Rural Tourism – Barra Grande Hydroelectric Reservoir brings together tourist attractions

The area, which covers more than 5,5 hectares, receives group visits.

A Barra Grande hydroelectric plant is remembered for its grandeur and social, economic and environmental relevance. spanning a large reservoir, which has established itself as a tourist attraction in the Santa Catarina mountains, the plant is the only one in the Uruguay River basin. Now, to facilitate tourist activity, a virtual address addresses the region: it is the Portal Park of the Lakes.

The portal gives even more visibility to the site, demonstrating its Natural and Cultural Heritage, as well as the attractive tourist value. 

The initiative online and from Lagos Region Development Agency (ADREL), with financial and institutional support from Alcoa Institute and Energética Barra Grande S/A (Baesa), which holds the concession for the hydroelectric plant.

At the virtual address, you can also check other tourist itineraries and services available in the region.

Natural exuberance and tourist value 

Located on the border between Santa Catarina and Rio Grande do Sul, the plant is a tourist destination in the municipalities that border the large water reservoir that formed: a lake with an area of ​​5,5 hectares, surrounded by more than 70% of native forest. Through these areas, waterfalls flow into the reservoir. 

In the surroundings of the region, forests present an exuberant natural landscape. This location is ideal for observation of fauna and flora, water sports and sport fishing.

To further establish the grandiose complex as a tourist destination, the reserve now has access structures, such as ramps and piers.

In addition, the region is integrated by the Circuito dos Lagos project, an initiative that works to improve tourist infrastructure in the Lagos region of Santa Catarina. The objective of this circuit is to provide a tourist route that generates tourist contact with nature. The project is carried out by the Lagos Region Development Agency (Adel) - an institution that has the collaboration of the municipalities of Anita Garibaldi (SC), Campo Belo do Sul (SC), Capão Alto (SC), Cerro Negro (SC), Pinhal da Serra (RS), Esmeralda (RS), Vacaria (RS) and Bom Jesus (RS).

Visit to the reservoir

The lake formed by the reservoir accepts visits, by appointment. This activity, however, is for groups only. 

To be dazzled by the natural exuberance of the region, it is advisable to contact us by phone (54) 99961-3244, and check the possibility, including, of boat trips through the reserve. This service is offered by Perozzo Inn, environment with chalets for lodging, camping and restaurant.

Further information may be requested by e-mail adrel@adrel.org.br.

To reach the place, just follow the access via Br 116 - at Pousada Perozzo.

History

The history of the Barra Grande Dam, as well as its power plant, began in 1997, when a consortium, which created the company Baesa, received the concession for the construction of the structure, as well as for the implementation of the hydroelectric plant.

It was only in early July 2005 that the hydroelectric plant received a license to operate, granted by the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (Ibama). With that, the filling of the reservoir began. 

Operations began in 2006 and the plant's installed capacity is 690 Megawatts (MW), divided into three units, with assured energy of an average of 380 MW. This amount is enough to meet around 26% of Santa Catarina demand or around 18% of the total energy consumed in Rio Grande do Sul.

That year, journalist Daniel Nascimento Medeiros wrote a book-report that addresses the plant's environmental and social impacts. The work circulated nationally.

However, to compensate for the damage to the environment, among several measures, the general administration of the place provided a donation to the Federal Government: the reserve of more than 5 thousand hectares of araucarias native to the region. 

In addition, Baesa replied, at the time of the concession, that the notes of environmentalists and the work of Daniel Medeiros do not take into account the scientific and technical data collected in years of research, in addition to the Basic Plan for Environmental Analysis implemented in the project. .

According to a text from the press office of the responsible company, the plant “is generating more than energy to drive Brazil's development. Its socio-environmental projects and actions are providing sustainability, quality of life and socioeconomic development for the population living in the surroundings.” (text in baesa website).

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Subject: William Schutz
Contact by email: redacao.willianschutz@gmail.com
Publicity Images.

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