The Futaleufú River, located in northern
Patagonia
Patagonia () is a geographical region that includes parts of Argentina and Chile at the southern end of South America. The region includes the southern section of the Andes mountain chain with lakes, fjords, temperate rainforests, and glaciers ...
, is one of two rivers that cross the
Argentina–Chile border
The Argentina–Chile border is the longest international border of South America and the third longest in the world after the Canada–United States border and the Kazakhstan–Russia border. With a length of , it separates Argentina from Chile a ...
. Its headwaters can be found in the glacial snow melt of the
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...
protected
Los Alerces National Park in Argentina. The
river
A river is a natural stream of fresh water that flows on land or inside Subterranean river, caves towards another body of water at a lower elevation, such as an ocean, lake, or another river. A river may run dry before reaching the end of ...
gorge drops as low as below the surrounding glaciated peaks. The name Futaleufú is an indigenous
Mapuche
The Mapuche ( , ) also known as Araucanians are a group of Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous inhabitants of south-central Chile and southwestern Argentina, including parts of Patagonia. The collective term refers to a wide-ranging e ...
word meaning "Big River". Locals refer to the valley as "un paisaje pintado por Dios" — a landscape painted by God.
Geography
The Futaleufú River is fed by a chain of lakes in the
Los Alerces National Park in
Chubut Province
Chubut ( from Tehuelche language, Tehuelche 'transparent'; ) is a provinces of Argentina, province in southern Argentina, situated between the 42nd parallel south (the border with Río Negro Province), the 46th parallel south (bordering Santa ...
, Argentina. The name, Futaleufú, is given to the river below the Futaleufú Dam and
Amutui Quimey Reservoir. The watershed drains the Southern
Andes Mountains
The Andes ( ), Andes Mountains or Andean Mountain Range (; ) are the longest continental mountain range in the world, forming a continuous highland along the western edge of South America. The range is long and wide (widest between 18°S ...
from Argentina into Chile and drains into
Yelcho Lake. From this point the river is renamed Rio Yelcho and continues to its mouth at the
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five Borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean, or, depending on the definition, to Antarctica in the south, and is ...
. From its source in Argentina, the river flows to the Chilean border and enters the
Palena Province, in
Los Lagos (X) Region. Whitewater enthusiasts generally paddle the Chilean side of the river.
During its course through Chile, the Futaleufú River has three major tributaries, the Rio Chico, the Rio Espolon, and the Rio Azul. All three major tributaries of the "Futa" can be rafted or kayaked in season, with the exception of a gorge on the Espolon called "The Devil's Throat". The Futaleufú watershed also includes several lakes including Lago Espolon, Lago Lonconao, and Lago Pinilla.
Recreation
The Futaleufú (The 'Fu' or ‘Futa’ for short) is known for its turquoise waters, a phenomenon produced by
glacial till
image:Geschiebemergel.JPG, Closeup of glacial till. Note that the larger grains (pebbles and gravel) in the till are completely surrounded by the matrix of finer material (silt and sand), and this characteristic, known as ''matrix support'', is d ...
. Every summer, the town of
Futaleufú stages an annual river festival called "Futafest". The Futaleufú and its tributary streams and lakes are also destinations for
fly fishing
Fly fishing is an angling technique that uses an ultra-lightweight lure called an artificial fly, which typically mimics small invertebrates such as flying and aquatic insects to attract and catch fish. Because the mass of the fly lure is in ...
.
The Futaleufú was first kayaked in January 1985 by Mark Allen, Phil DeReimer, Lars Holbek & Eric Magneson.
The first raft descent was attempted in 1985 by a group led by Steve Curry. The first successful raft descent was in 1991, when a group led by Eric Hertz and Chris Spelius were able to complete the entire whitewater section of the river.
