Cumaripa Reservoir Recreational Park
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| Cumaripa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country | Venezuela |
| Location | Yaracuy |
| Purpose | Water supply, irrigation, and flood control |
| Opening date | 1971 |
| Owner(s) | Venezuelan State |
The Cumaripa Reservoir Recreational Park (in Spanish: Parque de Recreación Embalse Cumaripa), also known as Cumaripa Park or simply Cumaripa, is one of five dams in Yaracuy State and a Venezuelan park, serving as the most significant water reservoir in the state. Located at a site called Faltriquera, it is primarily formed by the damming of the Yaracuy River, southeast of Chivacoa, Yaracuy, Venezuela.[1] Positioned 4 km downstream from the Cumaripa Bridge, near the road connecting Chivacoa and Nirgua, it mainly floods lands in the Bruzual Municipality. It is also known as the Ing. Francisco C. Amelinck Reservoir, named after its chief civil engineer.[2]
The reservoir has a normal capacity of 63.82 hm³, with an average annual runoff of 57.26 hm³, and a maximum capacity of 86.75 hm³.[3] It covers an area of 850.75 hectares.
Inaugurated in 1971, it currently supplies drinking water to San Felipe and Cocorote, supports irrigation for 1,600 hectares across the Bruzual, Sucre, Urachiche, and San Felipe municipalities, and controls flooding, sediment, and pollution.[4]
History
[edit]The Cumaripa Reservoir project was developed by the Foundation for the Development of Venezuela’s Central-Western Region, and construction was tendered by the Ministry of Public Works in 1967,[4][5] under the presidency of Raúl Leoni.[6] Before the dam’s inauguration, basic information for planning the Cumaripa irrigation system was presented in a course held between August and December 1968, based on PERT techniques, with participation from 14 Venezuelan professionals, 2 from Bolivia, 2 from Ecuador, and 4 from Peru.[7] In 1970, a specialist from the Inter-American Institute of Agricultural Sciences was sent to reorient activities in the Yaracuy area, prioritizing training for personnel to manage the Cumaripa irrigation area.[8] The Cumaripa irrigation project benefited approximately 10,000 hectares already in operation, increasing the total irrigated area by 7%.
Currently, in addition to the Cumaripa Reservoir, the Venezuelan government has created small lagoons in the municipalities to enable countrymen organizations to irrigate crops during periods of adverse weather conditions that threaten plantings in the summer.[9]
The dam
[edit]The dam is located 4 km southeast of the urban center of Chivacoa.[10] It is a straight gravity dam constructed from concrete, featuring a submerged rectangular intake, a pressure conduit, a tunnel, a control structure, and a bifurcation for irrigation and water supply. The regulation mechanisms consist of four Rodney Hunt brand sliding flat gates (two for emergency and two for regulation), measuring 1.50 x 1.50 m.[11] The average maximum discharge is 29 m³/s.
The dam is equipped with a frontal and free spillway system,[12] with a discharge capacity of 500 m³/s.
The reservoir
[edit]The Cumaripa Reservoir is the most important water reservoir in Yaracuy State. The primary rivers feeding the reservoir are the Yaracuy and Sarare rivers, with the former’s watershed being more heavily impacted by human activity than the latter.[13] Other dams in Yaracuy State include the Cabuy (for irrigation), Durute (for irrigation), and Guaremal[14] (for sediment control, flood control, and drinking water supply) reservoirs.
The reservoir occupies an area of 850.75 hectares in the Yaracuy River valley at the site called Faltriquera. Its corresponding hydrographic basin covers 435 km². It has a normal capacity of 63.82 hm³, of which 63.7 hm³ are usable, and a maximum capacity of 86.76 hm³. The average annual inflow is 57.26 hm³, with a projected flood flow of 190 m³/s.[2]
Human occupation
[edit]
The Yaracuy River was navigable for small vessels transporting cocoa and copper from the Aroa Mountains’ mines, recognized since 1605, to the Caribbean Sea. It was also a route for smuggling to the Antilles, even under pursuit by the Guipuzcoan Company starting in 1728.[15] The deforestation of extensive jungles in the plains, primarily in lowland forests, produced high-quality timber; fortunately, elevated lands and flood-prone areas were often inaccessible.
