Napo River
The Napo River (Template:Langx) is a tributary to the Amazon River that rises in Ecuador on the flanks of the east Andean volcanoes of Antisana, Sincholagua and Cotopaxi.
The total length is Template:Cvt. The river drains an area of ca 103,000 km2. The mean annual discharge at Mazán Template:Cvt.<ref name="The Andes–Amazon–Atlantic pathway: A foundational hydroclimate system for social–ecological system sustainability">Template:Cite journal</ref><ref name=SedimentBudget>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="ESTUDIO BINACIONAL DE NAVEGABILIDAD DEL RÍO NAPO">Template:Cite book</ref>
Geography
[edit]
Before it reaches the plains it receives a great number of small streams from impenetrable, saturated and much broken mountainous districts, where the dense and varied vegetation seems to fight for every piece of ground. From the north it is joined by the Coca River, having its sources in the gorges of Cayambe volcano on the equator, and also a powerful river, the Aguarico having its headwaters between Cayambe and the Colombia frontier. From the west, it receives a secondary tributary, the Curaray, from the Andean slopes, between Cotopaxi and the Tungurahua volcano. From its Coca branch to the mouth of the Curaray the Napo is full of snags and shelving sandbanks and throws out numerous canoes among jungle-tangled islands, which in the wet season are flooded, giving the river an immense width. From the Coca to the Amazon it runs through a forested plain where not a hill is visible from the river - its uniformly level banks being only interrupted by swamps and lagoons. From the Amazon the Napo is navigable for river craft up to its Curaray branch, a distance of about Template:Convert, and perhaps a bit further; thence, by painful canoe navigation, its upper waters may be ascended as far as Santa Rosa, the usual point of embarkation for any venturesome traveller who descends from the Quito tableland. The Coca river may be penetrated as far up as its middle course, where it is jammed between two mountain walls, in a deep canyon, along which it dashes over high falls and numerous reefs. This is the stream made famous by the expedition of the Spanish conquistador Gonzalo Pizarro.
Hydrometric stations on the Napo River:
| Station | River kilometer (rkm) | Elevation (m) | Drainage basin
(km2) |
Average discharge
(m3/s) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| <ref name="Hydro-SHEDS">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Amazon">Template:Cite web</ref> | <ref name="SO-HYBAM">Template:Cite web</ref> | ||||
| Lower Napo | |||||
| Francisco de Orellana | 0 | 78 | 103,307.79 | 7,147.8 | 6,611 |
| Mazán | 79.76 | 85 | 100,518 | 7,033 | 6,464.5 |
| Bellavista | 194.51 | 105 | 90,305.3 | 6,416.1 | – |
| Santa Clotilde | 256.24 | 113 | 85,770 | 6,124.4 | 5,700 |
| Campo Serio | 421.35 | 140 | 50,342.9 | 3,430.3 | – |
| Cabo Pantoja | 546.8 | 166 | 44,698.2 | 3,007.5 | 3,280 |
| Nuevo Rocafuerte | 574.1 | 173 | 27,489.4 | 1,937.3 | 2,032 |
| Pañacocha | 673 | 203 | 21,731.4 | 1,552.1 | – |
| Upper Napo | |||||
| Puerto Francisco de Orellana | 782 | 243 | 12,343 | 1,016 | 1,105 |
