About Durlassboden Dam

The Durlassboden Reservoir in the Gerlos valley of Tyrol stores snowmelt and rainfall from the Kitzbüheler Alps at an altitude of 1,244 metres. The 83-metre rockfill dam, completed in 1967, holds 53 million cubic metres and serves the Gerlos power scheme operated by TIWAG. Water from the reservoir flows through a pressure tunnel to a powerhouse in the Inn valley below, generating electricity throughout the year. The Gerlos Pass road — connecting Tyrol with the Salzburg region — runs past the reservoir, making it accessible to visitors exploring the region. The catchment includes parts of the Hohe Tauern National Park, and the Krimml Waterfalls — Europe's highest waterfalls — drain into the same hydrological system. The rockfill construction technique was chosen for its adaptability to the local geology of glacial moraine and weathered crystalline rock. Durlassboden plays a seasonal balancing role: full after summer snowmelt, drawn down over winter to meet heating-driven electricity demand across Tyrol.