The Pontal area at the Abaeté River mouth is an important spawning site for fish.

[6] Several of the largest diamonds found in Brazil originated here, though medium or low quality stones are more common.

[7] A diamond, known as the Abaeté brilliant, was discovered in the river in 1791 whilst a group of men were searching for gold.

The project envisaged control of the flow of the river through flood storage, improving its navigability, providing irrigation, generating hydroelectric power to supply for the development of industry and other uses.

The reservoir or the lake formed by the dam, known as the "Sweet Sea of Minas", has 21 billion cubic meters of water, a surface area of 1,040 square kilometres (400 sq mi)(8.7 times greater than Guanabara Bay), and provides water to 8 municipalities; one of the many islands formed in the lake is an ecological station; the Estação Ecologica de Pirapitinga.