| Puerto Napo | 950 | 427 | 4,182.4 | 260.9 | 377.6 |
Discharge
[edit]Napo River at Bellavista average (Q), dominante (Qd) discharge (m3/s) and sediment load (S – million ton/year). Period from 1991/09–2009/08:
| Water year | Q | S | Qd | Water year | Q | S | Qd |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1991/1992 | 5,667 | 28.608 | 6,009 | 2001/2002 | 5,979 | 32.431 | 6,335 |
| 1992/1993 | 7,104 | 47.718 | 7,447 | 2002/2003 | 5,669 | 32.154 | 6,312 |
| 1993/1994 | 8,013 | 67.159 | 8,583 | 2003/2004 | 6,148 | 41.916 | 7,054 |
| 1994/1995 | 6,055 | 34.801 | 6,525 | 2004/2005 | 6,456 | 37.953 | 6,767 |
| 1995/1996 | 5,956 | 34.017 | 6,463 | 2005/2006 | 6,143 | 34.77 | 6,523 |
| 1996/1997 | 6,262 | 38.258 | 6,790 | 2006/2007 | 6,535 | 40.344 | 6,942 |
| 1997/1998 | 9,839 | 105.956 | 10,354 | 2007/2008 | 6,615 | 40.832 | 6,977 |
| 1998/1999 | 6,839 | 51.48 | 7,686 | 2008/2009 | 7,428 | 52.504 | 7,749 |
| 1999/2000 | 6,725 | 49.735 | 7,576 | ||||
| 2000/2001 | 6,452 | 38.527 | 6,810 | Average | 6,660 | 44.953 | 7,161 |
<ref name="ESTUDIO BINACIONAL DE NAVEGABILIDAD DEL RÍO NAPO">Template:Cite book</ref>
Napo River at Bellavista average, minimum and maximum discharge (m3/s). Period from 2009/09 to 2023/08:
| Water year | Mean | Min | Max | Water year | Mean | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2009/2010 | 7,177 | 2016/2017 | 7,273.6 | 3,200 | 11,150 | ||
| 2010/2011 | 5,768.2 | 1,649 | 10,860 | 2017/2018 | 7,284 | 1,550 | 13,500 |
| 2011/2012 | 7,447.4 | 2,894 | 12,230 | 2018/2019 | 8,234 | 2,850 | 12,200 |
| 2012/2013 | 7,452.7 | 3,102 | 11,230 | 2019/2020 | 8,100 | 3,100 | 12,700 |
| 2013/2014 | 8,652 | 3,230 | 13,700 | 2020/2021 | 8,410 | 3,620 | 14,000 |
| 2014/2015 | 9,336 | 4,810 | 13,450 | 2021/2022 | 6,855 | 2,078 | 13,500 |
| 2015/2016 | 5,761 | 498.6 | 10,200 | 2022/2023 | 5,849 | 1,201 | 15,200 |
Minimum 498.6 m3/s (2016/02); Maximum: 15,820 m3/s (2015/07);<ref name="Reportes hidrológicos">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Senamhi">Template:Cite web</ref>
Napo River at Bellavista average, maximum, minimum and multiannual average (normal) discharge (m3/s) and anomaly (%):
| Mean | Max | Min | Normal | (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010/09 – 2011/08 | |||||
| SEP | 2,620.5 | 3,089 | 1,969 | 5,121.2 | –49 |
| OCT | 2,413.5 | 3,061 | 1,649 | 4,898.6 | –51 |
| NOV | 3,818.7 | 4,778 | 2,696 | 5,595.1 | –32 |
| DEC | 4,774.1 | 6,240 | 4,148 | 5,660.6 | –16 |
| JAN | 3,604.2 | 5,001 | 2,174 | 4,580.7 | –21 |
| FEB | 2,480.7 | 3,478 | 1,920 | 4,386.9 | –43 |
| MAR | 4,753.4 | 7,127 | 3,790 | 5,824.1 | –18 |
| APR | 9,206.8 | 10,240 | 7,865 | 7,502.4 | 23 |
| MAY | 9,561.5 | 10,040 | 8,348 | 8,941.3 | 7 |
| JUN | 10,193.8 | 10,860 | 8,821 | 9,422.9 | 8 |
| JUL | 9,846.3 | 10,590 | 7,904 | 8,844.7 | 11 |
| AUG | 5,944.6 | 8,658 | 3,758 | 6,610.8 | –10 |
| Mean | 5,768.2 | 6,930 | 4,587 | 6,449.1 | –12 |
| 2011/09 – 2012/08 | |||||
| SEP | 4,551.3 | 5,441 | 3,757 | 5,121.2 | 11 |
| OCT | 5,344.9 | 6,995 | 2,894 | 4,898.6 | 9 |
| NOV | 4,427 | 6,878 | 3,023 | 5,595.1 | –21 |
| DEC | 6,536.8 | 9,160 | 5,205 | 5,660.6 | 15 |
| JAN | 7,998.7 | 9,501 | 4,868 | 4,580.7 | 75 |
