With an extension of 1325m and 22 height, the earth dam is located in the Passaúna river in southern Brazil. The valley bottom, carved in biotite-gneiss rock, is filled by a alluvial kaolinitic layers, with 6m thick and interbedded with organic matter lenses. Below the alluvial sediments, a green residual soil, with 6m thick and very low undrained shear resistance (sensitive clays).

Due the 12m total depth of alluvial sediments and residual soils, the earth dam was built without removing the sensitive clays horizons, needing for this stabilizing berms up and downstream. The monitoring system has 93 instruments installed.