Guaíra Falls

The Guairá Falls (Spanish: Saltos del Guairá) or Guairá Falls (Portuguese: Salto das Sete Quedas do Guaíra) were a series of huge waterfalls on the Paraná River along the border between Paraguay and Brazil. These waterfalls stopped existing in 1982 when a large lake formed behind the Itaipu Dam covered them.

The falls had 18 smaller waterfalls grouped into seven main sections, which is why they were called Sete Quedas (Seven Falls) in Portuguese. They were near the town of Guaíra, Paraná in Brazil and Salto del Guairá, the easternmost city in Paraguay. The waterfalls were formed where the Paraná River was squeezed through a narrow gorge.

At the top of the falls, the river suddenly got much narrower, from about 380 meters (1,250 feet) wide to just 60 meters (200 feet) wide. The total height of the falls was around 114 meters (375 feet), and the biggest single waterfall was 40 meters (130 feet) high. The sound of the water falling could be heard from 30 kilometers (20 miles) away.

Submergence

The Guairá Falls were a popular spot for both tourists and locals. In 1982, they were covered by a large lake created by the Itaipu Dam. This dam was built after an agreement between Paraguay and Brazil in 1973, marking a new time of teamwork between the two countries.

As the dam was being built, many people visited the falls to see them before they disappeared. Sadly, on January 17, 1982, a footbridge fell down, and many tourists were hurt.

A famous Brazilian poet, Carlos Drummond de Andrade, wrote a poem about how the falls disappeared. People also held a special event called a quarup, a ritual to remember the falls, as the water began to rise. The falls were completely covered in just 14 days during the rainy season. By October 27, 1982, the falls were gone, with only a small part of the rock sometimes visible during very dry years.