Balbina Dam, Hydroelectric reservoir in Amazonas, Brazil.
The Balbina Reservoir is a large body of water in the Amazon Rainforest formed by a dam on the Uatumã River. The flooded landscape created thousands of small islands from the forest's former high points, giving the water's surface a scattered, complex appearance.
The dam was built to provide electricity to growing cities in the region, particularly Manaus, and the reservoir filled between 1987 and 1989. The project represented efforts to expand power infrastructure across Brazil's northern frontier.
The creation of this reservoir displaced the Waimiri-Atroari people, an indigenous group with deep roots in this forest region. Their connection to the land became an important part of how the project is understood today.
The reservoir is accessible by road from nearby towns, and visitors can view the water and islands from several vantage points. The dry season offers the best conditions for traveling and seeing the landscape clearly.
Research has found that this reservoir releases greenhouse gases at levels far exceeding those from a coal plant producing the same amount of electricity. This happens because organic matter from the flooded forest decomposes in the water over time.
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