About Ogliastro Dam

The Ogliastro reservoir was completed in 1986 on a tributary of the Imera Meridionale river in the province of Caltanissetta, representing one of Sicily's more recent large impoundments. With a capacity of 110 million cubic metres, the earthfill dam at 60 metres height was designed to supplement the existing reservoir network in central Sicily and improve water availability for the historically water-stressed interior communities. The reservoir collects drainage from the rugged clay hills of central Sicily, an area characterised by sparse vegetation, gully erosion, and highly variable seasonal rainfall. Og liastro supports irrigation for the agricultural zones of Caltanissetta province and contributes to the regional aqueduct supply. The construction of Ogliastro was part of a broader 1970s-1980s programme to expand Sicily's water storage capacity in response to growing demand from agriculture and urban populations. Like most Sicilian reservoirs, Ogliastro faces challenges from siltation and from the increasing intensity of drought periods that characterise the modern Mediterranean climate.