TAMAULIPAS HYDROGRAPHY: MOST RELEVANT CHARACTERISTICS - GEOGRAPHY - 2025

The hydrography of Tamaulipas, state of Mexico, is distributed in four large hydrological regions: the Bravos-Conchos region, the San Fernando-Soto la Marina region, the Pánuco region and the El Salado region.

Among the most important water currents that cross the state, the Bravo, Pánuco, San Fernando (Conchos), Purificación, Guayalejo, Tamesí, San Juan, Soto la Marina and El Salado rivers stand out.

In turn, these rivers form some dams that provide drinking water to the population and are the water source that feeds the agricultural and industrial work of the state.

In relation to groundwater, 14 aquifers have been identified in the entity, three of which are overexploited. The state has an availability of 320 million cubic meters of water.

You may also be interested in the rivers of Tamaulipas.

The 4 hydrographic regions of Tamaulipas

The rivers and other sources of water in the state make up the hydrological basins of Tamaulipas.

The four major hydrographic regions of the state are detailed below:

1- Bravos-Conchos Region

This region, named with the number 24, covers 18.07% of the total surface of the state.

This region drains the waters of the north of Tamaulipas towards the Rio Grande, which empties into the Gulf of Mexico. The basins of this hydrological region are the following:

Rio Bravo-Matamoros-Reynosa basin

This basin covers 10.6% of the state territory.

Rio Bravo-San Juan basin

It covers 1.46% of the territory.

Rio Bravo-Sosa basin

Covers 1.49% of Tamaulipas.

Falcón dam-Salado river basin

This basin occupies 1.56% of the territory.

Rio Bravo-Nuevo Laredo basin

It covers 2.96% of the territory.

2- San Fernando-Soto la Marina Region

This hydrographic region, which is number 25, is the largest in Tamaulipas since it covers 55.56% of the state's surface.

It drains the waters of the center and east of the state towards the Soto la Marina and San Fernando rivers. It also contributes water to the Madre, San Andrés and Morales lagoons, which discharge their waters into the Gulf of Mexico.

Its hydrographic basins are:

San Andrés lagoon-Morales lagoon basin

This covers 8.02% of the state territory.

Soto la Marina river basin

It covers 23.93% of Tamaulipas.

Laguna Madre basin

It extends over 12.31% of the territory.

San Fernando river basin

It occupies 11.3% of the territory.

Sierra Madre Basin

It covers 5.79% of the surface of the state and drains the waters of the southwest of Tamaulipas.

This basin is an inland slope, made up of closed basins that do not have rivers or other important surface currents.

3- Pánuco Region

This region is number 26 and covers 20.58% of the surface of the state.

Drains the waters of southern Tamaulipas into the Tamesí River. The latter flows into the Pánuco river; and the Pánuco, in turn, empties into the Gulf of Mexico.

The basins of this hydrological region are:

Tamesí river basin

Covers 19.22% of the territory.

Tamuín river basin

It covers 1.36% of the state.

4- El Salado Region

This region has several bodies of water, among which are several lagoons: Madre, Champayán, Andra La Piedra, El Barril, La Nacha and Vaso Palito Blanco. It is categorized with the number 37.

The El Salado region has several dams:

- International Falcón Dam.

- Vicente Guerrero Dam.

- Spanish Republic Dam.

- Consumador Dam of National Independence.

- Marte R. Gómez Dam.

- La Patria es Primero Dam.

- Ramiro Caballero Dorantes Student Dam.

- Presa Prof. and Gral. Alberto Carrera Torres.

- Lic. Emilio Portes Gil Dam.

References

1. Hydrology of the State of Tamaulipas. Retrieved on November 9 from paratodomexico.com
2. Mexico The Geography (1994) - Conlon Silva and Wilson. Recovered from esacademic.com
3. Tamaulipas. Retrieved on November 11, 2017 from nationsencyclopedia.com
4. Cartron, Jean-Luc E and others: Biodiversity, Ecosystems and Conservation in Northern Mexico. Oxford University Press. Recovered from books.google.co.ve
5. Hydrography. historiadetamaulipas.blogspot.com
6. Tamaulipas. Consulted of inafed.gob.mx