Lake Omodeo is an extensive artificial basin originally created by the stopbank of the Santa Chiara dam (1924) in the area of Ula Tirso. A second stopbank was later built in 1997, the Eleonora d’Arborea dam, in the area of Busachi. This operation was essential following the collapse of parts of the old structure, as well as to increase the reservoir’s capacity. The overall volume of the reservoir Is currently 792 M cubic metres of water, covering an area of 29,370 Km2.
The lake falls within 11 municipalities in the region of Barigadu, in the province of Oristano: Aidomaggiore, Ardauli, Bidonì, Busachi, Ghilarza, Nughedu Santa Vittoria, Sedilo, Soddì, Sorradile, Tadasuni and Ula Tirso.
The creation of the Lake has markedly shaped the surrounding land, rich in forests and interesting for the numerous man-made works linked to the vast project. Indeed, simultaneously with the advancement of the works, the ancient Medieval hamlet of Zuri upstream is being dismantled and rebuilt using recycled material. The works also concern the small ancient Romanesque church of San Pietro, dating back to the end of 1200, built using an unusual red trachyte rock. The lake’s water partly submerges the petrified wood of Zuri – Soddi as well as the pre-Nuragic settlement of Serra Linta, some tombs of Giants and domus de janas. The submerged heritage re-emerges sometimes when the basin’s level drops in warmer weather.
From a naturalistic point of view, the lake’s shores mainly feature forest formations of holm oak, downy oak and Mediterranean shrub. You can also observe specimens of white poplar, crack willow, ulmus minor, ash trees, salt cedars and bay tree.
The area has a wealth of both seasonal and migratory birds. Some of the species that can be spotted include the European roller, the Eurasian stone-curlew, the peregrine falcon, the osprey and the common sandpiper. The presence of the lake brought with it a number of aquatic species including the northern pintail, the common pochard, the northern shoveler, the Eurasian teal, the Eurasian wigeon, the coots, the common morhen, the mallard, the gadwall, the Greylag goose, the little egret, the great egret and the grey heron.
Also visible in the area are amphibians and reptiles, including toads, the European pond turtle
and the Hermann’s tortoise.
The lake is dedicated to the engineer Angelo Omodeo who designed the Santa Chiara dam.
