland . It was constructed between 1960 and1965 .The dam forms
Lago di Vogorno , an artificial reservoir. It was designed by Lombardi Engineering. Made ofconcrete , the structure dams the Verzasca River and retains over 100 million cubic meters of water. The builder and owner is Verzasca SA, an electricity generator which has an 80-year concession to expire in 2046. [cite web
url=http://www.ail.ch/index/ail-home/ail-cenni_storici.htm
title=AIL - Aziende Industriali di Lugano SA - Cenni storici
language=Italian
accessdate=2007-05-24] It generates 105MW ofelectricity . The designer, Dr. Lombardi, considers it one of his most aesthetically pleasing dams, primarily because of the slenderness of the concrete arch; the smaller volume of concrete also kept construction costs low. [cite news
url=http://www.waterpowermagazine.com/story.asp?storyCode=1692
title=Roll of honour
date=09 July 1999
publisher=Water Power Magazine
accessdate=2007-05-24] It is the 25th tallest dam in the world. [cite web
url=http://www.infoplease.com/ipa/A0113468.html
title=World's Highest Dams
publisher=Infoplease
accessdate=2007-05-24]The dam is one of several at which the filling of the reservoir has triggered small
earthquake s. [cite news
url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v219/n5161/abs/2191354a0.html
title=Large Earthquake Forces on Gravity Dam
author=N.N. Ambraseys and S.K. Sarma
publisher=Nature magazine
date=28 September 1968
accessdate=2007-05-24]The dam leases access to a commercial
bungee jump operator. The opening scene of the 1995James Bond film "GoldenEye " was filmed here. In the film the dam doubles as the fictional Arkangel Chemical Weapons Facility located in the northern Soviet Union during theCold War .References
External links
* [http://www.swissdams.ch/Dams/damForm/default_e.asp?ID=4 Dam profile] - Swiss Committee on Dams
*
* [http://www.bondpix.com/bungee_jumping.htm Bungee jumping at the dam] (photographs and video)
* [http://www.trekking.ch/eng/bungy.asp Trekking-Team] , bungy operator at the dam
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