Carraízo Dam facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carraízo Dam |
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Carraízo Dam in 2007
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 Location of Carraízo Dam in Puerto Rico
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| Official name | Carraízo Dam |
| Location | Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico |
| Coordinates | 18°19′40″N 66°00′57″W / 18.32778°N 66.01583°W |
| Purpose | Water storage, recreation |
| Status | Operational |
| Opening date | 1953 |
| Construction cost | $60 million |
| Owner(s) | Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority |
| Dam and spillways | |
| Type of dam | Concrete gravity |
| Impounds | Río Grande de Loíza |
| Height | 44 m (144 ft) |
| Length | 210 m (690 ft) |
| Width (crest) | 45 ft (14 m) |
| Width (base) | 30 m (98 ft) |
| Dam volume | 26,800,000 m3 (35,100,000 cu yd) |
| Reservoir | |
| Creates | Loíza Lake |
| Website Carraízo |
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The Carraízo Dam is a large concrete dam in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. It was built across the Río Grande de Loíza river. The dam was finished in 1953. It creates Loíza Lake, which is the main water supply for Puerto Rico.
Contents
Building the Dam
Why the Dam Was Needed
In the late 1940s, the Puerto Rico Aqueducts and Sewers Authority (PRASA) decided to build a dam. They chose a spot on the Río Grande de Loíza river. The main goal was to provide fresh water and electricity. This was important for the people living in the San Juan Metropolitan Area.
Construction and Power
Work on the Carraízo Dam started in 1950. It took about four years to build, finishing in 1954. The dam was designed to help make electricity. It had three special machines called hydroelectric turbines. These turbines could produce 3 Megawatts of power.
However, in the 1960s and 1970s, the turbines were stopped. It became too expensive to run and maintain them. It was cheaper to buy electricity from other places.
Hurricane Hugo's Impact
In 1989, Hurricane Hugo hit Puerto Rico. The storm caused so much rain that water flowed over the top of the dam. This event is called "overtopping." The flood damaged the hydroelectric power plant. It could no longer make electricity. The plant stayed closed for many years. In 2013, PRASA decided to fix and update the facility.
How the Dam Works
Dam Design
The Carraízo Dam is a type of dam called a gravity dam. This means it uses its own heavy weight to hold back the water. The dam is 210 meters (about 689 feet) long.
Controlling Water Flow
The dam has eight floodgates. These gates can open to let water out. They can open from 1 to 10 meters (about 3 to 33 feet) high. Usually, they are opened about 4 meters (13 feet).
Loíza Lake
The water held back by the Carraízo Dam forms Loíza Lake. This lake is a very important water reservoir. It can hold about 4,650,000 gallons of water. The highest water level the lake can reach is 41.15 meters (about 135 feet).
Images for kids
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The Miñi Miñi Community was flooded when the Carraízo Dam spilled its water during Hurricane María in September, 2017.
