How often does a dam get a name? The Presa Ingeniero Carlos F. Roggero stands as a testament to engineering and remembrance. This dam serves a vital purpose. It also honors a man whose vision helped shape the region. Let’s discover the story behind this important structure.
The Presa Ingeniero Carlos F. Roggero is not just a dam. It is a regulator of the Río Reconquista. Its construction finished in 1972. The dam lies 40 km from Buenos Aires. It sits nestled between La Reja and Mariano Acosta. These locations are part of Moreno, Merlo, Marcos Paz, and General Rodríguez.
Imagine the recurring floods of the Río Reconquista. The residents of Paso del Rey suffered greatly. The town sat a mere 14.53 meters above sea level. Oscar Alende was the Governor of Buenos Aires in 1959. He tasked Carlos Francisco Roggero with finding a solution. Roggero was the Director of Hydraulics for the Ministry of Public Works.
Roggero’s study concluded in 1964. It recommended a regulating dam. Construction began in 1967. The project cost 1.2 billion pesos. Sadly, Carlos Roggero passed away before its completion in 1972. In honor of his work, the dam was named after him. It became the Presa Ingeniero Carlos F. Roggero.
The Presa Ingeniero Carlos F. Roggero holds back the waters of Lago San Francisco. The lake spans 260 hectares. Merlo claims 50 hectares. Moreno has 120 hectares including the dam itself. General Rodríguez includes 50 hectares. Marcos Paz holds the remaining 30 hectares.
Three channels feed into the Presa Ingeniero Carlos F. Roggero. From the floodgates emerges the Río Reconquista. It measures six meters wide. It stretches 45 km. The river flows into the Río Luján. Eventually, it reaches the Río de la Plata.
The Presa Ingeniero Carlos F. Roggero includes a 1500-meter-long barrier. It is built of consolidated earth on both banks. Lago San Francisco’s water surface sits at 17.5 meters above sea level. The central part features a 260-meter-long concrete gravity dam. A paved road sits on top. It is 7.6 meters wide and doubles as a bridge. The dam has a spillway with 40 openings. It spans the entire length of the concrete structure. Twenty discharge holes exist inside the dam’s body. Two gates at the bottom each measure one meter by one meter. These allow water to flow from the bottom outlet.
The Presa Ingeniero Carlos F. Roggero system includes two smaller dams. They are located on the Río Reconquista’s tributaries. These are the Arroyo Durazno and the Arroyo La Choza. They were built in 1980 and 1983.
The area around the Presa Ingeniero Carlos F. Roggero has become a protected area. It is the Parque Municipal Dique Ingeniero Roggero. It covers 668 hectares. This includes the Reserva Municipal Los Robles. It also encompasses the Museo de Sitio F. Muñiz. Add in Lago San Francisco and surrounding wetlands. The area grows to roughly 1000 hectares. The Municipality of Moreno manages the park.
The Presa Ingeniero Carlos F. Roggero stands as more than just a dam. It represents a solution to a problem. It also acts as a tribute to a dedicated engineer. The surrounding park offers a space for recreation and nature. It is a fitting legacy for Carlos F. Roggero.