Billings Reservoir

The biggest man-made lake in South America is Billings Reservoir, a reservoir in the Brazilian state of Sao Paulo. It has a 2,500 square kilometer surface area. It is a big man-made lake that was built between 1955 and 1960 to replace the several rivers that originally ran through the area and give water to the So Paulo metropolitan area.

One of the world's largest reservoirs, it is a part of the Cantareira system. It has a surface area of 1,700 square kilometers and receives water from the Paraná River through three power facilities.

Fishing enthusiasts frequently visit Billings Reservoir. Several fish species, including Brook Trout, Dolly Varden, and Rainbow Trout, reside in the reservoir. Another well-known resident is the North American brown pelican (Pelecanus Chihiro). These bird species are considered to be aquatic. Despite efforts to stop the growth of encroaching informal settlements, protecting the Guarapiranga-Billings reservoir in the South of So Paulo remains a difficult task.

Location: São Paulo, Brazil