About Gepatsch Dam

The Gepatsch Reservoir in the Kaunertal valley of North Tyrol is Austria's second-largest reservoir by storage capacity, holding 139 million cubic metres at an elevation of 1,767 metres above sea level. The rockfill dam, completed in 1964 on the Fagge River, stands 153 metres tall and is the cornerstone of the TIWAG (Tiroler Wasserkraft) hydropower system in the Ötztal Alps. Glacial meltwater from the surrounding Weißkamm mountains, including contributions from the Weißseeferner glacier, flows into the reservoir each summer, providing a reliable and renewable energy source. The Gepatsch pumped-storage system allows surplus electricity to be used to pump water back uphill at night, effectively acting as a giant battery for the Austrian grid. The Kaunertal Glacier Road, one of Austria's highest alpine roads, passes alongside the reservoir and draws both skiers and summer tourists. The dam's earth and rockfill construction was chosen to withstand the seismic activity common in this part of the eastern Alps.