Rapids
The internationally acclaimed rapids are on the Chilean side of the river. Paddlers describe the Chilean side of the Futaleufú in four distinct sections—the Upper, Middle, Lower, El Macal whitewater (Bottom), and El Macal flatwater. Rapids range in difficulty from Class II to Class V+ on the
International Scale of River Difficulty, and each section offers a unique spread of difficulty. The most difficult and dangerous is the upper section, , containing 6 class V rapids and the highly continuous “Wild Mile” class IV section. The middle contains what many consider to be the longest and most technical rapid on the river, Terminator (class V+), along with several other difficult class IV rapids. Because most of these are conducive to avoiding or portaging, however, the middle section less demanding than the upper. The lower section, , is very popular for its high-quality, continuous, class IV big water rapids, and a few class Vs. El Macal is popular with beginner paddlers for its class III rapids in the upper section, , which are a safer introduction to the Futaleufú's big water, and for its lower flatwater section, also .
Dams
Currently, the Futaleufú is dammed once near its source in Argentina and is free flowing through Chile. The Futaleufú Hydroelectric Complex in Argentina, also known as Dam Amutui Quimey, is a high embankment
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, aqua ...
with 472 megawatt generation capacity that was finished in 1978. Amutui Quimey lake, the
reservoir
A reservoir (; ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam, usually built to water storage, store fresh water, often doubling for hydroelectric power generation.
Reservoirs are created by controlling a watercourse that drains an existing body of wa ...
behind the dam, is now in place of what used to be three natural glacial lakes. After leaving the dam, the Futaleufú is free flowing for the remainder of its journey until Yelcho Lake.
The multinational corporation
Endesa proposed a large-scale
hydroelectric
Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is Electricity generation, electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies 15% of the world's electricity, almost 4,210 TWh in 2023, which is more than all other Renewable energ ...
project on the Chilean side of the Futaleufú
watershed. The Endesa proposal would have built three dams, quelling the river's free flow and covering many of the rapids with a series of reservoirs. Several Chilean as well as international non-profit organizations joined forces to fight the dam project and protect the natural areas and communities of the Futaleufú watershed, regarding the area as an international treasure. In October 2014, citing international opposition, Endesa removed the Futaleufú from its list of future projects.
Chile's extensively privatized economy has allowed Endesa to purchase water rights throughout the country—effectively owning a portion of the Futaleufú's water to use at its discretion. In addition, mining companies have filed claims to extract
mineral deposits beneath and surrounding the Futaleufú. Any such large-scale development project, hydroelectric or mining, is subject to an environmental impact assessment and permitting by the
Chilean government, which retains power to override ownership rights in the face of unacceptable impact or risk. This legal tool has been used to halt projects elsewhere in the past, but the policy implications of a would-be impact assessment in the Futaleufú watershed remain unclear.
Usage conflicts
The Futaleufú area of Palena District Chile, is rich in natural resources of timber, water,
precious metal
Precious metals are rare, naturally occurring metallic chemical elements of high Value (economics), economic value. Precious metals, particularly the noble metals, are more corrosion resistant and less reactivity (chemistry), chemically reac ...
, and natural scenery that attract competing interests concerning utilization. This predominantly rural region relies on small-scale agriculture and fisheries as its principal industries, and currently ranks among Chile's lowest in economic performance.
Adventure travel
Adventure travel is a type of tourism, involving exploration or travel with a certain degree of risk (real or perceived), and which may require special skills and physical exertion. In the United States, adventure tourism has seen growth in l ...
and
ecotourism
Ecotourism is a form of nature-oriented tourism intended to contribute to the Ecological conservation, conservation of the natural environment, generally defined as being minimally impactful, and including providing both contributions to conserv ...
have been steadily contributing to growth in recent years, as Chilean and international visitors are attracted to the area's rugged mountains and whitewater rivers.
X Region is, in fact, visited by international tourists more than any other rural region of Chile. These same mountains and rivers, however, are prime targets for resource development by mining and
hydropower
Hydropower (from Ancient Greek -, "water"), also known as water power or water energy, is the use of falling or fast-running water to Electricity generation, produce electricity or to power machines. This is achieved by energy transformation, ...
companies.