| FEB | 6,536.8 | 8,302 | 5,155 | 4,386.9 | 49 |
| MAR | 9,557.2 | 12,150 | 5,417 | 5,824.1 | 64 |
| APR | 11,843.7 | 12,230 | 10,870 | 7,502.4 | 58 |
| MAY | 10,322.7 | 10,790 | 9,702 | 8,941.3 | 15 |
| JUN | 8,878.8 | 9,961 | 7,011 | 9,422.9 | –6 |
| JUL | 8,189.3 | 9,228 | 7,197 | 8,844.7 | –7 |
| AUG | 5,182 | 7,605 | 3,975 | 6,612.4 | –22 |
| Mean | 7,447.4 | 9,020 | 5,756 | 6,449.2 | 15.5 |
| 2012/09 – 2013/08 | |||||
| SEP | 5,037 | 7,822 | 3,249 | 5,096 | –1 |
| OCT | 5,113 | 6,457 | 4,632 | 4,918 | 4 |
| NOV | 4,130 | 5,660 | 3,102 | 5,567 | –26 |
| DEC | 4,755 | 6,838 | 3,568 | 5,698 | –17 |
| JAN | 7,589 | 9,183 | 3,854 | 4,723 | 61 |
| FEB | 5,851 | 9,071 | 4,170 | 4,465 | 31 |
| MAR | 10,060 | 10,740 | 9,127 | 5,973 | 68 |
| APR | 9,405 | 10610 | 8,675 | 7,683 | 22 |
| MAY | 8,322 | 10,570 | 6,932 | 8,999 | –8 |
| JUN | 10,495 | 11,230 | 9,743 | 9,400 | 12 |
| JUL | 9,675 | 10,410 | 8,402 | 8,817 | 10 |
| AUG | 9,001 | 9,776 | 8,386 | 6,551 | 37 |
| Mean | 7,452.7 | 9,030 | 6,153 | 6,490.8 | 15 |
<ref name="EVALUACIÓN HIDROLÓGICA DE LAS CUENCAS AMAZÓNICAS PERUANAS – OCTUBRE 2011">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="EVALUACIÓN HIDROLÓGICA DE LAS CUENCAS AMAZÓNICAS PERUANAS – OCTUBRE 2012">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="BOLETIN EXTRAORDINARIO DE LA EVALUACIÓN HIDROLÓGICA Y PLUVIOMÉTRICA EN LA CUENCA AMAZÓNICA PERUANA – AGOSTO 2013">Template:Cite web</ref>
| Period | Discharge | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Francisco de Orellana
(near mouth) | ||
| 2010–2015 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="An index concentration method for suspended load monitoring in large rivers of the Amazonian foreland">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| Template:Cvt | <ref name="CONTINENTAL SCALE MODELS OF WATER BALANCE AND FLUVIAL TRANSPORT: AN APPLICATIONS TO SOUTH AMERICA">Template:Cite book</ref> | |
| 1971–2000 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="Amazon">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| Template:Cvt | <ref name="Oficina Nacional de Evaluación de Recursos Naturales (ONERN)">Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| Template:Cvt | <ref name="Empresa de Electricidad del Perú S.A.-ELECTROPERU-Plataforma del Estado Peruano">Template:Cite web</ref> | |
| Bellavista (Mazán) | ||
| 1930–2006 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="HYBAM">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 1981–2020 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="The Andes–Amazon–Atlantic pathway: A foundational hydroclimate system for social–ecological system sustainability">Template:Cite journal</ref> |
| 1989–2010 | Template:Cvt
(Q–dominante: Template:Cvt |
