The dam which blocks the Bidente river is located a couple of kilometres from the centre of Ridracoli. The reservoir stretches for more than 3 kilometres inside the national park which encompasses the forests of Cesentinesi, Monte Falteron and Campigna. The great dam was built by the Consorzio Acque company between 1924 and 1982, but the project to supply water to the dry Romagna region (above all to the plain and coastal regions which have always suffered from a lack of water): by diverting water from top of the Appenines, was not new a one.
area very popular with vistitors. In fact in 200 B.C, emperor Traiano ordered the building of an aqueduct which took water from Meldola to Ravenna. The Consorzio Acque association which is composed of 50 towns in need of water, was only formed in 1966. The project to build an aqueduct in Romagna which included the construction of a dam and man-made lake, began at the beginning of the 1960's. The resevoir was formed by blocking the flow of the Bidente river and diverting the water into the once green gorge to create an artificial lake. The reservoir was at its fullest level in January 1986 when it spectacularly overflowed. Along with the building the dam, much work has been done to protect the environment including the upkeep of small villages and the protection of the land surrounding them making the
Above the reservoir, which can be reached by means of a recently built road, there is a panoramic point with a bar and picnic areas. From this point there are wonderful views of the lake and the dam.
      A huge pool of fresh water with a surface area of a little more than a square kilometre (1,035 sqkm)
containg a volume of 33 million cubic metres of water . It contains a wealth of animal life making it ideal for fishermen who are alowed to fish in a limited area. All around the lake there are paths and trails (a little way above the lake we find the Sasso Frattino nature reserve, and the Lama forest), a peace and quiet interrupted only by the noises made by the animals which inhabit the area. It is also possible to sail on the reservoir taking a boat trip from the pier from June to August.
The dam is 103,50 metres long and 432 metres wide, and was built in such a way as to make it extremely safe and in perfect harmony with the surrounding environment. It is surveyed 24 hours a day by a team of 11 technicians. Anyone can visit its tunnels and machiney, individually or as part of a guided tour. Likewise, the countryside surrounding the dam can also be visited, but again only with an official guide, for safety reasons and to help protect the enviroment. Every year on the 5th of January,(a bank holiday in Italy called "La Festa della Befana" which marks the end of the Christmas festivites) the dam can be visited at night.