Barragem de Lagoa Comprida

The Barragem de Lagoa Comprida is a brick dam in the Serra da Estrela region near Seia, completed in 1966. It holds back a reservoir of about 0.75 square kilometers with capacity for up to 14 million cubic meters of water and houses a hydroelectric power station with three Pelton turbines that generate electricity.

Construction began in 1912 and the dam was raised in stages until 1966 to increase water storage capacity. It was one of Portugal's first major hydroelectric projects and played a key role in bringing electricity to surrounding regions.

The name refers to the elongated shape of the natural lake that the dam floods. Locals and visitors use the area for outdoor activities like walking and fishing, treating it as a quiet retreat.

The dam sits in hilly, rocky terrain with forest cover high in the Serra da Estrela range. The best visiting conditions occur during warmer months when paths are easy to walk and visibility is clear.

A tunnel about 2.3 kilometers long connects this dam to another dam downstream in Loriga, allowing water management between both sites. Rocky blocks scattered around the landscape were moved by glaciers thousands of years ago and show traces of ice age activity that shaped the region.

Location: Guarda

Inception: January 1, 1966

Elevation above the sea: 1,600 m

Made from material: brick

Operator: HIDROCENEL

Address: Comprida, 6270 Lagoa, Portugal

GPS coordinates: 40.36358,-7.64970

Latest update: January 20, 2026 14:57