Lake Cingoli, or more properly Lake Castreccioni, was created by the damming of the Musone River and is one of the largest artificial basins in central Italy, created by the Macerata Reclamation Consortium for irrigation and drinking water purposes.
The Castreccioni dam, an imposing work of overflowing gravity, was inaugurated in 1987, the length of its crowning is 280 meters and it is 67 meters high. The area around the lake is a meeting place between the typical Apennine hill woods (orno – ostrieti), widespread elements of the agrarian landscape, and the Mediterranean vegetation that constitutes the Macchia del Montenero (protected floristic area).
In this last one in particular, the wood has a high naturalistic value given by the strong presence of the holm oak and other sclerophyllous evergreens, which here reach the maximum internal limit of their range. This has allowed Montenero to be recognized as a site of community interest (SIC).
Over the years, the artificial lake has become an increasingly important reference point for the migratory routes of many water birds, so much so as to merit the title of "Provincial Oasis of Protection Fauinsitica":
