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22-557: The Edolo Pumped Storage Plant is located along the Oglio River just downstream of Edolo , Brescia Province in the Lombardy region of Italy. Using the pumped-storage hydroelectric method, it has an installed capacity of 1,000 megawatts (1,300,000 hp). Its generators were commissioned between April 1984 and November 1985. Lake Avio was previously completed in 1929 and Lake Benedetto completed in 1940. The lower reservoir

44-834: A large temple dedicated to Minerva . During the Middle Ages , numerous clashes between the Guelphs and Ghibellines took place in this region. The Guelphs supported the power of the Bishop of Brescia and the papacy, while the Ghibellines sided with the Holy Roman Emperor . In 1287 the Val Camonica rebelled against control by Brescia and sided with the Visconti , lords of Milan , who extended their control over

66-653: Is a list (incomplete) of the tributaries in the Camonica Valley: At Costa Volpino , the Oglio river enters the Iseo lake with a mixed delta - estuary mouth. The Oglio main branch leaves the lake at the provincial border between Sarnico , Bergamo and Paratico , Brescia 45°39′56.5″N 09°57′24″E  /  45.665694°N 9.95667°E  / 45.665694; 9.95667 and begins to follow (approximately) this provincial border. At

88-788: Is formed from the confluence of two mountain streams, the Narcanello branch from the Presena Glacier, in the Adamello group and the Frigidolfo branch, in the Corno dei Tre Signori , part of the Stelvio National Park . The streams merge near Pezzo di Ponte di Legno , both the streams have an average discharge of 1.5 m /s (53 cu ft/s). The Frigidolfo branch, before merging with Narcanello branch, receives

110-464: Is located in Edolo on the north bank of the Oglio. It was created by a circular dike and stores water for pumping. Of the lower reservoir's 14,000,000 m (11,350 acre⋅ft) storage capacity, 12,790,000 m (10,369 acre⋅ft) can be used for pumping. It is located at an elevation of 655 m (2,149 ft). The upper reservoir, Lake Avio, is located 10 km (6 mi) east of Edolo high in

132-516: Is sometimes considered as a de facto fourth branch of the Oglio river. It flows in a southwest direction, through Valcamonica and enters into the Lake Iseo at Costa Volpino . It leaves Lake Iseo at Sarnico and, after traveling a zone of moraine deposits, it joins the Po river at Torredoglio, not far from Cesole and Scorzarolo, in the province of Mantua . Its drainage basin , which corresponds to

154-716: The Latin Vallis Camunnorum , "Valley of the Camunni ." Val Camonica can be divided into three main areas: The valley is bounded by these borders: Val Camonica is traversed by the River Oglio , the fifth longest river in Italy, which rises at Ponte di Legno from the confluence of the Frigidolfo and Narcanello rivers. It flows into Lake Iseo between the municipalities of Pisogne and Costa Volpino . Numerous streams, some of them seasonal, descend from

176-654: The Neolithic period. When the Ancient Romans extended their dominions north of the River Po , they encountered a people called the Camunni , who were a Rhaetian tribe, populating the valley. About 300,000 petroglyphs survive from this period. By the end of the first century BC, the Valle Camonica was ruled by Ancient Rome , which established the city of Cividate Camuno , with baths, an amphitheater and

198-619: The Arcanello branch, which have an average discharge of 0.5 m /s (18 cu ft/s), which receives a minor branch originating from Lake Ercavallo. The Ogliolo stream, with an average discharge of 2.5 m /s (88 cu ft/s) and a length of 20 kilometres (12 mi) (similar to the length of the main branch between the Frigidolfo-Narcanello merge at Ponte Di Legno and the Oglio-Ogliolo merge at Edolo)

220-679: The Oglio River. This process repeats as needed and allows the plant to serve as a peaking power plant . The plant generates 737 GWh annually but consumes 1,021 GWh pumping. Although it consumes more energy than it creates, pumping occurs at night, when electricity is cheap. This makes the plant economical, as it generates electricity during high demand, more expensive periods. The size of the Avio Dam's catchment area allows it to collect water naturally as well and 219 GWh can be generated from this water alone annually. Oglio River The Oglio

242-660: The Oglio river begins following the Mantua-Cremona provincial border, which leaves at the triple municipal border between Acquanegra sul Chiese (Mantua), Calvatone (Cremona) and Bozzolo (Mantua) 45°07′57″N 10°29′32″E  /  45.13250°N 10.49222°E  / 45.13250; 10.49222 where the river enters entirely in the Mantua province. At the municipal border between Marcaria and Viadana 45°02′40″N 10°39′37″E  /  45.04444°N 10.66028°E  / 45.04444; 10.66028 ,