Between the Cumaripa Reservoir and the El Peñón Bridge, the Yaracuy River receives water draining from the Aroa Mountains, northwest of the river’s valley. After leaving the reservoir and before reaching El Peñón, the Yaracuy River receives water from 17 or more rivers and streams on its right bank and at least five streams from the Aroa Mountains on its left bank, flowing west to east.[16]
The use of water in the modified agricultural environment led to the creation of the Cumaripa Reservoir in 1973 in the middle basin of the Yaracuy and Sarare rivers, covering approximately 2,280 km². The Yaracuy River shows significant human intervention in its middle and lower basins, except for protected areas, primarily the Yurubí National Park[17] (23,670 ha), which covers parts of the highest elevations and slopes of the Aroa Mountains, reaching the foothills, and is likely one of the best-preserved protected areas in northern Venezuela.[18]
Sediment
[edit]The agricultural production system used by producers in the Yaracuy River’s hydrographic basin was subsistence-based and covered 11,950 ha. The practice of cutting and burning forests was used to establish conucos or smallholdings on slopes between 30 and 65%. The main crops grown were maize, beans, yam, guandu, sweet potato, and taro,[4] as well as 2,642 ha of coffee.[19]
This degrading production system accelerated erosion, causing mass soil movements (landslides, slips), widespread sheet erosion, and the formation of local rills and gullies, leading to severe deterioration of natural resources.[20] Sediments from erosion caused siltation in the Cumaripa Reservoir, which supplies water to the city of San Felipe, the capital of Yaracuy State, and neighboring populations.[19]
The progression of reservoir sedimentation shows that sediments are three meters above the intake structure. The reservoir’s tail is completely silted, with only a small water surface disconnected from the main body downstream of the Nirgua-Chivacoa highway viaduct. It has been determined that sediments occupy 49.8% of the reservoir’s total capacity. The specific sediment production calculated for the upper Yaracuy River basin is 3,611 m³/km²/year, 21.7 times higher than the estimated production in the reservoir’s design.[21]
The lifespan of a reservoir depends partly on how quickly it loses storage capacity due to sediment deposited by currents.[22] The Venezuelan Ministry of the Environment estimated that, at the current sedimentation rate, the reservoir will have a lifespan of only 30 years.[23]
Climate
[edit]The Cumaripa Reservoir is located in a tropical rainy savanna climate. The rainy season in the region begins in April and extends through October, with an average precipitation of 1,032.6 mm during this period, August being the wettest month.[9] The remaining months, November to March, represent the dry season, with an average precipitation of 4.5 mm, January being the driest month.
The average maximum temperature is 32 °C, and the average minimum is 16 °C.[9]
Flora
[edit]
The vegetation surrounding the reservoir and forming part of the recreational park consists of cloud forest, found above 1,000 meters of altitude.[24][25] This forest is rich in species, many of which are endemic, with most developing along ravines.
The area around Cumaripa Park is flat with small depressions. The local slope is approximately 2%.[26] The current use is for maize cultivation, previously in fallow. The soil is considered well-drained.
Fauna
[edit]The fauna in the area surrounding the Cumaripa Reservoir is diverse, including various bird species such as hawks, owls, turpials, blackbirds, kiskadees, and guans; reptiles, particularly snakes like the boa constrictor and the rattlesnake; and mammals such as the deer and the ocelot.[27][28]
Hunting is conducted not only for food but also for recreation and illegal trade in wild species. It is a common activity in the area, where lack of oversight and complicity by security agencies hinder enforcement, allowing the illicit practice to persist.[29] No statistical data is available on the intensity of hunting or the species being hunted.
Utilization
[edit]Agricultural
[edit]The waters allocated in the Cumaripa Reservoir can be treated through conventional processes of coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, filtration, and chlorination for drinking water supply. Waters for agricultural use are directed to irrigation for various crops and livestock use, which have become a cornerstone of the economy in the surrounding municipalities. Livestock farming focuses on cattle, with an estimated population exceeding 20,000 heads.[4] The irrigation zone covers a total area of 15,000 hectares.[30]
Tourism and sports
[edit]The reservoir’s waters are also used for partial human contact in recreational areas, water sports, and sport, commercial, and subsistence fishing.[31] The Cumaripa Reservoir Recreational Park has facilities suitable for sailing, jet skiing, and canoeing, and includes 9 cabins with barbecue areas for relaxation and enjoyment. The park is surrounded by a small concrete pathway used for jogging, cycling, or rollerblading. After 5 p.m., park security closes the gates for the safety of visitors. Windsurfing is commonly practiced in January. In the past, the reservoir hosted a sailing school. The park also features a beach volleyball court, metal benches, a playground, bolas criollas courts, a cafeteria, and restrooms.[2]
Fishing
[edit]
The lagoon supports sport fishing, mainly for peacock bass—typically caught with white, white/blue, and white/red surface lures, though breezes sometimes require mid-water lures. Wolf fish, John Dory, and tambaqui fishing has been reported,[32] along with the presence of Characidae, Roeboides, Crenicichla, Astyanax, Petenia kraussii, Hypostomus plecostomus, Andinoacara pulcher, Geophagus surinamensis, and Poecilia sphenops.[33] Both water sports and fishing require permits from the National Parks Institute (Inparques).
