About Maranhao Dam

Maranhão dam is located in the Alto Alentejo region of Portugal on the river Sever, a tributary of the Tagus. Completed in 1957, the gravity dam stands 55 metres tall and holds 205.4 million cubic metres. The reservoir serves primarily for irrigation of the surrounding agricultural lands and hydroelectric power generation. The Maranhão lake is a popular recreational destination, known for its warm waters and sandy beaches along the shoreline. The surrounding landscape of rolling Alentejo plains, dotted with cork and holm oaks, gives the area a characteristic Mediterranean feel. The dam was an important early investment in Portugal's agricultural water infrastructure.