Guajataca River ( es, Río Guajataca) is a
river
A river is a natural flowing watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, sea, lake or another river. In some cases, a river flows into the ground and becomes dry at the end of its course without reaching another body of w ...
in
Lares, Puerto Rico
Lares (, ) is a mountain town and municipality of Puerto Rico's central-western area. Lares is located north of Maricao and Yauco; south of Camuy, east of San Sebastián and Las Marias; and west of Hatillo, Utuado and Adjuntas. Lares is spread ...
. It is located on the northwest coast of the island. It flows from the south and drains into the
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
. The name was given by the original
Taino inhabitants prior to the arrival of
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
* lij, Cristoffa C(or)ombo
* es, link=no, Cristóbal Colón
* pt, Cristóvão Colombo
* ca, Cristòfor (or )
* la, Christophorus Columbus. (; born between 25 August and 31 October 1451, died 20 May 1506) was a ...
.
Guajataca River has a length of approximately with its origin in the
Buenos Aires
Buenos Aires ( or ; ), officially the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires ( es, link=no, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires), is the capital and primate city of Argentina. The city is located on the western shore of the Río de la Plata, on South ...
barrio of the municipality of
Lares, Puerto Rico
Lares (, ) is a mountain town and municipality of Puerto Rico's central-western area. Lares is located north of Maricao and Yauco; south of Camuy, east of San Sebastián and Las Marias; and west of Hatillo, Utuado and Adjuntas. Lares is spread ...
at an altitude of approximately above sea level. It crosses the
municipalities
A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate.
The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...
of
Lares
Lares ( , ; archaic , singular ''Lar'') were guardian deities in ancient Roman religion. Their origin is uncertain; they may have been hero-ancestors, guardians of the hearth, fields, boundaries, or fruitfulness, or an amalgam of these.
Lare ...
,
San Sebastián,
Quebradillas, and
Isabela forming
Guajataca Lake
Guajataca Lake, or Lago Guajataca, is a reservoir of the Guajataca River created by the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority in 1929. It is located between the municipalities of San Sebastián, Quebradillas, and Isabela in Puerto Rico, and re ...
on its path.
The river also gives name to one of the principal lodgings in the area, ''
Parador
A ''parador'' (), in Spain and other Spanish-speaking countries was an establishment where travelers could seek lodging, and usually, food and drink, similar to an inn. In Spain since 1928, a Parador is a state-owned luxury hotel, usually locat ...
Guajataca''. Guajataca, sometimes spelled ''Guajataka'', is also the name of an area in the municipality of San Sebastián.
The river also carries the name and the subsequent reservoir,
Lago Guajataca, built by the
with a
dam
A dam is a barrier that stops or restricts the flow of surface water or underground streams. Reservoirs created by dams not only suppress floods but also provide water for activities such as irrigation, human consumption, industrial use ...
owned by the Puerto Rico Electrical Authority.
Many schools, businesses, and organizations, including a parador,
Guajataka Scout Reservation
Guajataka Scout Reservation or Camp Guajataka (Campamento Guajataka in Spanish), often simply referred to as Guajataka and nicknamed Santuario de Amistad ( en, Sanctuary of Friendship), is a Scout reservation of the Puerto Rico Council of the ...
, and kayak excursion company are named for the area as well.
Gallery
Ruinas de antiguo puente sobre el Rio Guajataca - panoramio (1).jpg, Ruins of an old bridge over Guajataca River
See also
*
List of rivers of Puerto Rico
A ''list'' is any set of items in a row. List or lists may also refer to:
People
* List (surname)
Organizations
* List College, an undergraduate division of the Jewish Theological Seminary of America
* SC Germania List, German rugby unio ...
References
External links
USGS Hydrologic Unit Map – Caribbean Region (1974)*
ttp://www.portadelsolpuertorico.com/guajataca.html Guajataca Photos
Rivers of Puerto Rico
Isabela, Puerto Rico
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