Brokopondo Reservoir

Brokopondo Reservoir is a large man-made lake in Brokopondo District in central Suriname, created in the 1960s by the construction of the Afobaka Dam for hydroelectric power. It is one of the country’s major inland water bodies and a key piece of Suriname’s energy infrastructure.

The lake is used for bulk water storage and power generation and is a base for local fishing and boat travel. Shoreline and island habitats formed after flooding support birdlife and are visited from the dam and nearby settlements. Boating from the Afobaka area is the most common way to reach lakeshore points and villages.

The reservoir was formed when the Afobaka Dam was built across the Suriname River in the 1960s to supply electricity for mining and urban centres. The flooding reshaped the local landscape and led to relocations of communities at the time.

Geographically it sits inland in central Suriname, within Brokopondo District. The dam and main access points are on the reservoir’s edge; the area around the lake is a mix of tropical forest and scattered settlements.

• Origins and access: The reservoir was created in the 1960s to provide hydroelectric power for Suriname's industry and urban areas, and the dam site is the main access point for visitors.
• Activities: Fishing, small-boat excursions and visits to nearby Maroon villages are common activities; local operators arrange boat trips from the dam area.

What to See #

• Afobaka Dam: A concrete gravity dam on the Suriname River that was completed in the 1960s and created the reservoir by blocking the river; it remains the primary hydroelectric facility linked to the lake.