| Contra Dam | |
|---|---|
 Contra Dam | |
  Location of Contra Dam in Switzerland | |
| Official name | Contra Dam |
| Location | Ticino, Switzerland |
| Coordinates | 46°11′48″N 8°50′52″E / 46.19667°N 8.84778°E |
| Construction began | 1961 |
| Opening date | 1965 |
| Owner(s) | Verzasca SA |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Arch dam |
| Impounds | Verzasca River |
| Height | 220 m (720 ft) |
| Length | 380 m (1,250 ft) |
| Width (crest) | 7 m (23 ft) |
| Width (base) | 25 m (82 ft) |
| Dam volume | 660,000 m3 (23,000,000 cu ft) |
| Spillway type | Service, uncontrolled overflow |
| Spillway capacity | 2,150 m3/s (76,000 cu ft/s) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Lago di Vogorno |
| Total capacity | 105,000,000 m3 (85,000 acre⋅ft) |
| Catchment area | 230 km2 (89 sq mi) |
| Surface area | 160 ha (400 acres)[1] |
| Power Station | |
| Hydraulic head | 277 m (909 ft) (Max) |
| Turbines | 3 × 35 MW Francis-type |
| Installed capacity | 105 MW |
| Annual generation | 234 GWh |
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]
- ^ "Contra Dam". Swiss Committee on Large Dams. Archived from the original on 3 October 2008. Retrieved 21 October 2010.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Dams in Switzerland". Swiss Committee on Dams. Archived from the original on 1 April 2017. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
- ^ Matt Munday (12 November 2006). "For a glad moment I was flying ... then I bombed". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 2010-11-01.