Zigoneni Reservoir

Zigoneni Reservoir is an artificial lake situated on the course of the Argeș River, in Argeș County, in the contact zone between the Subcarpații Getici and the piedmont plain. The construction was carried out in 1973 by Hidroconstrucția S.A., Argeș branch, with Hidroelectrica S.A. as the investment beneficiary. The stepped-type dam is fitted with a flap gate, segment gates and a retention tympanum with 3 openings of 4 x 4 m at the lower section and a crest opening of 16 x 3 m, equipped with a flap sluice gate and embankment dikes of 437 m on the right bank. The dam has a height of 27 m, a length of 31 m, a crest elevation of 395 m, and a storage volume of 313.3 million cubic metres. The lake forms part of the complex hydraulic scheme for the cascading development of the Argeș River, alongside Vidraru, Cerbureni, Curtea de Argeș, Vâlcele, Budeasa, Bascov, Prundu and Golești. Vegetation within the lake's perimeter is found predominantly at the upper end of the reservoir, with willow and alder gallery forests on the right bank. The lake is frequented for sport fishing, with species present including perch, chub, bleak, carp and crucian carp. Access is via Pitești, along the county road that passes through the locality of Zigoneni, approximately 15–20 km north of the city.