About Scanzano Dam

Scanzano is a small dam on the Eleuterio river east of Palermo, completed in 1931 with a capacity of just 2.6 million cubic metres. The gravity dam at 25 metres height was one of the early public water works built to supplement Palermo's supply as the city's population grew in the early 20th century. Though modest in size, Scanzano occupies an important position in the Eleuterio catchment, a short river draining the limestone mountains of the Palermo hinterland. The reservoir collects winter rainfall from the foothills northeast of the Cozzo di Lupo ridge and provides a local buffer for the communities of the Palermo coast. Scanzano's small capacity makes it particularly sensitive to drought: in dry years the reservoir may approach empty before winter rains refill it. The Eleuterio valley is known for its scenic beauty, with rocky gorges, Mediterranean scrubland, and a rich bird life that includes birds of prey using the thermal currents above the cliffs. Despite its age, Scanzano remains part of the active water supply network for the metropolitan area of Palermo.