Reschensee Lake Drained for Alpine Road Construction

The church spire of the submerged village of Graun is protruding from the nearly completely drained Reschensee Lake during construction work for a new alpine road on May 23, 2024, near Resia, Italy. Reschensee Lake is a reservoir formed by a 1950s dam. The road that traces its edge is becoming precarious due to unstable mountain rock overhead. To counter the dangers of rockfalls, avalanches, and mudslides, the road and nearby cycle path at Lake Resia near Curon Venosta are being relocated 70 meters closer to the reservoir. Climate change is melting the permafrost that stabilizes these alpine rocks, endangering numerous mountain passes across the European Alps. After the new road is constructed, Reschensee will be refilled. This ambitious project, costing 20 million euros, is expected to wrap up by June.