Hydropower development promises affordable electricity and creation of new jobs in the region, and
mining industry
Mining is the extraction of valuable geological materials and minerals from the surface of the Earth. Mining is required to obtain most materials that cannot be grown through agricultural processes, or feasibly created artificially in a la ...
would likely follow with more jobs. However, such activities would exclude much traditional economy and tourism around the Futaleufú, possibly displacing more jobs than they create for local residents. Reservoirs, new roads,
land degradation
Land degradation is a process where land becomes less healthy and productive due to a combination of Human impact on the environment, human activities or natural conditions. The causes for land degradation are numerous and complex. Human activitie ...
, and mining sites are largely incompatible with previous land uses in areas where this new infrastructure would be established. If completed, dams and their accompanying infrastructure would open previously remote areas to mining activities—for which some companies already have listed claims. This raises issues of
environmental justice
Environmental justice is a social movement that addresses injustice that occurs when poor or marginalized communities are harmed by hazardous waste, resource extraction, and other land uses from which they do not benefit. The movement has gene ...
, as many local people, including some of indigenous heritage, would be disenfranchised by changing land use and economic structure. Some energy from hydropower companies would be used locally by residents, mining operations, and other industry, but Endesa's previous plans suggest that most electricity would be transmitted northward to Chile's metropolitan areas, which commonly experience power shortages.
Many residents and community organizers believe that tourism may be the key to a more sustainable path toward development in Palena and be better for its communities in the long run. In the absence of hydropower and extractive development, tourist visitation is expected to continue increasing in coming years, drawn by the Futaleufú's pristine whitewater and unspoiled natural scenery. Ecotourism is already bringing an influx of money to the region and can multiply benefits in the future. However, the industry must be managed carefully to minimize environmental impact and empower local communities. High traffic during the tourism season can cause degradation from transportation demands, energy use, and waste. Additionally, if tourist attractions and infrastructure are not owned and operated locally, revenue may escape the region rather than capturing benefit for the people who live there.
Nonprofit organizations and activists that advocate for the Futaleufu
When Endesa retracted its plans for building three large hydroelectric dams, the company acknowledged widespread international opposition as a major reason for the decision. This is a major victory for activists, but no one denies that the watershed is still threatened. Endesa could reopen plans or sell its development rights to another company at any time.
Futaleufú Riverkeeper, Ecosistemas, and
International Rivers are notable NGOs that currently advocate for the Futaleufú. Futaleufú Riverkeeper--based in New York City, USA, and Futaleufú Chile--has been outspoken on the front line of much debate surrounding the river. It is the only keeper organization dedicated to the Futaleufú. Executive Director Rocio Gonzalez is a Chilean native and lives in Futaleufú with her family. Patrick J. Lynch, the organization's International Director, is a public interest lawyer licensed in New York. Another U.S. attorney involved with the Futaleufú is
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., well-known luminary of environmental law and president of
Waterkeeper Alliance.
Chilean attorney
Juan Pablo Orrego is president of the Chilean NGO Ecosistemas and board member of International Rivers, a US-based NGO involved with rivers worldwide. International Rivers and the broader coalition Patagonia Defense Council (CDP) popularized the
Patagonia Sin Represas (Patagonia without dams) campaign. This internationally supported movement was influential in opposition to the proposed
HidroAysén hydropower project, which was disapproved by Chile's Committee of Ministers in June 2014.
''Fighting for the Futaleufú'', a documentary film by Stephanie Haig, was released in 2013 and has toured international film festivals. The film highlights the effects that hydroelectric dams would have on the watershed and the people living there.
Notes
{{DEFAULTSORT:Futaleufu River
Rivers of Argentina
Rivers of Chile
Patagonia
Rivers of Chubut Province
Rivers of Los Lagos Region
Argentina–Chile border
International rivers of South America
Border rivers