Los Caracoles Dam

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Los Caracoles Dam

Embalse y dique Los Caracoles, San Juan.jpg

Upstream face of the dam
Relief Map of Argentina.jpg
Red pog.svg
Location of Los Caracoles Dam in Argentina
Country Argentina
Location San Juan, San Juan Province
Coordinates 31°31′8.60″S68°58′54.39″W / 31.5190556°S 68.9817750°W / -31.5190556; -68.9817750 Coordinates: 31°31′8.60″S68°58′54.39″W / 31.5190556°S 68.9817750°W / -31.5190556; -68.9817750
Purpose Irrigation, power
Status Operational
Construction began 2004
Opening date 2009;9 years ago (2009)
Owner(s) Energia Provincial Sociedad del Estado SA
Dam and spillways
Type of dam Embankment, concrete-face rock-fill
Impounds San Juan River
Height 136 m (446 ft)
Length 605 m (1,985 ft)
Reservoir
Total capacity 565,000,000 m3 (458,000 acre⋅ft)
Surface area 13 km2 (5.0 sq mi)
Maximum length 13 km (8.1 mi)
Commission date 2009
Hydraulic head 150 m (490 ft)
Turbines 2 x 63 MW (84,000 hp) Francis-type
Installed capacity 126 MW (169,000 hp)

The Lost Caracoles Dam, or Caracoles Dam is a concrete-face rock-fill dam on the San Juan River about 44 kilometres (27 mi) west of San Juan in San Juan Province, Argentina. The purpose of the dam is to provide water for irrigation and the generation of hydroelectric power. The 136-metre (446 ft) tall dam supports a 126 megawatts (169,000 hp) power station and together with the Punta Negra Dam downstream, it provides for the irrigation of 15,000 hectares (37,000 acres). Construction began in 2004 and the dam and power station were completed in 2009. [1] [2]

San Juan River (Argentina) river in the Argentine province of San Juan

The San Juan River is, together with the Jáchal, the most important river of the Argentine province of San Juan. Both join the Desaguadero/Colorado system that ends at the Atlantic Ocean.

San Juan, Argentina City in San Juan, Argentina

San Juan is the capital city of the Argentine province of San Juan in the Cuyo region, located in the Tulúm Valley, west of the San Juan River, at 650 m (2,133 ft) above mean sea level, with a population of around 112,000 as per the 2001 census [INDEC].

San Juan Province, Argentina Province of Argentina

San Juan is a province of Argentina, located in the western part of the country. Neighbouring provinces are, moving clockwise from the north, La Rioja, San Luis and Mendoza. It borders with Chile at the west.

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References

  1. "Hydroelectric Plants in Argentina". IndustCards. Archived from the original on 18 July 2009. Retrieved 28 April 2014.
  2. "Hydroelectric power plants" (PDF). Panedile. Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 April 2014. Retrieved 28 April 2014.