The lake originates from a dam, namely the ‘Occhito Dam.
The dam was built in the late 1950s to meet the water needs of the province of Foggia. Construction work on the dam began in 1957 and lasted until 1966, a full 9 years. It is certainly one of the largest earthen dams in Italy and the dam wall is located in a narrow gorge carved by the Fortore River, which constantly feeds it with clean, crystal-clear water. The lake reaches a maximum depth of 198 m for a capacity of 300 million cubic meters. What strikes the visitor is the wonderful symbiosis that exists between this artificial lake and the surrounding villages. It seems that nothing has been touched by time, as if the hand of man never existed.