Fishing in Cumaripa can be done in various ways, with trolling slowly along the reservoir’s edge being the most successful.[33] Casting mid-water lures, poppers, or propellers from a boat along the shores, retrieved without stopping to maintain fish interest, is another method. A variant involves casting lures in areas where the lake’s depth is no more than half a meter due to algae, or even among shrubs and mounds in the reservoir, in a casting style.[33]
Flow control
[edit]
Venezuelan policy stipulates that during the dry season, the Ministry of the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources is responsible for taking necessary measures to extract (except in cases of force majeure) the ecological flow required from the Cumaripa Reservoir to increase the flow of the Middle and Lower Yaracuy River to 4.0 m³/s, measured at Peñón Bridge.[31]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Parque de Recreación Embalse Cumaripa". Que hacer en Yaracuy. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ a b c Mendoza, Melissa (2023-12-12). "Parque Recreacional Embalse Cumaripa arriba a sus 46 años al servicio del pueblo Venezolano" [Cumaripa Reservoir Recreational Park celebrates 46 years of service to the Venezuelan people]. Instituto Nacional de Parques. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ "Cuadro Principales Indicadores". 2010-03-26. Archived from the original on 2010-03-26. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ a b c d Instituto Interamericano de Ciencias Agrícolas. La Planificación y el Desarrollo Agrícola e Institucional en Venezuela [Planning and Agricultural and Institutional Development in Venezuela] (in Spanish). Bib. Orton IICA / CATIE. p. 9. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ Instituto Interamericano de Ciencias Agrícolas. Inventario y Evaluación de Los Recursos Técnicos de Yaracuy [Inventory and Evaluation of Yaracuy’s Technical Resources] (in Spanish). Bib. Orton IICA / CATIE. pp. 35–36.
- ^ Rodriguez Archivado, Alberto (2007-10-01). "Raul Leoni, Presidente Constitucional de la Republica de Venezuela 1964-1969" [Raul Leoni, Constitutional President of the Republic of Venezuela 1964-1969]. Analítica. Archived from the original on 2010-04-13. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ Instituto Interamericano de Ciencias Agrícolas (1966). Ecuador: Servicios a los países. Julio 1967 - septiembre 1968 [Ecuador: Services to Countries. July 1967 - September 1968] (in Spanish). IICA Biblioteca Venezuela.
- ^ Instituto Interamericano de Ciencias Agrícolas (1972). Informe anual [Annual report] (in Spanish). IICA Biblioteca Venezuela. p. 15. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ a b c Marin Porras, Reynaldo Alberto (1999). "Diagnóstico y Formulación de Proyecto Piscicola Factible de Inversión para el Municipio Bruzual del Estado Yaracuy" [Diagnosis and Formulation of a Feasible Fish Farming Investment Project for the Municipality of Bruzual, Yaracuy State.]. Universidad Centrooccidental Lisandro Alvarado.
- ^ Mora, Orlando. "Seguimiento y Evaluación de la Intervención del Proyecto 699/OC-VE MARNR-BID en la Cuenca del Río Yaracuy, Venezuela". Centro Latinoamericano Para el Desarrollo Rural.
- ^ Chao, B. F.; Wu, Y. H.; Li, Y. S. (2008-03-02). "Impact of Artificial Reservoir Water Impoundment on Global Sea Level". Science. 320 (5873): 212. Bibcode:2008Sci...320..212C. doi:10.1126/science.1154580. PMID 18339903. Archived from the original on 2009-05-05. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ "Presas - Cumaripa". COVENPRE. Archived from the original on 2009-06-07. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ Pérez, D.; Mirian, K.; Colón, Ch.; Donner, D.; Mata, S.; Greymar, Y. (1998). "Diagnóstico de la calidad del agua en el embalse cumaripa de la presa Ing. Francisco C. Amelinck ubicada en el Municipio Bruzual, Estado Yaracuy" [Water quality diagnosis in the Cumaripa Reservoir of the Ing. Francisco C. Amelinck Dam located in Bruzual Municipality, Yaracuy State]. UCLA Biblioteca de Ingenieria Civil.
