What if I told you that nestled not far from Cartagena lies a hidden gem? I am talking about the Embalse Arroyo Grande-El Playón. This reservoir offers more than just a scenic view. It holds a story of agricultural dreams and environmental challenges.
Embalse Arroyo Grande also called Represa del Playón is located in the Bolivar department. It is easily accessible by land. Cartagena is 85 kilometers away and Marialabaja just 30 kilometers away. Together with the Represa de Matuya it forms the Marialabaja Irrigation System. The Represa del Playón directly influences rural areas. These include El Carmen de Bolívar, María La Baja and San Jacinto.
Imagine this area in the 1960s. The government of Lleras Restrepo initiated a grand agrarian reform. The aim was to boost the rice sector. This was the main economy of María La Baja. The Embalse Arroyo Grande was a key part of this plan. It replaced the region’s declining sugar cane fields.
The reservoir’s primary water source comes from the streams of the Montes de María. The Huamanga stream basin is a major contributor. This area is largely covered by tropical rainforest. It provides an average flow of 98 cubic hectometers. This volume spreads across 12.40 square kilometers.
Embalse Arroyo Grande has some impressive technical features. It has a nominal flow of 98 cubic hectometers. The reservoir falls under the Marialabaja irrigation district. It is managed by private agents under the name USOMARIALABAJA.
However the story of Embalse Arroyo Grande takes a darker turn. The arrival of African Palm cultivation led to land desertification. It also caused water contamination. This affected the local farming population. The dry tropical forest in this part of the Colombian Caribbean suffered too.
Despite these challenges the Embalse Arroyo Grande offers tourism potential. It sits between the foothills of the Montes de María and the plains of the Canal del Dique. There is a PDET project to build a cable car from Cerro Cansona. From there you could see its waters stretching to the Camarón and Puerto Mesitas.
So while standing here at Embalse Arroyo Grande-El Playón we see more than just water. We see a story of ambition reform and unforeseen consequences. It is a reminder of the complex relationship between development and nature. It is a story etched into the landscape of Colombia.