The Ridracoli dam

HYDRO - RIDRACOLI WATER ECOMUSEUM

IDRO is a multi-site museum centered around the Ridracoli Dam, the ideal place to spend a day immersed in the nature of the Casentinesi Forests National Park. Here, you can discover the world of water, explore the park, and understand the fascinating balance between the dam's engineering and the surrounding natural environment.

The ecomuseum's main headquarters is located in the village of Ridracoli and is spread across four floors of exhibition spaces , both traditional and multimedia. Through these spaces, you can explore the distribution of water on the planet, its importance to life, and its fundamental role in the natural world. Special attention is paid to the journey of Ridracoli's water: from the catchment area to the dam, from the water purification plant to our homes. Furthermore, you can discover the fauna of the Bidente Valley and the animals that inhabit this unique territory.

The visit to IDRO is included in the entrance ticket to the dam, and the ticket is valid all day, allowing you to enter and exit freely.

Our advice? Visit IDRO before heading to the dam : it's a great introduction to fully appreciate what you'll see. Forget the classic idea of a museum... come visit us and be amazed!

THE RIDRACOLI DAM

A titanic undertaking, a great feat of engineering

Lake Ridracoli and the dam of the same name lie in the municipalities of Bagno di Romagna and Santa Sofia (FC).

The Ridracoli dam is an “ arch-gravity ” dam: a construction that reacts to the thrust of the water thanks to its arch shape and its weight.

Construction work began in 1975 and was completed in 1982.
They were built by Cogefar spa, Lodigiani spa, and the Cooperativa Muratori e Cementisti di Ravenna. Drinking water distribution to Romagna began in 1988.
A massive and ambitious project that required 3,700,000 hours of work, up to 500 workers a day in three 8-hour shifts.

Let's give you the numbers:

• Height: 103.5m
• Length: 432m
• Thickness at the base: 36 m
• Thickness at the crown: 10m
• Total reservoir volume (in 1982) : 33.06×10 m³
• Concrete dam body volume: 600,000 m³
• Liquid surface area: 1,035 km²
• Time required for rapid emptying: 42.6 hours

The purpose of the dam is to produce drinking water for Romagna.
Drinking water is produced through various types of sources (surface and groundwater) and of different sizes, located throughout the provinces of the territory.
The Ridracoli Dam is by far the most important source, both from a historical point of view and in terms of contribution!