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264-711: The Oglio river enters the Po river. Val Camonica Val Camonica or Valcamonica ( Eastern Lombard : Al Camònega ), also Valle Camonica and anglicized as Camonica Valley , is one of the largest valleys of the central Alps , in eastern Lombardy , Italy . It extends about 90 kilometres (56 mi) from the Tonale Pass to Corna Trentapassi, in the commune of Pisogne near Lake Iseo . It has an area of about 1,335 km (515 sq mi) and 118,323 inhabitants. The River Oglio runs through its full length, rising at Ponte di Legno and flowing into Lake Iseo between Pisogne and Costa Volpino . Almost all of

286-523: The area during the 14th century. From 1427 to 1454 there were numerous battles between the Duchy of Milan and the Republic of Venice for the control of the valley. Ultimately the valley came under the control of Venice. During the following centuries, the civilian population grew and engaged in the iron trade. Val Camonica was separated from Venice after Venice was conquered by Napoleon in 1797. After

308-776: The deposition of Napoleon, the area was controlled by the Austro-Hungarian Empire . In 1859, Val Camonica was annexed to the Kingdom of Italy . During World War I battle lines stretched along its eastern border, across the Adamello Group . The battles fought in this area are known as the White War in the Adamello. In 1955, the National Park of Naquane stone carvings at Capo di Ponte was created by

330-453: The mountains at 46°11′37″N 10°28′16″E  /  46.19361°N 10.47111°E  / 46.19361; 10.47111  ( Lake Avio ) . Directly above Lake Avio is Lake Benedetto which supplements Avio with water. Both the Avio and Benedetto Dams are gravity dams and are 37.5 m (123 ft) and 31 m (102 ft) in height, respectively. The total storage capacity of

352-504: The mountainsides and flow into the Oglio. At high altitude there are many alpine lakes, including Lago Moro, as well as many artificial reservoirs, such as the Lago d'Arno. Val Camonica likely became habitable only around 15,000 years ago, at the end of last ice age , with the melting of the glacier that first carved out the valley. It is likely that the first humans visited the valley in epipaleolithic times, and appear to have settled by

374-432: The power plant and splits further to supply the eight pump-generators with water. The lower reservoir and power plant are connected by two 1,100 m (3,609 ft) long tunnels. The difference in elevation between both reservoirs affords a hydraulic head of 1,265 m (4,150 ft). At the power station, each Francis pump-turbine -generator is rated at 125 MW for power generation and 140 MW for pumping. Only seven of

396-424: The pump-generators can operate at one time. When energy demand is low and electricity cheap, the plant pumps water from the lower reservoir to the upper. When demand is high, that water, being stored energy, is released back down the same tunnels and pipes to the plant for generation. After being used for generation, the power plant sends the water back to the lower reservoir. New water reserves can also be taken from

418-526: The region of Valle Camonica, covers 6,649 square kilometres (2,567 sq mi). It is part of the larger Po- Adige basin. The river in the Camonica Valley flows almost exclusively in the province of Brescia , entering in the province of Bergamo only at 45°51′38.2″N 10°08′56″E  /  45.860611°N 10.14889°E  / 45.860611; 10.14889 , on the border between Artogne , Brescia and Rogno , Bergamo. The following

440-508: The triple provincial border between Torre Pallavicina (Bergamo), Roccafranca (Brescia) and Soncino ( Cremona ) 45°25′40.5″N 09°53′07.5″E  /  45.427917°N 9.885417°E  / 45.427917; 9.885417 the Oglio begins to follow (approximately) the provincial border between the Brescia-Cremona provincial border. The major tributaries in the Po valley are the following: At this triple provincial border

462-607: The upper reservoir (including Lake Benedetto) is 21,240,000 m (17,220 acre⋅ft) of which 17,040,000 m (13,815 acre⋅ft) can be used for power generation. The elevation of Lake Avio is 1,908 m (6,260 ft) above sea level and it traps water from a 49.5 km (19 sq mi) catchment area . Connecting the upper and lower reservoirs is a series of tunnels and pipes. Beginning at Lake Avio's intake, an 8,125 m (26,657 ft) long head-race tunnel transfers water east before it bifurcates into two 499 m (1,637 ft) long penstocks . Each penstock reaches

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484-448: The valley is included in the administrative territory of the province of Brescia , except for Lovere , Rogno , Costa Volpino and the Val di Scalve, which belong to the province of Bergamo . Since 1979, the rock drawings located along the valley are a UNESCO World Heritage Site , while the entire valley became a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 2018. Val Camonica is derived from

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