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TheSanta Lucía River (Spanish:Río Santa Lucía[1]) is a river inUruguay.
The headwaters of the Santa Lucía River are in theLavalleja department. For a large part of its course it forms the limit between the departments ofFlorida andSan José on one bank andCanelones andMontevideo on the other. Its outlet is theRío de la Plata, forming a small delta, in whichTiger Island is located.
It is the principal watercourse of southernUruguay. It is the primary source of drinking water forMontevideo and other localities in the south of the country, in 2017 serving over 60% population of Uruguay with drinking water.[2] A harmful algae bloom in 2013, that changed the flavor and odour of the drinking water trigger public concern about water quality, resulting in a government action plan to track the quality and try to clean up the water body.[2]
The river is part of an importantagricultural zone in Uruguay producing maize and corn.[3]
Because of its location in an important agricultural zone in the South of Uruguay,nutrient runoff andeutrophication is common due to intensive agriculture.[2] A 2008-2009 study foundphosphorus and nitrogen pollution exceeding both local and international standards and causingalgae blooms.[2] Additionally, a 2022 paper found that herbicide use in the basin further amplified the eutrophication.[3]
Since a 2013 algea bloom, theCanelones Department and national government have been encouraging dairy farmers and other animal agriculture rpdoucers to improve theireffluent management from animal operations, includingsettling basins and other waste management practices.[4]
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34°47′10″S56°21′30″W / 34.78611°S 56.35833°W /-34.78611; -56.35833
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