The Guaviare is a tributary of the Orinoco in Colombia. It flows together with the upper Orinoco (until here also called Río Parágua), which it clearly surpasses in length (altogether about 1,760 km) and water flow. Thus, the Guaviare is hydrologically the main stream of the Orinoco system.[1]
| Guaviare | |
|---|---|
 The Guaviare River as seen from the air | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Country | Colombia |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Confluence of Ariari and Guayabero Rivers |
| • coordinates | 2°34′52.9212″N 72°46′17.0328″W / 2.581367000°N 72.771398000°W |
| • elevation | 178 m (584 ft) |
| 2nd source | Ariari |
| • location | Cordillera Oriental |
| • coordinates | 3°54′31.698″N 74°6′30.2004″W / 3.90880500°N 74.108389000°W |
| • elevation | 4,040 m (13,250 ft) |
| 3rd source | Guayabero |
| • location | Cordillera Oriental |
| • coordinates | 3°31′36.5952″N 74°28′27.3684″W / 3.526832000°N 74.474269000°W |
| • elevation | 3,080 m (10,100 ft) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Orinoco |
• coordinates | 4°4′26.5656″N 67°43′14.8008″W / 4.074046000°N 67.720778000°W |
• elevation | 77 m (253 ft) |
| Length | Guaviare–Guayabero 1,760 km (1,090 mi)[1] |
| Basin size | 151,606.9 km2 (58,535.8 sq mi)[4] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Near mouth |
| • average | (Period: 1926–2011)7,529 m3/s (265,900 cu ft/s)[2] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | Coayare (3°57′30.3876″N 67°50′5.748″W / 3.958441000°N 67.83493000°W; Basin size: 138,899.1 km2 (53,629.2 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1985–2015)6,778.9 m3/s (239,390 cu ft/s)[3] |
| • minimum | (Year: 1994)826 m3/s (29,200 cu ft/s)[3] |
| • maximum | (Year: 1988)15,906 m3/s (561,700 cu ft/s)[3] |
| Discharge | |
| • location | San José del Guaviare (Basin size: 36,287.3 km2 (14,010.6 sq mi) |
| • average | (Period: 1971–2000)1,594.8 m3/s (56,320 cu ft/s)[4] |
| Basin features | |
| Progression | Orinoco → Atlantic Ocean |
| River system | Orinoco River |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Ariari, Caño El Melón, Ovejas, Caño Jabón, Siare, Iteviare, Caño Cumaral, Uvá |
| • right | Guayabero, Caño Macú, Caño Araguato, Caño Mina, Caño Minisiare, Inírida, Atabapo |
The Guaviare has its source in two other rivers, the Ariari and the Guayabero, which in turn have their own sources in the eastern part of the Andes. At 1,760 km (1,090 mi) long, it is the longest tributary of the Orinoco and is navigable for 630 km (390 mi) of its total length. The Guaviare is considered the border between the Llanos and the Amazon Rainforest. Its main tributary is the Inírida River.
Discharge
editAverage, minimum and maximum discharge at Coayare (Guayare), 3°57′30.3876″N 67°50′5.748″W / 3.958441000°N 67.83493000°W (Lower Guaviare). Period: 1985–2015.
| Year | Discharge (m3/s) | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Min | Mean | Max | |
| 1985 | 1,206.5 | 6,426.17 | 12,716 |
| 1986 | 2,006.7 | 6,687.58 | 12,885 |
| 1987 | 1,620.4 | 7,063.17 | 12,664 |
| 1988 | 2,140 | 6,415.83 | 15,906 |
| 1989 | 2,674 | 6,843.67 | 15,800 |
| 1990 | 2,237 | 7,433.17 | 15,274 |
| 1991 | 850 | 6,999.33 | 14,910 |
| 1992 | 964 | 5,893.83 | 13,866 |
| 1993 | 1,031 | 7,613.92 | 13,229 |
| 1994 | 826 | 7,025.67 | 13,722 |
| 1995 | 1,663 | 6,014.08 | 12,689 |
| 1996 | 1,565 | 6,928.83 | 13,413 |
| 1997 | 2,232 | 6,634.5 | 11,841 |
