Santiago Rodríguez.- The definitive diversion of the Guayubín River marks a decisive advance in the construction of the Boca de los Ríos dam, an infrastructure considered strategic for the water securityflood prevention and productive development of the Northwest region.
This was stated by President Luis Abinader in the Santiago Rodríguez province, when leading the act where he ordered the removal of the provisional cofferdam and the opening of the breach that allowed the controlled return of water to its natural channel. This stage is part of the final phase of the project executed by the Dominican Hydroelectric Generation Company (EGEHID).
Key phase in construction
This intervention concludes one of the most relevant technical stages of the project, allowing the river to flow through the diversion galleries built within the concrete body of the dam. The president highlighted that the work will contribute to water supply of the municipality of Sabaneta and the comprehensive development of Santiago Rodríguez and the entire region.
Likewise, he explained that the infrastructure will prevent floods, strengthen the management of water resources and improve the quality of life of the inhabitants. He indicated that the work is progressing according to the established schedule and is expected to be completed in December.
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Progress of the work and technical component
The general administrator of EGEHID, Ángel Rafael Salazar, reported that the dam presents a 84% progress and incorporates essential solutions for flood control, water supply through aqueducts, clean energy generation and ecodevelopment for the benefit of communities.
He recalled that the first diversion of the river was carried out in March 2023 to allow the dry construction of the main body, designed to regulate the Guayubín and Yaguajay rivers and reduce risks from floods. With this second diversion, the tributary returns to its natural channel, crossing the concrete body through the diversion galleries, a condition that will be maintained until the completion of the work, when the gates will be closed to begin filling the reservoir.
The project director, engineer José Caputo, described this stage as a fundamental milestone in the construction sequence.
Hydraulic safety and storage capacity
The project was adjusted to international dam safety standardswhich will allow us to have a more robust and reliable infrastructure, with capacity greater than 50 million cubic meters of water. This reserve will strengthen flood prevention, guarantee human and productive supplies and reduce the vulnerability of communities to periods of drought.
Impact on regional development
The Boca de los Ríos dam is designed to improve the drinking water supplysupport agricultural production, regulate the flooding of the Guayubín and Yaguajay rivers and generate clean energy. It will also guarantee water for San Ignacio de Sabaneta, promote agricultural and livestock irrigation in some 98,000 productive tasks and contribute to the promotion of fish farming, ecotourism and other economic activities.
Simultaneously, the installation of the radial gates of the spillway, essential parts for the hydraulic management of the work, is progressing. Each structure has dimensions of 12 meters wide by 14 meters high and an approximate weight of 110 tons.
The dam is part of the EGEHID Master Plan, a strategy aimed at strengthening the national energy system through new dams, hydropumping systems, cleaning of reservoirs and modernization of existing hydroelectric plants.
