The Peñarroya Reservoir

The Peñarroya Reservoir is a hydroelectric and supply dam located in the municipality of Argamasilla de Alba, next to the Peñarroya Castle, within the limits of the Ruidera lagoons natural park, Ciudad Real province, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain.

The plans for the construction of the Peñarroya reservoir date back to 1917, because two years earlier, in 1915, the municipalities of Tomelloso and Argamasilla de Alba had been demanding the construction of a reservoir due in part to the continuous flooding. The hydraulic engineer, Rafael de la Escosura, planned the construction of the reservoir in November 1917, which would allow watering an area of 8000 hectares between the municipalities of Tomelloso, Argamasilla de Alba and Campo de Criptana.

In 1944, the lands on which the reservoir would be built were already prepared to house it, having built the Guadiana Alto diversion channel and the electricity and telephone booths, among others. The construction works began in 1947 and the reservoir was inaugurated on May 23, 1959 by the minister of public works of the Franco regime Jorge Vigón.

Characteristics

It is a dam for storing water for irrigation, in addition to having a hydroelectric plant at the foot of it and the dammed water is used to supply the towns of Tomelloso and Argamasilla de Alba.

The volume of dammed water is 50 hm³ and a flooded area of 425 ha. The reservoir has a height of 44 meters and a crest length of 251 meters.

GPS coordinates: 39°02′27″N 2°57′58″W

Main attractions

Peñarroya Castle (Sp. Castillo de Peñarroya) is a fortification located in the municipality of Argamasilla de Alba, Ciudad Real province, Castilla-La Mancha, Spain. It stands on a rock (“rust” red or blonde, according to opinion) from which it dominates a cliff, in a section of the Guadiana river that overlooks the dam of the Peñarroya reservoir.

How to get to?

From Ciudad Real 54 min (93.5 km) via A-43

From Almagro 58 min (92.8 km) via A-43

From Valdepeñas 44 min (71.2 km) via A-4 and A-43

From Madrid 2 hr 4 min (183 km) via A-4

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