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Structure of Nova Camará, in Alagoa Grande, undergoes emergency repairs after recording the highest water volume since the reconstruction completed in 2012, reigniting alert among residents of the region.
The Nova Camará Dam, located in the municipality of Alagoa Grande, in the interior of Paraíba, returned to the spotlight after reaching the highest recorded water volume since its reconstruction, completed in 2012. The information was released on May 15, 2026, by the g1 Paraíba portal, with official data from the Executive Agency for Water Management of the State of Paraíba (Aesa).
Furthermore, technical teams began repair and preventive monitoring works on the structure after leaks were identified at specific points of the dam. The case quickly raised concern among residents of the region, mainly because Nova Camará carries an extremely delicate history.
The old dam broke more than 20 years ago and caused a tragedy that left five dead, in addition to causing destruction in several cities in Paraíba. Now, although state agencies claim there is no imminent risk of rupture, the significant increase in water volume has reignited the debate on water security and structural monitoring of dams in Brazil.
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According to Aesa, the repairs follow the guidelines provided in the National Dam Safety Policy, which establishes technical protocols for accident prevention and continuous monitoring of these structures.
Nova Camará reaches highest water volume since dam reconstruction
According to the data released by the Executive Agency for Water Management of Paraíba, the Nova Camará Dam currently operates at about 50% of its total storage capacity.
The number is noteworthy because it represents the highest volume ever recorded since the reconstruction of the structure in 2012. The dam has the capacity to store more than 26 million cubic meters of water.
Additionally, technicians from the Secretariat of Infrastructure and Water Resources of Paraíba conducted on-site inspections to assess the leakage points recently identified.
According to the responsible teams, the areas where water is leaking are part of specific sections of the original dam construction. During the reconstruction work, parts of the concrete were removed for technical quality and structural resistance tests.
Now, as explained by the engineers involved in the process, these spaces will be filled with appropriate materials for sealing and structural reinforcement.
The official forecast is that the work will be completed in approximately one week.
Meanwhile, videos showing the dam circulating on social media have further increased concern among residents of Paraíba. The images quickly went viral and raised doubts about the safety of the structure.
Nova Camará Tragedy is still remembered in Paraíba after more than 20 years
The concern involving the Nova Camará Dam is not by chance. The structure was marked in the history of Paraíba after the rupture of the old dam, which occurred more than two decades ago.
At the time, the disaster caused five deaths and resulted in enormous material damage in cities in the region. The episode entered the collective memory of residents as one of the greatest tragedies involving water infrastructure in the state.
Therefore, any news related to the dam usually generates a strong reaction among the local population.
Currently, the wall of the Nova Camará Dam is 43 meters high and has more than 130 tons of concrete, according to information released by TV Cabo Branco and reproduced by g1 Paraíba.
Furthermore, the reconstruction carried out in 2012 brought new safety protocols, continuous monitoring, and structural reinforcement. Even so, experts explain that works of this size require permanent maintenance, especially during periods of heavy rain and significant increases in stored volume.
In this sense, technicians emphasize that small infiltrations or leaks do not always indicate immediate structural risk. In many cases, these phenomena are part of the natural behavior of large dams and only require proper monitoring.
Even so, state authorities decided to act quickly to prevent any worsening of the situation.
Government of Paraíba reinforces preventive monitoring of the structure
According to information released by Aesa, the monitoring of the Nova Camará Dam will continue to be carried out constantly during and after the completion of the works.
In addition, technical teams continue to monitor the reservoir’s behavior in real-time, especially after the significant increase in water volume recorded in recent weeks.
The National Dam Safety Policy requires that structures of this size undergo periodic evaluations to reduce risks and ensure the safety of the population.
Meanwhile, the Government of Paraíba tries to reassure the residents of the region by stating that the repairs are preventive in nature and that there is, so far, no indication of risk of rupture.
Even so, the case reignites a national debate about dam maintenance, investments in water infrastructure, and prevention of tragedies involving reservoirs.
As published by the portal g1 Paraíba on May 15, 2026, the interventions carried out in Nova Camará aim precisely to avoid future problems and ensure the operational stability of the dam in the face of the largest volume of water recorded since its reconstruction.
In this scenario, residents closely follow the next steps of the technical teams while memories of the past tragedy still remain vivid in the memory of the Paraíba population.
What is being done at the Nova Camará Dam
The ongoing works include:
- technical monitoring of the structure;
- inspection of leakage points;
- application of sealing material;
- filling of spaces in the concrete;
- preventive reinforcement of the dam;
- monitoring of the increase in water volume.
Furthermore, state agencies state that new evaluations may be carried out if the reservoir level continues to rise over the coming weeks.
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