Lake Cadagno
| Lake Cadagno | ||
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| Geographical location | Canton of Ticino | |
| Data | ||
| Coordinates | 697 609 / 156 173 | |
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| Altitude above sea level | 1921.2 m above sea level M. | |
| surface | 26 ha | |
| length | 842 m | |
| width | 423 m | |
| volume | 2,420,000 m³ | |
| Maximum depth | 21 m | |
The Lago di Cadagno ( Cadagnosee ) is a natural reservoir in the Piora region in the commune of Quinto in the canton of Ticino in Switzerland .
The ecosystem of the Lago di Cadagno with the Piora fluctuation named after the Val Piora is unique both in Switzerland and in Europe and is located in the "Centro di biologia alpina di Piora" (Research Center for Alpine Biology), which is nearby of the lake is investigated. Every year more than 2000 researchers from all over Europe and the USA come to the research center to investigate the phenomenon of geogenic meromixis on site.
In geogenic Meromixis, there is no seasonal mixing of the surface water with the water from the deeper sea layers. The phenomenon is very relevant from a scientific point of view because it enables research into the metabolisms associated with eutrophication . The surface layer is separated from the other water layers in the depths of the lake by a bacterial filter.
Lake Cadagno consists of three layers: at the top there is fresh mountain water from the granite springs, in the middle - eleven meters below the water surface - a 1.5-meter-thick layer inhabited by red sulfur bacteria , and at the very bottom a layer with highly salty and sulphurous water from underground water sources of the dolomite layer . The sulfur bacteria allow life in the upper, fish-rich layer and separate the fresh mountain water from the toxic underwater, which smells of rotten eggs.
Originally, the phenomenon was also to be found in the neighboring Ritomsee and Girottesee in France (Haute Savoie), before these natural lakes were modified by structural measures for energy generation.
In autumn 2005, the SBB , which operates the Ritom power station in Piotta , came under fire because too much water was let out of Lake Cadagno in too short a time to feed the neighboring Ritom reservoir. Some representatives from the Leventina even brought the matter to the cantonal parliament in Bellinzona . The critics argued that the amount of water that comes from Lake Cadagno is very small in relation to the total amount of Lake Ritom and also endangers the continued existence of the entire ecosystem of Cadagno. The SBB could therefore do without the water from Lake Cadagno without affecting the performance of the power plant. As a result of these criticisms, the SBB decided not to use the water from Lake Cadagno in spring 2006 as part of the renewal of the license for Lake Ritom.
Web links
- Website of the Center for Alpine Biology
- Ritom-Piora region
- Sea line between Piora and Cadagno at ti.ch/fileadmin
- Lago di Cadagno on schweizersee.ch
Individual evidence
- ↑ Ritom hydropower plant - Azienda Elettrica Ticinese. Retrieved September 8, 2017 .