Engolasters lake, works can begin after the trouts were relocated.

Thursday ended the tasks withdrawal of Engolasters lake trouts. This was the last work that remained to be done before emptying the whole pond in order to proceed to change its valve head. As indicated in the national information panels on the side of the pond, it is expected that these tasks begin on 1 September and are extended ten weeks, until mid-November.

Numerous tourists Thursday morning, between surprised and disappointed, as there is virtually no water. The job of emptying 600,000 cubic meters that fit in the pond a few days ago has already begun and concluded, in fact, on Thursday, with the withdrawal of the remaining fish, all taks have been completed.

Trouts have been evacuated with the help of technicians from the farm in Salinas, and water tankers transported oxygen to the Gran Valira River, where they have been released.

The works begin, predictably, September 1st and will consist of changing the valve head of the lake, which serves to isolate the penstock lake that supplies water to the hydroelectric plant.

Changing valve head allow a significant improvement.

Both valves have an internal diameter of 1.9 meters and a weight of 8840 kg and 5800, respectively.

The first will allow for maintenance on the second or the penstock, without having to drain the entire pond. Through them there passes a water volume of 11 cubic meters per second.

Moreover, using the emptying of the lake also change the six expansion joints of penstock. With the improvement of facilities, the government wants better performance in hydroelectric production, in fact, represents between 15 and 20% of the electricity consumed in the country.

The Engolasters lake empties only very occasionally. In fact, in recent times it was emptied in 1994 and 2009. In order to realize this emptying, FEDA has received support from the Natural Heritage Department of the Ministry of Environment.