Aconcagua River

river in Chile

The Aconcagua River is a river that flows from east to west through the Valparaíso region in north central Chile and flows into the Pacific Ocean 20 km (12 mi) north of Valparaíso.

Aconcagua River
Location
CountryChile
Physical characteristics
Source 
 - elevation1,430 m (4,690 ft)[1]
Mouth 
 - locationPacific Ocean
Length142 km (88 mi)[2]
Basin size7,340 km2 (2,830 sq mi)[1]

Although it has the same name, the Aconcagua river does not starts in the slopes of Aconcagua, which is in Argentina about 20 km (12 mi) from the beginning of the river, in Chilean territory.

Geography

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The Aconcagua river through La Calera

The Aconcagua river has a length of 142 km (88 mi), and a drainage basin with an area of approximately 7,340 km2 (2,834 sq mi).[1]

Course

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The Aconcagua river starts on the Andes at an elevation of about 1,430 m (4,692 ft), at the confluence of two rivers:[1]

  • Juncal river, that starts in the Nevado Juncal mountain; it is 35 km (22 mi) long.
  • Blanco river, that is 15 km (9 mi) long.

From its start, the river flows through the Aconcagua valley. Before the city of Los Andes, the river is joined, as a right tributary, by the Colorado river, 58 km (36 mi) long, and then, after the city of San Felipe, by the Putaendo river, also a right tributary with a length of 34 km (21 mi).[1]

The river keeps flowing to the west, running through the cities of La Calera and Quillota, in the Quillota province. Finally, the Aconcagua river flows in the Pacific Ocean at the city of Concón, in the Valparaíso province.

Main tributaries

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The main tributaries of the Aconcagua river are:

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References

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  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 "Cuenca del río Aconcagua" (PDF) (in Spanish). Ministerio de Obras Públicas - Dirección General de Aguas. December 2004. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 August 2010. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
  2. "Cuenca del Río Aconcagua". Diagnóstico y Clasificación de los Cursos y Cuerpos de Agua según Objetivos de Calidad. Dirección General de Aguas. 2004. Archived from the original on 1 December 2013. Retrieved 14 February 2013.

Other websites

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