Yapacaní River

The Yapacaní River is a river of Bolivia, part of the Amazon River basin.. The 335 kilometres river is a tributary of the Rio Grande. The river runs northwards through the Santa Cruz Department and joins the Mamoré River.

Geography

The Yapacaní River originates in the formations of the Amboró National Park and receives water from numerous rivers and tributary streams. It arises from the confluence of the Yapacaní and Surutú at 17°24′35″S 63°50′33″W / 17.40972°S 63.84250°W / -17.40972; -63.84250. From this point the river flows northwest to its mouth in the Rio Grande at 15°58′25″S 64°31′00″W / 15.97361°S 64.51667°W / -15.97361; -64.51667.

The Yapacaní River shown as a tributary of the Mamoré River

The river forms the border between the municipalities of San Juan and Yapacaní, in Ichilo Province of the Santa Cruz Department. Today, the town of La Chancadora, which is located upstream, is threatened by the continuous flooding of the river. In 2005 work began on the river channeling the Yapacaní-Surutú. The Piraí River is a major tributary.

Economy

The river Yapacaní has economic significance because of the potential marketable fishing of some species that occur in their waters, as the .

The banks of the river have been cleared for agriculture, which has been denounced by some environmental advocacy organizations.

See also

• List of rivers of Bolivia

References

• Rand McNally, The New International Atlas, 1993.