| 1998 | 2,342 | 7,370.42 | 13,281 |
| 1999 | 2,775 | 7,311.92 | 11,574 |
| 2000 | 1,605 | 6,894.33 | 14,291 |
| 2001 | 1,835 | 6,289.17 | 14,500 |
| 2002 | 1,081 | 5,716.25 | 13,978 |
| 2003 | 921.1 | 7,002.83 | 13,319 |
| 2004 | 938.8 | 7,087.42 | 14,483 |
| 2005 | 1,381 | 6,411.08 | 14,500 |
| 2006 | 1,598 | 7,227 | 14,256 |
| 2007 | 962.4 | 7,149.92 | 14,201 |
| 2008 | 1,177 | 6,649.83 | 13,860 |
| 2009 | 1,795 | 5,806.42 | 14,465 |
| 2010 | 891.6 | 6,587.75 | 13,270 |
| 2011 | 1,356 | 7,036 | 13,030 |
| 2012 | 1,780 | 7,183.33 | 15,157 |
| 2013 | 1,111 | 6,941.17 | 14,100 |
| 2014 | 1,016 | 7,050.83 | 14,830 |
| 2015 | 1,613 | 6,449.67 | 14,500 |
| Avg. | 1,522.4 | 6,778.9 | 13,877.4 |
Average discharge
| Period | Discharge | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Near mouth
4°4′26.5656″N 67°43′14.8008″W / 4.074046000°N 67.720778000°W | ||
| 1926–2011 | 7,529 m3/s (265,900 cu ft/s) | [2] |
| 1971–2000 | 8,157.9 m3/s (288,090 cu ft/s) | [4] |
| 1974–2008 | 8,416 m3/s (297,200 cu ft/s) | [5] |
| 7,400 m3/s (260,000 cu ft/s)
8,200 m3/s (290,000 cu ft/s) |
||
| Coayare (Guayare)
3°57′30.3876″N 67°50′5.748″W / 3.958441000°N 67.83493000°W | ||
| 1971–2000 | 7,254.9 m3/s (256,200 cu ft/s) | [4] |
| 1991–2020 | 7,389 m3/s (260,900 cu ft/s) | [6] |
| 1985–2015 | 6,778.9 m3/s (239,390 cu ft/s) | [3] |
| 6,700 m3/s (240,000 cu ft/s) | ||
| 6,887 m3/s (243,200 cu ft/s) | ||
| San José del Guaviare | ||
| 1971–2000 | 1,594.8 m3/s (56,320 cu ft/s) | [4] |
| 1,930 m3/s (68,000 cu ft/s) | ||
Sediment load at mouth ca 30 million ton/year.[7]
Tributaries
editThe main tributaries from the mouth:[4]
| Left
tributary |
Right
tributary |
Length
(km) |
Basin size
(km2) |
*Average discharge
(m3/s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guaviare | 1,760 | 151,606.9 | 8,157.9 | |
| Lower Guaviare | ||||
| Atabapo | 185 | 12,531.3 | 895 | |
| Inírida | 1,419 | 53,816.9 | 2,948.4 | |
| Uvá | 14,813.9 | 782.6 | ||
| Middle Guaviare | ||||
| Caño Minisiare | 2,335.5 | 119.3 | ||
| Caño Mina | 381.9 | 20 | ||
| Caño Cumaral | 391.5 | 21.3 | ||
| Iteviare | 4,618 | 221.3 | ||
| Siare | 4,574.5 | 197.9 | ||
| Caño Araguato | 712.3 | 38.5 | ||
| Caño Macú | 781.1 | 37 | ||
| Caño Yamus | 433 | 18.3 | ||
| Caño Jabón | 1,246.7 | 57.3 | ||
| Ovejas | 1,639.1 | 88.1 | ||
| Caño El Melón | 775.9 | 41 | ||
| Upper Guaviare | ||||
| Ariari | 11,638.6 | 600.3 | ||
| Guayabero | 540 | 24,345.9 | 986.2 | |
*1971–2000
References
edit- ^ a b Silva León, Gustavo. "La cuenca del río Orinoco: visión hidrográfica y balance hídrico". Revista Geográfica Venezolana. 46 (1) 2005: 75–108.
- ^ a b José Rafael, Córdova; Marcelo González, Sanabria. La geografía del agua (PDF).
- ^ a b c d e Aldebaran Antonio, Atencio Pachon; Nicolás Enciso, Sepúlveda; Luis Eduardo, Pulido Cetina (2018). EVALUACIÓN DE LAS TENDENCIAS DE LOS CAUDALES MEDIOS, MÍNIMOS Y MÁXIMOS DEL RIO GUAVIARE, DEPARTAMENTO DEL GUAVIARE, EN COLOMBIA (PDF).
- ^ a b c d e f "Orinoco".
- ^ Félix Dario, Sánchez; Martha, García; Omar, Jaramillo; Nelsy, Verdugo (2010). Estudio Nacional del Agua 2010. ISBN 978-958-8067-32-2.
- ^ ESTUDIO NACIONAL DEL AGUA 2022 (PDF). 2023. ISBN 978-958-5489-12-7.
- ^ Robert H., Meade (1994). SUSPENDED SEDIMENTS OF THE MODERN AMAZON AND ORINOCO RIVERS. Vol. 21. p. 29-39.
- The information in this article is based on a translation of its German equivalent.
External links
edit4°02′34″N 67°42′41″W / 4.0427°N 67.7115°W
