| Paulo Afonso Falls | |
|---|---|
An 1850 painting of the falls |
|
| Location | Brazil |
| Type | Tiered |
| Total height | 275 feet |
| Number of drops | 3 |
Paulo Afonso Falls (also known as Cachoeira de Paulo Afonso[1]) is a series of waterfalls on the São Francisco River in the northeastern section of Brazil adjacent to the city of Paulo Afonso. It stands 275 feet (84 m) high. Upstream of the falls, a hydroelectric dam, the Hidrelétrica de Angiquinho (the first hydroelectric plant in northeastern Brazil)[2] blocks the flow of the river. Prior to the damming of the river, the average water flow over the falls was over 100,000 cu ft/s (2,800 m3/s), and floods exceeded 500,000 cu ft/s (14,000 m3/s).[1][3] The falls consists of a steep rapid that descends approximately 80 feet (24 m) then drops a main plunge of 260 feet (79 m) into a narrow gorge.[1] The Paulo Afonso Hydroelectric Complex that grew from the original plant was often locally termed simply Complexo Hidrelétrico de Paulo Afonso or simply Paulo Afonso.[4] This and later plants, such as Hidrelétrica de Xingó downstream near the town of Piranhas, Alagoas,[5] provides much of the area with electric power.[6]