Açude Taquara is a large reservoir in the municipality of Cariré, in the northern region of Ceará, Brazil. It sits on the upper course of the Rio Jaibaras, a left-bank tributary of the Rio Acaraú. The dam axis is located approximately 1.5 km from the district of Arariús, at coordinates roughly 3°53'S, 40°30'W. Construction began in 2008 and was completed in March 2012, carried out by the Departamento Nacional de Obras Contra as Secas (DNOCS). The reservoir has a total storage capacity of approximately 274 to 320 million cubic meters, making it the second largest reservoir in the northern region of Ceará. It also incorporates a small hydroelectric plant with a generating capacity of 860 kilowatts, operated by the Companhia de Gestão dos Recursos Hídricos.

Access from Fortaleza is via the BR-222 highway to Sobral, then the CE-071 toward Cariré (approximately 36 km), followed by a 15 km unpaved road to Arariús. This final stretch is a rough track that becomes submerged when the reservoir reaches high water levels, which can isolate the district of Arariús entirely. Paddlers should be aware of this access limitation during periods of high rainfall and elevated water levels.

One water quality concern is eutrophication, resulting from incomplete clearing of vegetation in the reservoir basin prior to filling. Submerged organic matter can affect water quality, and this is a factor worth considering for any water-contact activities. The reservoir has never reached its full storage volume since construction, indicating that water levels vary considerably depending on seasonal rainfall patterns in the semi-arid region.

The surrounding landscape is characteristic of the Ceará semi-arid interior, and the reservoir serves primarily as a water supply and agricultural resource for Cariré and neighboring municipalities including Mucambo and Pacujá. No specific paddling infrastructure, designated launch points, or paddling regulations exist for this reservoir.