Paulo Afonso Falls
Encyclopedia
Paulo Afonso Falls is a series of waterfall
s on the São Francisco River
in the northeastern section of Brazil
adjacent to the city of Paulo Afonso
. It stands 275 feet (83.8 m) high. Upstream of the falls, a hydroelectric dam
, the Hidrelétrica de Angiquinho (the first hydroelectric plant in northeastern Brazil) blocks the flow of the river. Prior to the damming of the river, the average water flow over the falls was over 100000 cuft/s, and floods exceeded 500000 cuft/s. The falls consists of a steep rapid that descends approximately 80 feet (24.4 m) then drops a main plunge of 260 feet (79.2 m) into a narrow gorge. The Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex
that grew from the original plant was often locally termed simply Complexo Hidrelétrico de Paulo Afonso or simply Paulo Afonso. This and later plants, such as Hidrelétrica de Xingó
downstream near the town of Piranhas, Alagoas, provides much of the area with electric power.
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s on the São Francisco River
São Francisco River
The São Francisco is a river in Brazil. With a length of , it is the longest river that runs entirely in Brazilian territory, and the fourth longest in South America and overall in Brazil...
in the northeastern section of Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
adjacent to the city of Paulo Afonso
Paulo Afonso
Paulo Afonso is a city in Bahia, Brazil. It is located at around . It was founded in 1958.The city is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Paulo Afonso.The city is served by Paulo Afonso Airport....
. It stands 275 feet (83.8 m) high. Upstream of the falls, a hydroelectric dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
, the Hidrelétrica de Angiquinho (the first hydroelectric plant in northeastern Brazil) blocks the flow of the river. Prior to the damming of the river, the average water flow over the falls was over 100000 cuft/s, and floods exceeded 500000 cuft/s. The falls consists of a steep rapid that descends approximately 80 feet (24.4 m) then drops a main plunge of 260 feet (79.2 m) into a narrow gorge. The Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex
Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex
The Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex , also known as the Paulo Afonso Complex, is a system of three dams and five hydroelectric power plants on the São Francisco River near the city of Paulo Afonso in Bahia, Brazil. The complex exploits an natural gap on the river, known as the Paulo Afonso Falls...
that grew from the original plant was often locally termed simply Complexo Hidrelétrico de Paulo Afonso or simply Paulo Afonso. This and later plants, such as Hidrelétrica de Xingó
Xingó Dam
The Xingó Dam is a concrete face rock-fill dam on the São Francisco River on the border of Alagoas and Sergipe, near Piranhas, Brazil. The dam was built for navigation, water supply and hydroelectric power generation as it supports a 3,162 MW power station...
downstream near the town of Piranhas, Alagoas, provides much of the area with electric power.