Guayas River
Guayas River Rio Guayas | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Ecuador |
Province | Guayas Province |
Physical characteristics | |
Mouth | |
• location | Gulf of Guayaquil, Pacific Ocean |
• coordinates | 2°39′05″S 79°54′33″W / 2.651358°S 79.909052°W |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
The Guayas River also called Rio Guayas is a major river in western Ecuador. It gives name to Guayas Province and is the most important river in South America that does not flow into the Atlantic Ocean or any of its marginal seas. Its total length, including the Daule River, is 389 km (241 mi). The Guayas River's drainage basin is 34,500 km2 (13,320 sq.mi) and it has an average discharge of 70,000 cu ft/s (1,982 m3/s). It is the national river of Ecuador and is present on the coat of arms of Ecuador.[1]
Geography
Course
The Guayas River has one of its
Delta
The Guayas River forms a very complex delta. Its most important feature is the existence of a slough called Estero Salado, surrounded by swamps and affected by tides. The area between the Guayas River and the Estero Salado forms a maze of islands, some of which have been transformed into slums. The Cobina Slough connects the Estero Salado with the river.
The main course of the river is affected by tides, and forms a small group of islands; the most important of them is Mondragón. The river then meets the Gulf of Guayaquil, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean. Its influence is noticeable in the Puná Island, and in the Jambelí Strait, in the province of El Oro.
Watershed
The Guayas River has the largest
. In collaboration with the Estero Salado, the river discharges 36 billion cubic meters of water into the Gulf of Guayaquil every year.Cities along the river
Cities along the Daule River
Cities along the Babahoyo River
Cities along the Guayas River
See also
References
- ^ "Rio Guayas". GeoNames. Retrieved July 24, 2021.