Puentes dam, Spanish dam
Puentes dam is a concrete reservoir structure located north of Lorca in the region of Murcia, with capacity for about 13 million cubic meters of water. It features large spillways that safely discharge excess water during heavy rains, and the resulting reservoir spreads across a broad area of hilly terrain with rock and sediment foundations.
The first dam on this site was built in the 1600s to provide irrigation for farming but was destroyed by flooding after just one year. The current fourth Puentes dam was completed in the 1990s and represents improvements in engineering developed after earlier failures.
The dam represents how the local community relates to water management and farming heritage. People in the region connect this place with flood stories and lessons learned from past disasters that have shaped their approach to living with nature.
The site is accessible via main roads from Murcia through Lorca, with two main routes reaching the dam over bridges and country roads. Simple paths lead close to the water and historic remains, but visitors should expect uneven ground, wear appropriate footwear, and bring water for the walk.
In 1802 the original Puentes dam collapsed catastrophically after heavy rains, causing one of the worst flood disasters in Spanish engineering history. This event prompted new safety standards for dam construction and made the site an important lesson in water engineering.
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