Paulo Afonso Falls

Paulo Afonso Falls (also known as Cachoeira de Paulo Afonso is a series of waterfalls on the Sao Francisco River in the northeastern section of Brazil adjacent to the city of Paulo Afonso. It stands 275 feet (84 m) high and averages no more than 60 feet (18 m) wide. Upstream of the falls, a hydroelectric dam, the Hidrelétrica de Angiquinho (the first hydroelectric plant in northeastern Brazil) blocks the flow of the river. Prior to the damming of the river, the average water flow over the falls was over 100,000 cubic feet (2,800 m3) per second, and floods exceeded 500,000 cubic feet (14,000 m3) per second. 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. 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. This and later plants, such as Hidrelétrica de Xingó downstream near the town of Piranhas, Alagoas, provides much of the area with electric power