The Guaviare is a tributary of the Orinoco in Colombia. It flows together with the upper Orinoco (until here also called Río Parágua), which it clearly surpasses in length (altogether about 1,760 km) and water flow. Thus, the Guaviare is hydrologically the main stream of the Orinoco system.
The Guaviare has its source in two other rivers, the Ariari and the Guayabero, which in turn have their own sources in the eastern part of the Andes. At long, it is the longest tributary of the Orinoco and is navigable for of its total length. The Guaviare is considered the border between the Llanos and the Amazon rainforest. Its main tributary is the Inírida River.
Discharge
Average, minimum and maximum discharge at Coayare (Guayare), (Lower Guaviare). Period: 1985–2015. Year Discharge (m3/s)MinMeanMax19851,206.56,426.1712,71619862,006.76,687.5812,88519871,620.47,063.1712,66419882,1406,415.8315,90619892,6746,843.6715,80019902,2377,433.1715,27419918506,999.3314,91019929645,893.8313,86619931,0317,613.9213,22919948267,025.6713,72219951,6636,014.0812,68919961,5656,928.8313,41319972,2326,634.511,84119982,3427,370.4213,28119992,7757,311.9211,57420001,6056,894.3314,29120011,8356,289.1714,50020021,0815,716.2513,9782003921.17,002.8313,3192004938.87,087.4214,48320051,3816,411.0814,50020061,5987,22714,2562007962.47,149.9214,20120081,1776,649.8313,86020091,7955,806.4214,4652010891.66,587.7513,27020111,3567,03613,03020121,7807,183.3315,15720131,1116,941.1714,10020141,0167,050.8314,83020151,6136,449.6714,500Avg.1,522.46,778.913,877.4
Average discharge Period Discharge Ref.Near mouth1926–20111971–20001974–2008Coayare (Guayare)1971–20001991–20201985–2015San José del Guaviare1971–2000 Sediment load at mouth ca 30 million ton/year.
Tributaries
The main tributaries from the mouth: Left tributary Right tributary Length (km) Basin size (km2) *Average discharge (m3/s)Guaviare1,760151,606.98,157.9Lower GuaviareAtabapo18512,531.3895Inírida1,41953,816.92,948.4Uvá14,813.9782.6Middle GuaviareCaño Minisiare2,335.5119.3Caño Mina381.920Caño Cumaral391.521.3Iteviare4,618221.3Siare4,574.5197.9Caño Araguato712.338.5Caño Macú781.137Caño Yamus43318.3Caño Jabón1,246.757.3Ovejas1,639.188.1Caño El Melón775.941Upper GuaviareAriari11,638.6600.3Guayabero54024,345.9986.2 *1971–2000
References
The information in this article is based on a translation of its German equivalent.
External links Territorial-Environmental Information System of Colombian Amazon SIAT-AC website