Contra Dam

Contra Dam
Contra Dam
Contra Dam is located in Switzerland
Contra Dam
Location of Contra Dam in Switzerland
Official nameContra Dam
LocationTicino, Switzerland
Coordinates46°11′48″N 8°50′52″E / 46.19667°N 8.84778°E / 46.19667; 8.84778
Construction began1961
Opening date1965
Owner(s)Verzasca SA
Dam and spillways
Type of damArch dam
ImpoundsVerzasca River
Height220 m (720 ft)
Length380 m (1,250 ft)
Width (crest)7 m (23 ft)
Width (base)25 m (82 ft)
Dam volume660,000 m3 (23,000,000 cu ft)
Spillway typeService, uncontrolled overflow
Spillway capacity2,150 m3/s (76,000 cu ft/s)
Reservoir
CreatesLago di Vogorno
Total capacity105,000,000 m3 (85,000 acre⋅ft)
Catchment area230 km2 (89 sq mi)
Surface area160 ha (400 acres)[1]
Power Station
Hydraulic head277 m (909 ft) (Max)
Turbines3 × 35 MW Francis-type
Installed capacity105 MW
Annual generation234 GWh
Aerial imagery of Contra Dam and Verzasca River with the reservoir empty.

The Contra Dam, commonly known as the Verzasca Dam and the Locarno Dam,[2] is an arch dam on the Verzasca River in the Val Verzasca of Ticino, Switzerland. The dam creates Lago di Vogorno 2 km (1.2 mi) upstream of Lake Maggiore and supports the 105 MW Verzasca hydroelectric power station. It was constructed between 1961 and 1965 and starting shortly after its reservoir was filled, a series of earthquakes related to its water load occurred until 1971. The dam is owned and operated by Verzasca SA and is the fourth tallest in Switzerland.[3]

The dam became a popular bungee jumping venue after a James Bond stuntman jumped off it in the opening scene of the 1995 film GoldenEye; a stunt voted as the best movie stunt of all time in a 2002 Sky Movies poll.[4]

  1. ^ "Contra Dam". Swiss Committee on Large Dams. Archived from the original on 3 October 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2010.
  2. ^ "007's bungee jump tops best movie stunt poll". BreakingNews.ie. November 17, 2002. Archived from the original on 14 June 2011. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  3. ^ "Dams in Switzerland". Swiss Committee on Dams. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  4. ^ Matt Munday (12 November 2006). "For a glad moment I was flying ... then I bombed". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2010-11-01.