<ref name="Hydrodynamic and sediment transport modeling in a bend of napo amazonian river: Morphodynamics and infrastructure implications">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| 1991–2009 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="ESTUDIO BINACIONAL DE NAVEGABILIDAD DEL RÍO NAPO">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| 1997–2015 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="Assessing the performance of global hydrological models for capturing peak river flows in the Amazon basin">Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2000–2011 | Template:Cvt | <ref name=LineaAmbiental>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2001–2012 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="Preliminary Analysis of Potential for River Hydrokinetic Energy Technologies in the Amazon Basin">Template:Cite journal</ref> |
| 2001–2009 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="ESTUDIO BINACIONAL DE NAVEGABILIDAD DEL RÍO NAPO">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| 2002–2008 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="Chemical weathering and atmospheric/soil CO2 uptake in the Andean and Foreland Amazon basins">Template:Cite journal</ref> |
| 2003–2009 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="Modelado hidrológico distribuido de la cuenca amazónica peruana utilizando precipitación obtenida por satélite">Template:Cite book</ref> |
| 2004–2010 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="Suspended sediment dynamics in the Amazon River of Peru">Template:Cite journal</ref> |
| 2001–2005 | Template:Cvt | <ref name=SedimentBudget>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2004–2006 | Template:Cvt | <ref name=SedimentBudget>Template:Cite web</ref> |
| 2016–2017 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="Hydrological modeling of the Peruvian-Ecuadorian Amazon Basin using GPM-IMERG satellite-based precipitation dataset">Template:Cite journal</ref> |
| 1971–2000 | Template:Cvt | <ref name="Amazon">Template:Cite web</ref> |
Tributaries
[edit]List of the major tributaries of the Napo River (from the mouth upwards):
| Left
tributary |
Right
tributary |
Length (km) | Basin size (km2) | *Average discharge (m3/s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Napo | 1,089.03 | 103,307.79 | 7,147.8 | |
| Lower Napo | ||||
| Sucusari | 590.7 | 39.8 | ||
| Mazán | 509.11 | 7,721.3 | 532.9 | |
| Yanayaçu | 1,340 | 89 | ||
| Zapote | 140.8 | 9.3 | ||
| Papaya | 278 | 17.5 | ||
| Tacshacuraray | 203.1 | 2,760.5 | 196.5 | |
| Huirina | 610 | 33.2 | ||
| Tamboryaçu | 4,958 | 327.2 | ||
| Pucara | 827 | 50.4 | ||
| Curaray | 772.77 | 26,704.7 | 2,044.4 | |
| Tarapoto | 679 | 46.1 | ||
| Gomez | 424.8 | 32.6 | ||
| Loro Caparin | 794.1 | 61.8 | ||
| Anshiri | 2,682.5 | 202.1 | ||
| Santa Maria | 1,471.5 | 107.8 | ||
| Aguarico | 502.5 | 13,404.5 | 889.3 | |
| Yasuní | 238.5 | 3,386.8 | 237.7 | |
| Tiputini | 380.4 | 4,423.1 | 320.2 | |
| Huiririma | 13.2 | |||
| Cariyuturi | 253.5 | 18.3 | ||
| Pañyaçu | 80 | 876.7 | 68.4 | |
| Indillana | 71.8 | 636.3 | 51.5 | |
| Itaya | 120.6 | 9.6 | ||
| Jivino | 121.7 | 707.9 | 56 | |
| Blanco | 249 | 17.6 | ||
| Coca | 245.1 | 5,308.1 | 338.9 | |
| Upper Napo | ||||
| Payamino | 110.4 | 2,012.6 | 171.2 | |
| Suyunoyaçu | 198.8 | 16.8 | ||
| Suno | 96.7 | 1,891.4 | 161.2 | |
| Arajuno | 835.9 | 97.9 | ||
| Pusuno | 160.2 | 15.2 | ||
| Misahuallí | 68.7 | 1,659.6 | 170.6 | |
| Jatunyaçu | 107 | 3,221.2 | 302.7 | |
| Anzu | 69.7 | 817.1 | 75 | |
*Period: 1971–2000<ref name="Amazon">Template:Cite web</ref>