Bogotá River

The Bogotá River is a major river of the Cundinamarca department of Colombia, crossing the region from the northeast to the southwest and passing along the western limits of Bogotá. The large population and major industrial base in its watershed have resulted in extremely severe pollution problems for the river.

Bogotá River
Map of Bogotá River and its drainage basin
Native nameRío Bogotá  (Spanish)
Location
CountryColombia
DepartmentCundinamarca
Provinces
Physical characteristics
SourceGuacheneque Páramo
 • locationVillapinzón
 • coordinates5°13′19.3″N 73°32′03.5″W
 • elevation3,300 m (10,800 ft)
MouthMagdalena River
 • location
Girardot
 • coordinates
4°17′19.2″N 74°47′47″W
Length375 km (233 mi)
Basin size6,000 km2 (2,300 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • average31–41 m3/s (1,100–1,400 cu ft/s)
Basin features
River systemMagdalena Basin
 Caribbean Sea
Tributaries 
 • leftTeusacá
Torca
Juan Amarillo
Fucha
Tunjuelo
Soacha
 • rightNeusa
Río Frío
Bojacá
 Subachoque
Apulo

Etymology

The Bogotá River is named after Bogotá, which is derived from Chibcha and means "(Enclosure) outside of the farm fields".[1] In historical texts, and today the upstream part of, the Bogotá River is also called Funza River.[2]

Course

Main tributaries of the Bogotá River are the Teusacá, Torca, Juan Amarillo, Fucha, Tunjuelo, Soacha (left) and Neusa, Río Frío, Bojacá and Subachoque Rivers (right).

source
N
Te
RF
To
JA
S
B
F
T
A
mouth
Source and mouth of the Bogotá River and mouths of tributaries on and around the Bogotá savanna
N – Neusa River
Te – Teusacá River
RF – Río Frío
To – Torca River
JA – Juan Amarillo River
F – Fucha River
Tu – Tunjuelo River
B – Bojacá River
S – Soacha River
A – Apulo River

The headwaters of the Bogotá River are in the municipality of Villapinzón, in the northeastern part of Cundinamarca near the limits with Boyacá. It has a course of about 150 kilometres (93 mi) as it crosses the Bogotá savanna, passing through Zipaquirá and eleven small municipalities, before reaching the city of Bogotá. As it runs along the western border of the city, the river forms the outlet for the heavily polluted Salitre, Fucha and Tunjuelito Rivers. After passing through the municipality of Soacha, the Bogotá River plunges off the savanna at the Tequendama Falls. It then follows a steep course, falling about 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) in 50 kilometres (31 mi), to join the Magdalena River at Girardot.

Temperature

The temperature average ranges from 24 to 27 °C (75 to 81 °F).

  • Bogotá River close to Zipaquirá
  • Bogotá River in Briceño
  • Bogotá River in Engativá
  • Bogotá River close to Tequendama
  • Tequendama Falls in the Bogotá River

See also

References
  1. (in Spanish) Etymology Bacatá – Banco de la República
  2. (in Spanish) A orillas del Río – El Tiempo
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