| Grande de Loíza | |
|---|---|
 Loiza River mouth. | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Commonwealth | Puerto Rico |
| Municipality | San Lorenzo,Gurabo,Caguas,Trujillo Alto,Carolina,Loíza |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Source | |
| • location | Sierra de Cayey inEspino, San Lorenzo, Puerto Rico |
| • elevation | 2,051 feet (625 m) |
| Mouth | |
• location | Atlantic Ocean betweenTorrecilla Baja andLoíza,Loíza, Puerto Rico |
• elevation | 0 ft (0 m) |
| Length | 64 km (40 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Emajagua River,Turabo River,Cagüitas River,Bairoa River,Cañas River |
| • right | Cayaguas River,Gurabo River,Canovanillas River,Canóvanas River |
TheRio Grande de Loíza (English:Great River of Loíza orLoíza River) is ariver in themain island ofPuerto Rico. It is the largest river in Puerto Rico by discharge volume. Situated on the north coast of the island, it originates in the northeasternSierra de Cayey, flowing from south to north, and draining into theAtlantic Ocean, a few miles east ofSan Juan.[1]
Rio Grande de Loíza runs for approximately 40 miles (64 kilometers). It has its origin in themunicipality ofSan Lorenzo at an altitude of approximately 3,500 feet (1,100 meters) above sea level. It runs through the municipalities of San Lorenzo,Caguas,Gurabo,Trujillo Alto,Carolina,Canóvanas andLoíza, forming theLoíza Lake along its route, making it one of the longest rivers on the island.
The Rio Grande de Loízabasin is the largest in Puerto Rico with an area of 751 square kilometres (289.9 sq mi).[2] Thesource of the river is located in theEspino barrio ofSan Lorenzo, Puerto Rico on the eastern slopes of theSierra de Cayey mountain range, close toCarite State Forest. The river flows northeastwardly through the San Lorenzobatholith, a hilly region ofintrusiveigneous rock, where it meets with the tributaries ofEmajagua andCayaguas. From here, the river turns northwest towards theCaguas Valley where it meets numerous other rivers and creeks including theTurabo,Gurabo,Bairoa andCagüitas rivers. North of this, the river isdammed and flows through the reservoirLoíza Lake (also known as Carraízo Lake, after thebarrio ofTrujillo Alto it is located in). The river finally flows intoSan Juan's urban area and the Northern Plain of Puerto Rico where it discharges into theAtlantic Ocean.[2]
The river is of historical importance due to the number of settlements, cities and towns that were founded along it such asSan Lorenzo,Caguas andTrujillo Alto.
In the 1898Military Notes on Puerto Rico by the U.S. it is written that the "limits of the Loisa River are: On the east, the sierra of Luquillo (situated near the northeast corner of the island); on the south, the sierra of Cayey, and on the west, ramifications of the latter. It rises in the northern slopes of the sierra of Cayey, and, running in a northwest direction for the first half of its course and turning to northeast in the second half, it arrives at Loisa, a port on the northern coast, where it discharges its waters into the Atlantic. During the first part of its course, it is known by the name of Cayagua."[3] The river was commemorated in apoem by Puerto Rican poetJulia de Burgos.[4]
18°26′18″N65°52′42″W / 18.4382795°N 65.8782200°W /18.4382795; -65.8782200[5]In mid 2018, theUnited StatesArmy Corps of Engineers announced it would be undertaking a majorflood control project of the river, with a budget of $250 million.[6]
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