Miguel Alemán Dam
Encyclopedia
The Miguel Alemán Dam is on the Tonto River
in the Papaloapan Region
of Oaxaca
state in southern Mexico
, just upstream from the town of Temascal or Nuevo Soyaltepec
, forming the Miguel Alemán Lake with an area of 47,800 hectares.
The dam operates in conjunction with the Cerro de Oro Dam
, located on the Santo Domingo River
to control floods in the Papaloapan basin in Veracruz
state.
Together with the 22,000 hectare reservoir of the Cerro de Oro, which is joined by a channel to the Miguel Alemán Lake, the combined capacity is 13,380 mm3.
The lake formed by the dam is scenic, providing income from fishing and tourism. The northwestern shore and islands have been declared a nature reserve.
The dam includes the Temascal hydroelectric plant.
. The basin of this river in the coastal plain was subject to frequent flooding, with the damage sometimes compounded by cyclones. A particularly severe flood in September 1944 covered 470,000 hectares, with great loss of life and property. The Miguel Aleman dam reduced the problem, although floods continued and the Cerro de Oro Dam
on the Santo Domingo was required to fully control the floods.
in 1947 and construction started in 1949. The dam created a 2300000 acres (9,307.8 km²) reservoir, provided a large portion of the region's growing electricity demand and provided an assured irrigation supply for thousands of new fruit, dairy, and vegetable farms.
However, the project required relocation of thousands of poor Mazatec, Chinantec
and Mixe
families.
The dam has a capacity of 8 million m3 (2,113,400,000 US gallons), from which 6.77 million m3 (1,788,500,000 US gallons) is available for power generation. The dam has a length of 830 meters (2,700 ft).
The Temascal hydroelectric plant located east of the dam generates about 725 million kilowatts a year.
Tonto River
The Tonto River is a river of Oaxaca, Mexico that flows from the mountains of Zongolica. It is dammed by the Miguel Alemán Dam near the town of Temascal or Nuevo Soyaltepec, forming the Miguel Alemán Lake....
in the Papaloapan Region
Papaloapan Region, Oaxaca
The Cuenca del Papaloapan Region is in the north of the state of Oaxaca, Mexico where the foothills of the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca meet the coastal plain of Veracruz.The principal city is San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, the second largest in Oaxaca state....
of Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
state in southern Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, just upstream from the town of Temascal or Nuevo Soyaltepec
Temascal or Nuevo Soyaltepec
Temascal or Nuevo Soyaltepec is the main town and seat of San Miguel Soyaltepec a municipality in the state of Oaxaca.It is part of the Tuxtepec District of the Papaloapan Region....
, forming the Miguel Alemán Lake with an area of 47,800 hectares.
The dam operates in conjunction with the Cerro de Oro Dam
Cerro de Oro Dam
The Cerro de Oro Dam , also called the Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado Dam, is on the Santo Domingo River in the San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec municipality of the Papaloapan Region of Oaxaca state in southern Mexico....
, located on the Santo Domingo River
Santo Domingo River (Oaxaca)
The Santo Domingo River in Oaxaca state, Mexico is one of the main tributaries of the Papaloapan River, rising in the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca and flowing east towards San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, above which it joins with the Valle Nacional River to form the Papaloapan.Carrying sediment from the...
to control floods in the Papaloapan basin in Veracruz
Veracruz
Veracruz, formally Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Veracruz de Ignacio de la Llave , is one of the 31 states that, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided in 212 municipalities and its capital city is...
state.
Together with the 22,000 hectare reservoir of the Cerro de Oro, which is joined by a channel to the Miguel Alemán Lake, the combined capacity is 13,380 mm3.
The lake formed by the dam is scenic, providing income from fishing and tourism. The northwestern shore and islands have been declared a nature reserve.
The dam includes the Temascal hydroelectric plant.
Purpose
The Santo Domingo and the Tonto rivers join to the south of the city of San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec to form the Papaloapan river, which meanders northeastward to the Gulf of MexicoGulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
. The basin of this river in the coastal plain was subject to frequent flooding, with the damage sometimes compounded by cyclones. A particularly severe flood in September 1944 covered 470,000 hectares, with great loss of life and property. The Miguel Aleman dam reduced the problem, although floods continued and the Cerro de Oro Dam
Cerro de Oro Dam
The Cerro de Oro Dam , also called the Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado Dam, is on the Santo Domingo River in the San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec municipality of the Papaloapan Region of Oaxaca state in southern Mexico....
on the Santo Domingo was required to fully control the floods.
Construction and capacity
The dam was initiated by the government of President Miguel Alemán ValdésMiguel Alemán Valdés
Miguel Alemán Valdés served as the President of Mexico from 1946 to 1952.-Life:Alemán was born in Sayula in the state of Veracruz as the son of General Miguel Alemán González and Tomasa Valdés Ledezma...
in 1947 and construction started in 1949. The dam created a 2300000 acres (9,307.8 km²) reservoir, provided a large portion of the region's growing electricity demand and provided an assured irrigation supply for thousands of new fruit, dairy, and vegetable farms.
However, the project required relocation of thousands of poor Mazatec, Chinantec
Chinantec
The Chinantecs are an indigenous people that live in Oaxaca and Veracruz, Mexico, especially in the districts of Cuicatlán, Ixtlán de Juárez, Tuxtepec and Choapan.The Chinantec languages belong to the Chinantecan branch of the Oto-Manguean family...
and Mixe
Mixe
The Mixe or Mije is an indigenous group inhabiting the eastern highlands of the Mexican state of Oaxaca. They speak the Mixe languages which are classified in the Mixe–Zoque family, and are more culturally conservative than other indigenous groups of the region, maintaining their language to this...
families.
The dam has a capacity of 8 million m3 (2,113,400,000 US gallons), from which 6.77 million m3 (1,788,500,000 US gallons) is available for power generation. The dam has a length of 830 meters (2,700 ft).
The Temascal hydroelectric plant located east of the dam generates about 725 million kilowatts a year.