Salto Grande dam management faces criticism over compensation asymmetry

A legislative proposal seeks to address a perceived regulatory imbalance in how the Salto Grande Hydroelectric Complex manages water levels. Currently, the Commission Técnica Mixta (CTM) provides direct compensation to landowners located upstream when water levels exceed the expropriation threshold of 35.50 meters.

However, to prevent upstream levels from rising further, the dam opens its spillways, releasing massive volumes of water downstream. This maneuver causes significant hydrological, economic, and social impacts on riverside cities, including the destruction of coastal walkways, riverbank erosion, and damage to drinking water intake systems.

The proposed law aims to create a repair and recovery fund specifically for merchants, private entrepreneurs, and sports clubs in downstream localities affected by these floods. Proponents argue that municipalities should not bear the unequal burden of river management intended to protect national electricity generation or upstream property.