From Mendoza to El Carrizal (63 KM)
The El Carrizal dam or El Carrizal reservoir is a dam in the upper middle course of the Tunuyán River, in north-central Mendoza. Next to it there are 2 locations: El Carrizal on the west bank and Villa San Isidro on the east bank. It serves as a reservoir of water, allowing to regulate the flow of the Tunuyán River, which has glacial sources of the Andes, and to irrigate a very arid region. The mirror of water is a tourist attraction for the realization of aquatic activities and for fishing. In addition, the reservoir water is turbine for hydroelectricity in a hydroelectric power plant, built in 1971, with an installed generation capacity of 17 MW.
Taking as point of origin points of origin the city of Mendoza or Luján de Cuyo you can access the reservoir by RN 40, and at the height of Ugarteche connect with RP 16 that takes us to the reservoir. The roads are on flat land, with small hills in the vicinity of the lake, all asphalted.
Already in El Carrizal, the landscape captivates by the contrast between the blue of the lake and its desert and yellowish margins, or colonized and of a striking verdure.
The return is made through the same routes.
Another way to get from the department of San Martín by RNl 7, or from Rivadavia taking the Provincial routes 67 and 64 to the Southwest, passing by the diverting dam Tiburcio Benegas, on the river Tunuyán, to access then arrive at the reservoir.
