Porto Alegre installs 8km of mobile flood barriers

Authorities in Porto Alegre have begun installing an 8-kilometer temporary flood barrier in the Guarujá neighborhood to protect the southern zone from rising water levels in the Guaíba river. The installation, managed by the Municipal Department of Water and Sewage (Dmae), utilizes the FlexMac DT system designed by the Italian company Maccaferri.

The modular structure consists of steel and double-twist hexagonal wire mesh covered with waterproof netting. These modules can be connected flexibly, stacked to increase height, or extended horizontally to meet specific needs. The Dmae invested R$ 4.1 million in the equipment, which is intended to serve as a rapid-response tool while the city seeks permanent infrastructure solutions for vulnerable areas like Parque Zeno Simon.

Mayor Sebastião Melo noted that the Guarujá neighborhood is among the lowest-lying areas and previously lacked a flood protection system. Vicente Perrone, president of Dmae, stated that the barriers are expected to remain in operation at least until the end of the El Niño phenomenon, with a reassessment scheduled for the summer.