Carraízo Dam

Carraízo Dam is a concrete gravity dam located in the municipality of Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico within the flow of the Río Grande de Loíza. Its construction was completed in 1953. Carraízo Dam impounds Loíza Lake which serves as Puerto Rico's main water reservoir.

Carraízo Dam
Carraízo Dam in 2007
Carraízo Dam is located in Puerto Rico
Carraízo Dam
Location of Carraízo Dam in Puerto Rico
Official nameCarraízo Dam
LocationTrujillo Alto, Puerto Rico
Coordinates18°19′40″N 66°00′57″W
PurposeWater storage, recreation
StatusOperational
Opening date1953
Construction cost$60 million
Owner(s)Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority
Dam and spillways
Type of damConcrete gravity
ImpoundsRío Grande de Loíza
Height44 m (144 ft)
Length210 m (690 ft)
Width (crest)45 ft (14 m)
Width (base)30 m (98 ft)
Dam volume26,800,000 m3 (35,100,000 cu yd)
Reservoir
CreatesLoíza Lake
Website
Carraízo

Background and construction

At the end of the 1940s, the Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority (PRASA) proposed the construction of a dam at the Río Grande de Loíza in the Barrio Carraízo of Trujillo Alto with the intention of providing both water and electricity to the San Juan Metropolitan Area.[1]

Construction of the dam began in 1950 and finished in 1954. As part of the construction, the dam included three hydroelectric turbines with a total capacity of 3 Megawatts for the provision of electricity. However, during the 1960s and 1970s, the turbines were shut down because their operation and maintenance wasn't considered cost-effective versus the cost of buying energy at the time.[2]

In 1989 Hurricane Hugo caused overtopping of the dam, thereby flooding the hydroelectric facility and rendering it inoperable. It stayed closed until 2013, when PRASA elected to renovate the facility.[3]

The Miñi Miñi Community was flooded when the Carraízo Dam spilled its water during Hurricane María in September, 2017.

In 2017 Hurricane Maria caused overtopping and flooding to nearby areas.

Operation

Carraízo dam is a concrete gravity dam. It features eight floodgates along its 210-meter body. The floodgates open at a height of 1 to 10 meters, but they are usually opened at 4 meters. The reservoir created by the Carraízo Dam is the Loíza Lake. Carraízo's water storage capacity is of 4,650,000 gallons, and 41.15 meters is its peak level.[2]

See also

References

  1. "División de Educación Continua y Estudios Avanzados: Trujillo Alto" (PDF). University of Puerto Rico, Carolina. Retrieved February 16, 2013.
  2. Lázaro, Alberto (February 15, 2012). "Comentarios a R de la C 1966" (PDF). Office of Legislative Services. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-03.
  3. Poindexter, Gregory B. (2017-10-05). "Corps releases details on Guajataca Dam spillway mitigation efforts in Puerto Rico". www.hydroworld.com. Retrieved 2017-10-27.
  • Carraízo Dam on ProyectoSalonHogar
  • USGS Lago Loíza at Damsite - 50059000
  • - Carraízo Dam Water Level
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