Among the rivers of Cundinamarca, the Magdalena, Bogotá, Sumapaz, Guavio, Bojacá, Ubaté, Teusacá, Panches, Fucha, Cuja, Soacha and Tunjuelo rivers stand out.
The three most important rivers in Cundinamarca are the Magdalena, the Bogotá and the Sumapaz. Some have made significant contributions to trade, others are tourist attractions, and others are among the most polluted in the world.
Cundinamarca is located in the center of Colombia in the Andean region and its capital is Bogotá.
You may also be interested in the relief of Cundinamarca.
The 3 main rivers of Cundinamarca
1- Magdalena River
The Magdalena River is considered the most important fluvial artery that crosses the state of Cundinamarca and eleven other departments of Colombia.
It is located to the west of the state by the port of Girardot. Since pre-Columbian times it was a navigation route that connected a large part of Colombia.
It was also an important route for the transportation of coffee. It is known to be an important point for fishing.
Among the most important aquatic species of the 209 that inhabit this river are catfish, salmon, trout, carp, coporos and even bull sharks.
2- Bogotá River
The Bogotá River, second in importance in Cundinamarca, is not navigable or mighty like the Magdalena River, but it is the main river channel of the Bogotá Sabana.
The river basin is home to about eight million people. This made this river become in the last fifty years one of the most polluted in the world.
One of the most visited natural tourist attractions in Cundinamarca emerges from the Bogotá River: the Tequendama Falls. It is a 157-meter waterfall that is located about 30 kilometers from Bogotá.
Other important tributaries such as the Guavio, Fucha, Tunjuelo and Ubaté flow into the Bogotá River.
3- Sumapaz River
The third river of importance for the department of Cundinamarca is the Sumapaz, which runs through the entire southern part of the department.
Its original name was Fusagasugá, but later its identity was changed to link it to the Páramo in which it was born.
The Sumapaz River is one of the main tourist attractions of Cundinamarca because adventure sports such as rafting are carried out in its channel, which attracts tourists from all over Colombia.
This has also led to a growth in the tourist and hotel offer attached to the areas through which the river bed passes.
Due to the importance of the flow of the Sumapaz River, Italian electricity generation companies have carried out studies to establish eight hydroelectric plants, covering 50 kilometers of this river's route within the department of Cundinamarca.
Due to the use of its waters and the economic contribution that can be extracted from it, the Sumapaz constitutes a great promise for the department of Cundinamarca.
References
- M, Quesada; C, Caviedes (1992). Characteristics of some rivers in Colombia. Washington: Pan American Institute of Geography and history. Retrieved on November 17, 2017 from: jstor.org
- Cundinamarca hydrographic basins. Retrieved on November 17, 2017 from: institutodeestudiosurbanos.info
- Walker, A. (nd). Colombia: geographical, topographic, agricultural, commercial and political relationship. London: Baldwin, Cradock & Joy. Retrieved on November 17, 2017 from: books.google.es
- Rivers of the department of Cundinamarca. Retrieved on November 17, 2017 from: es.wikipedia.org
- Cundinamarca. Retrieved on November 17, 2017 from: es.wikipedia.org