- ^ "Embalse Guaremal, Estado Yaracuy, Venezuela" [Guaremal Reservoir, Yaracuy State, Venezuela]. mindat.org. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ de Amézaga Aresti, Vicente (1979). Hombres de la Compañía Guipuzcoana [Men of the Guipuzcoan Company] (in Spanish). Editorial La Gran Enciclopedia Vasca. ISBN 978-84-248-0470-1.
- ^ Rivero Blanco, Carlos. "El Cerro Zapatero, un fiel y determinante productor de agua para el Estado Yaracuy" [Cerro Zapatero, a faithful and decisive water producer for the State of Yaracuy]. Hacienda Guáquira (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2010-06-03. Retrieved 2025-04-30.
- ^ Gaceta Oficial 26210; March 1960
- ^ Rodríguez Olarte, Douglas; Taphorn Baechle, Donald (2007). "Historia, perturbaciones y áreas protegidas" [History, disturbance and protected areas]. Las Cuencas. Archived from the original on 2011-09-08. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ a b Mora, Orlando; Gomez, Hecdy; Milla, Manuel (2003). "Evaluación del proceso de conservación y manejo de la cuenca alta del río Yaracuy, estado Yaracuy" [Evaluation of the conservation and management process of the upper Yaracuy River basin, Yaracuy State]. Instituto Universitario de Tecnología del estado Yaracuy (in Spanish). 15 (2): 107–114. ISSN 1316-3361. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ Mora, Orlando. "Seguimiento y Evaluación de la Intervención del Proyecto 699/OC-VE MARNR-BID en la Cuenca del Río Yaracuy, Venezuela" [Monitoring and Evaluation of the Intervention of the MARNR-BID Project 699/OC-VE in the Yaracuy River Basin, Venezuela]. Centro Latinoamericano Para el Desarrollo Rural (in Spanish).
- ^ Aguirre, Z.; Lisandro, A.; Subero, R.; Luís, A. "Evaluación de la sedimentación del embalse cumaripa. Soluciones posibles" [Evaluation of Cumaripa Reservoir sedimentation. Possible solutions]. Biblioteca de la Escuela de Ingeniería Civil - Sanitaria (in Spanish).
- ^ "La erosión hídrica y las crecidas" [Water erosion and flooding]. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ "Expediente: N° JSA-2007-000030". Archived from the original on 2010-06-15. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ Aray de Jiménez, Vilma (1996). Las mujeres productoras de alimentos en Venezuela: diagnóstico y políticas [Women food producers in Venezuela: diagnosis and policies] (in Spanish). IICA Biblioteca Venezuela. p. 233.
- ^ Benitez de Rojas, Carmen; Medina, Betzy. "Novedades en solanaceae para Venezuela". Universidad Central de Venezuela, Facultad de Agronomía (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2023-08-10.
- ^ Comerma, J.; Blavia, F. (1973). "Patrón de distribución de humedad en suelos del Yaracuy medio durante un año" [Moisture distribution pattern in soils of central Yaracuy during one year]. Agronomía Tropical (in Spanish). 23 (2): 175–198. Archived from the original on 2015-05-02. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ Estudio Preliminar Para la Programacion del Area de Desarrollo Rural del Yaracuy [Preliminary Study for the Programming of the Yaracuy Rural Development Area] (in Spanish). IICA Biblioteca Venezuela. 1996. p. 55.
- ^ IUCN Commission on National Parks and Protected Areas (1982). IUCN directory of neotropical protected areas. IUCN. p. 402. ISBN 0907567622.
- ^ AVN, Ministry for the Environment (2011-06-06). "Venezuelan Government Bans Wildlife Hunting and Trading in Some Areas". Venezuelanalysis. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ Carrillo Batalla, Tomás Enrique (1986). La Reforma del sistema fiscal venezolano [Reform of the Venezuelan fiscal system] (in Spanish). Comisión de Estudio y Reforma Fiscal. p. 248. ISBN 9806149564.
- ^ a b Decree No. 2181 of October 29, 1998; Official Gazette of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela Accessed on May 2nd, 2025.
- ^ Rodríguez Olarte, Douglas; Taphorn Baechle, Donald. "La biodiversidad de peces" [Fish biodiversity]. Los peces (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 2011-09-07. Retrieved 2025-05-02.
- ^ a b c P. Novoa R., Daniel. "Manejo de Embalses con Fines Piscicolas Informe Venezuela" [Management of Reservoirs for Fish Farming Purposes Venezuela Report] (in Spanish). Retrieved 2025-05-02.