Fucine Lake

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Fucine Lake
The Fucine Lake as seen from satellite imagery (post-drainage)
Fucine Lake
Location	Abruzzo, North Italy
Coordinates	41°59′42″N 13°32′50″E / 41.99500°N 13.54722°E / 41.99500; 13.54722
Type	endorheic
Primary outflows	Canal
Basin countries	Italy
Max. length	17.28 km (10.74 mi)
Max. width	10.85 km (6.74 mi)
Surface area	max 140 km2 (54 sq mi)
Surface elevation	661 m (2,169 ft)

The Fucine Lake (Italian: Lago Fucino or Lago di Celano) was a large endorheic karst lake between 650 and 680 m (2,130 and 2,230 ft) above sea level and surrounded by the Monte Sirente-Monte Velino mountain ranges to the north-northeast, Mount Salviano to the west, Vallelonga to the south, and the Valle del Giovenco to the east-southeast. Located in western Abruzzo in central Italy, the town of Avezzano lies to the northwest, Ortucchio to the southeast, and Trasacco to the southwest of the historic lake. Once the third largest lake in Italy after Lake Garda and Lake Maggiore, it was finally drained in 1878.^[1]

The plain is a geographical depression of tectonic origin formed during the Apennine orogeny between the Pliocene and Quaternary.^[2]

To the west, Fucino borders the Palentini plains, while the Giovenco, Vallelonga, and Roveto valleys converge towards the Fucine plain. Due to the absence of outlets and the sudden variations in the water level causing floods or unhealthy drying, it was the subject of numerous attempts at regulation. The first partial draining of the endorheic basin^[3] was carried out by the Roman emperor Claudius in 52 CE.

The total draining of the Fucian basin was undertaken in the second half of the 19th century by Jean François Mayor de Montricher, who expanded the hydraulic works of the Roman era by increasing the number of wells and expanding the vents and underground canals. These works and others drained Lake Fucino by 1878.

An improvement in socio-economic conditions followed its draining and the resultant plain is one of the most fertile vegetable growing areas in Italy. Products that have obtained European Protected geographical indication marks include the Fucino potato^[4] and the Fucino plateau carrot.^[5]

Along the former Fucino shoreline, in addition to Avezzano (the largest city), are other populous municipalities including Celano and Pescina.

In addition to agriculture, the plain also hosts the Fucino Space Centre. The teleport commenced construction in 1963 by the Telespazio company and is used for the ground management of artificial satellites in orbit for telecommunications.^[6]