El Cajón Dam (Argentina)

El Cajón Dam
Official nameDique El Cajón
LocationCórdoba, Argentina
Coordinates30°51′12″S 64°33′01″W / 30.85333°S 64.55028°W / -30.85333; -64.55028
Construction began1987
Opening date1993
Construction costUS$800 million
Dam and spillways
ImpoundsDolores River
Height39 m (128 ft)
Reservoir
Total capacity8,000,000 m3 (280,000,000 cu ft)
Surface area1.45–1.8 km2 (0.6–0.7 sq mi)

El Cajón Dam (Spanish: Dique El Cajón) is a dam in Capilla del Monte, Córdoba, Argentina. It was built on the course of the Dolores River, at about 910 m (2,986 ft) above mean sea level. The wall of the dam is 39 m (128 ft) tall and it creates a reservoir with a surface area of 1.45–1.8 km2 (0.6–0.7 sq mi) and a volume of 8,000,000 m3 (280,000,000 cu ft).[1]

A view of the reservoir.

The construction of El Cajón Dam started in the 1970s but the dam was finally finished and inaugurated in 1993. It is made of concrete and lies on granite terrain. The dam is used as a reservoir of fresh water, to regulate the flow of the river, for fishing (carp and silverside), sailing, canoeing, and windsurfing. The dam cost a total of approximately USD 800 million to construct.

References

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  1. ^ El Cajón Dam Archived 2007-10-20 at the Wayback Machine Official website of Córdoba Province