| Rio Paraíba do Sul | |
|---|---|
 The Rio Paraíba do Sul nearJacareí, SP | |
 Paraíba do Sul watershed (Interactive map) | |
| Location | |
| Country | Brazil |
| state | São Paulo,Minas Gerais,Rio de Janeiro |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | |
• location | Atlantic Ocean,Campos dos Goytacazes,RJ,Brazil |
• coordinates | 21°37′S41°01′W / 21.62°S 41.01°W /-21.62; -41.01 |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
| Length | 1,137 km (706 mi) |
| Basin size | 56,000 km2 |
| Basin features | |
| Tributaries | |
| • left | Rio Muriaé, Rio Pomba, Rio Paraibuna, Rio Jaguari |
| • right | Rio Dois Rios, Rio Piaha, Rio Paraí |
TheParaíba do Sul (Brazilian Portuguese pronunciation:[ˈʁi.upaɾaˈibɐduˈsuw]), or simplyParaíba, is ariver insoutheast Brazil. It flows 1,137 km (706 mi)[1] west to northeast from its farthest source at the source of the riverParaitinga to the sea nearCampos dos Goytacazes. The river receives its name when it meets the riverParaibuna at the Paraibuna dam.
Its maintributaries are the riversJaguari,Buquira,Paraibuna,Preto,Pomba andMuriaé. These last two are the longest and join the main river 140 km (87 mi) and 50 km (31 mi) from themouth respectively .
The valley of the Paraíba do Sul ranges from the latitudes 20°26' and 23°39'S and the longitudes of 41° and 46°30'W and covers an area of about 57,000 km2 (22,000 sq mi) distributed over three states. The main economic activities are industry and cattle raising.
Presently only two parts of the river can be navigated:
Elsewhere navigation is hampered by various obstacles;waterfalls,rapids, sections with great declivity and varioushydroelectric works with nolocks.Other factors impeding navigation are the existence of highway and railway bridges, the proximity of roads and railways following the riverbank and the location of several cities on its banks.
TheParaíba Valley is very fertile and has always been a region of relatively dense population. Cities located on or near the river are
Unlike rivers in northern Brazil where seasonal variations in water temperature generally are relatively limited, those in southern Brazil, such as Paraíba do Sul, exhibit distinct differences between winter and summer. During a survey of the river inLorena, São Paulo, the water varied from 26.6 °C (79.9 °F) in the summer to 15.2 °C (59.4 °F) in the winter.[2] ThepH is neutral and generally fluctuates between 6 and 8.[2][3][4]
The Paraíba do Sulbasin is home to just above 100 native fish species with most in the familiesLoricariidae,Characidae andTrichomycteridae.[5] About 40% of the fish species in the river basin areendemic (the genusOligobrycon is entirely restricted to the basin)[5] and new species have been discovered in recent years, including the small catfishPareiorhina hyptiorhachis that only wasscientifically described in 2013.[6]
As a consequence of flowing through one of the most densely populated and industrialised parts of Brazil, the Paraíba do Sul suffers from pollution.[7][8][9] Studies of the native cichlidGeophagus brasiliensis have found that levels of someheavy metals exceed the limits set by the Brazilian Food Legislation.[8] Other threats aredams and the approximately 70introduced species,[9][10] including 46 species of non-native fish[11] and the parasitic copepodLernaea cyprinacea.[12] Several native species (e.g.,Brycon insignis,[13]Pogonopoma parahybae[11] andSteindachneridion parahybae[14]) are seriously threatened, and a general fall in abundance andspecies richness has been observed.[8] Some, such as the endemicHypostomus auroguttatus, have successfully adapted to the changes.[15] The catfishPotamarius grandoculis is only known from the vicinity of the mouth of the Paraíba do Sul andDoce Rivers, but it may already beextinct.[16]
Other threatened species in the Paraíba do Sul basin are the bivalvesDiplodon dunkerianus,D. expansus andD. fontaineanus, and theHoge's side-necked turtle (Mesoclemmys hogei).[9]
A national conservation plan with recommendations for the river basin was published in 2010.[9]
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)| International | |
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