La Viña Dam

To get to this area, you can hire an excursion to the Dam. The guide will make the tour interesting giving you exact information about the area you are visiting. Another alternative is to get to the place by car and admire the imposing work.

In both cases, you must take Nº 14 Provincial Route to the Southwest of Mina Clavero. If you choose the guided excursion, you will learn that Mina Clavero River is rich in quartz, feldspar and mica with some crystallizations that give therapeutic properties to the place since these kind of hypominerals are indicated for different diseases.

Further ahead, you will get to "Arroyo de los Patos" ( Ducks Stream) which gained independence as Mina Clavero Commune in 1991 due to the amount of inhabitants it had. The name comes from the fact that there are many cormorants, bitterns, least grebes, pied-billed grebes and lake ducks which settle in the region.

To you right, you will see a Chapel called Our Lady of Fatima that belongs to the Mother Rosaura's congregation, one of Dominicans' branches.

The next town you will pass by will be Nono or Ñuño meaning " woman's breasts" in quechua language since there are two low hills that look like breasts. Nono is a town of long naps, deep silence and quarrelsome wines.

This was the first town in Traslasierra Valley and the place where the Comechingones lasted most. The guide will tell you about the cultural life during the months of January and February.

To your right, you will see Chico River belonging to Nono and having its source in Achala Mountains. Later, you will cross Consultas Stream and San Huberto spot.

To your left, you will see Caolín Hill from where the mineral used to make a well known clean powder used to be taken. Then, you will cross Perchel Stream to enter Las Rabonas or Las Chupinas Town.

You will go along Nº 14 Provincial Route and , to your left, you will see Luis Liste Horse Riding Club. There is a man that talks to the belly of the Mares when they are pregnant and when the young colts are born they recognize human voice. This fact makes it easier for men to take the horse wherever they want with just a tender but strong order.

You will leave San Alberto department and enter San Javier department . You will see Las Totoras Stream, climb the "cuesta del ciego" ( blind man slope) which is long and difficult and as you get to the top, you will see Atenas, Negro, de la Cruz and Champaquí Hills. The last one is the highest Hill in Córdoba Province being 2790 meters tall.

Up to this point, you will have made 27 kilometers and you will turn to your right at "La Quebrada de los Pozos" roundabout , go ahead 6 more kilometers and you will get to the Dam.

You will get ready to enjoy the view of the lake being 1050 hectares big and having its source in los Sauces River.

You will go down to one side of the dam wall and walk to the other edge as you admire the imposing depth of the engineering work.

The guide will tell you that the project of the dam was made by Don Luis Antonio Medina Allende who was in charge of the Direction of Public Works and Services of the Province in 1938.

The project was examined the following year by engineer Simons and approved by the Hydraulic Direction. The construction was started then and was finished 5 years later.

Among the outstanding information that makes this dam the biggest in Argentina , you will learn that the wall is 317 meters long , the basement is 25 meters wide and the crown is 15 meters wide. The mirror of water is 106 meters wide and at the drain it is 107 meters wide.

To make the dam, 3 million cubic meters of concrete were used. It has 8 gates being 6 meters by 5 meters and the maximum height is 102 meters.

In 1952 , the Hydroelectric factory was inaugurated. It has two water turbines which produce 4 million of Kwh each. With the regularization of Los Sauces River by means of the storage of its waters, 90% of the annual average flow is used and, thus, around 24,000 hectares are watered.

In addition, the dam is a huge mirror of water where sport activities can be enjoyed such as fishing atherines, riding scooters or rowing in kayaks.

The wonderful beauty of the surrounding landscape with the deep canyon on one side and the lake with Achala mountains on the other side will be enough to admit that the excursion was worth doing.

After some minutes, you will go back to the city and visit , on the way, Las Candelarias Spot where native people will give you some home made wine, "mistela" wine, salami and home made cheese. What's more, you will be able to get all kinds of medicinal or digestive herbs such as mint and others.