Astonishing Plima river in central European Alps
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Astonishing Plima river in central European Alps

by Xinyang Fan, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland

The Plima River flows through a steep rocky valley in the glaciated high Alpine catchment Martelltal in South Tirol (Northern Italy). It emerges from the glacier outlets at an elevation of 3760 m a.s.l., travels around 2km elevation shifts, and finally enters the Zufritt lake where a hydropower plant is built (1840 m a.s.l.). The Plima river plays a crucial role in serving water for local communities and agriculture in this region.