Argentina
November 6-29, 2009
November 23: Lago los Barreales and Proyecto Dino: Lago Los Barreales
The Cerros Colorados Complex is a group of dams and hydroelectricity generation facilities on the lower valley of the Neuquén River, in Neuquén, Argentina. 
It produces about 30% of the country's electricity. Several artificial reservoirs have been created by dams on the Limay River; the Los Barreales Reservoir is part of that complex, situated in a natural depression in Patagonia that was converted into a lake upon receiving the diverted waters of the Neuquén River.
The vegetation in the area is characteristic of the desert, and although Lago Barreales is over 30 years old, its shorelines are still very dry.
After a quick lunch in the parking lot, we decided to go for a little walk along the lake. It was a nice warm day and we had the place to ourselves. There was water, rocks and sticks so the kids had lots of fun. We discussed what we would do if we found an actual dinosaur fossil but alas, we never had a chance to find out. We didn`t find anything other than a couple of cool "oily" looking rocks, and what perhaps might have been a dinosaur footprint on a giant boulder.
A the Lago Los Barreales lookout.
A view back over to the project site from the lake lookout point.
The lab/museum/workshop. Apparently a bad storm the night before had knocked out several windows.
Some of the plants that are adapted to the almost desert-like conditions.
The kids walk back to the car so we can have lunch before taking a walk down by the lake.
Lunch in the parking lot.
The van at the dig site... we never saw la cueva de los manos with its famous hand paintings...
but now we've seen a van decorated just like it! ;-)
Samantha posing with a pretty plant.
Some insects must burrow in the ground here.
Another pretty flower.
Lago Los Barreales.
Lago Los Barreales is part of a hydro generating complex that produces almost 1/3 of Argentina's electricity.
Hmmmm, apparently this is someone's favourite place.
Is it Rubby's new favourite place?!
Samantha is going fishing... maybe she hopes to catch some aquatic dinosaurs?
Erosion along the lake shore has created little "caves".
It looks like the water level rises quite a bit in summer to create these formation.
Bird.
Pee-ka-boo!
Just one more step backwards Rubby!
With all this constant erosion, you'd think there'd be some fossils to be found...
Giant dinosaur print or just an interesting erosion pattern?
Sam votes it's a dinosaur print!
Where there's oil, there's got to be dinosaurs!
Samantha hasn't caught any fish yet.
Christopher goes to help out.
A cool bug.
A bird.
Some bizarre "oily" looking rocks that we found in the area.
Christopher with his rock collection.
Much of the land is absolutely parched and there is no sign that it rained here last night.
Colourful succulents which retain water for surviving drought conditions.
A neat looking flowering bush.
More of Sam's pictures of flora
Back at the parking lot - time to leave the cretacious time period and get back to "accomodation finding time"!
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