Huallaga River
Encyclopedia
The Huallaga River is a tributary of the Marañón River
, part of the Amazon Basin
. Old names for this river include Guallaga and Rio de los Motilones. The Huallaga is born on the slopes of the Andes
in central Peru
and joins the Marañón before the latter reaches the Ucayali River to form the Amazon
. Its main affluents are the Monzón, Mayo, Biabo, Abiseo and Tocache rivers. Coca
is grown in most of those valleys, which are also exposed to periodic floods.
For nearly its entire length the Huallaga is an impetuous torrent running through a succession of gorges. It has forty-two rapids (pongos) and it crosses the Andes, forming the Pongo de Aguirre gorge. From this point, 140 miles (225.3 km) from the Amazon, the Huallaga can be ascended by larger river boats (lanchas) to the port city of Yurimaguas
, Loreto
.
The Huallaga is divided in two, before and after it passes the city of Juanjuí
: the Alto Huallaga (Upper Huallaga) and the Bajo Huallaga (Lower Huallaga), because the terrain changes from the slopes of the Andes to the swamps of the Amazon Rainforest
.
Between the Huallaga and the Ucayali lies the famous "Pampa del Sacramento," a level region of stoneless alluvial lands covered with thick, dark forests, first entered by Christian missionaries in 1726. It is about 300 miles (482.8 km) long, from north to south, and varies in width from 40 to 100 kilometers. Many streams, navigable for canoe
s, penetrate this region from the Ucayali and the Huallaga. In addition to peasants, it is still occupied by many indigenous
communities, such as the Cocama-Cocamilla
.
Eric Fleming
who played Trail Boss Gil Favor in the long running Western series Rawhide was killed in the Huallaga River. During the shooting of location shots on the Huallaga River on September 28, 1966, Fleming dove (intentionally?) from a dug-out canoe after paddling it beyond the rapids. His body was lost in the turbulent water and was not recovered until three days later.
Marañón River
The Marañón River rises about 160 km to the northeast of Lima, Peru, flows through a deeply-eroded Andean valley in a northwesterly direction, along the eastern base of the Cordillera of the Andes, as far as 5 degrees 36' southern latitude; then it makes a great bend to the northeast, and...
, part of the Amazon Basin
Amazon Basin
The Amazon Basin is the part of South America drained by the Amazon River and its tributaries that drains an area of about , or roughly 40 percent of South America. The basin is located in the countries of Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador, Guyana, Peru, and Venezuela...
. Old names for this river include Guallaga and Rio de los Motilones. The Huallaga is born on the slopes of the Andes
Andes
The Andes is the world's longest continental mountain range. It is a continual range of highlands along the western coast of South America. This range is about long, about to wide , and of an average height of about .Along its length, the Andes is split into several ranges, which are separated...
in central Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and joins the Marañón before the latter reaches the Ucayali River to form the Amazon
Amazon River
The Amazon of South America is the second longest river in the world and by far the largest by waterflow with an average discharge greater than the next seven largest rivers combined...
. Its main affluents are the Monzón, Mayo, Biabo, Abiseo and Tocache rivers. Coca
Coca
Coca, Erythroxylum coca, is a plant in the family Erythroxylaceae, native to western South America. The plant plays a significant role in many traditional Andean cultures...
is grown in most of those valleys, which are also exposed to periodic floods.
For nearly its entire length the Huallaga is an impetuous torrent running through a succession of gorges. It has forty-two rapids (pongos) and it crosses the Andes, forming the Pongo de Aguirre gorge. From this point, 140 miles (225.3 km) from the Amazon, the Huallaga can be ascended by larger river boats (lanchas) to the port city of Yurimaguas
Yurimaguas
Yurimaguas is a thriving port-town in the Loreto Region of northeastern Peruvian Amazonia. Historically associated with Maynas Pais de los Maynas, the culturally diverse town is affectionately known as the "Pearl of the Huallaga"...
, Loreto
Loreto Region
Loreto is Peru's northernmost region. Covering almost one-third of Peru's territory, Loreto is by far the nation's largest region and also one of the most sparsely populated ones, due to its remote location in the Amazon Rainforest...
.
The Huallaga is divided in two, before and after it passes the city of Juanjuí
Juanjuí
Juanjuí is a town in Northern Peru, capital of the province Mariscal Cáceres in the region San Martín.Located in the left edge of Huallaga River. There are 38,427 inhabitants, according to the 2007 census. -History:...
: the Alto Huallaga (Upper Huallaga) and the Bajo Huallaga (Lower Huallaga), because the terrain changes from the slopes of the Andes to the swamps of the Amazon Rainforest
Amazon Rainforest
The Amazon Rainforest , also known in English as Amazonia or the Amazon Jungle, is a moist broadleaf forest that covers most of the Amazon Basin of South America...
.
Between the Huallaga and the Ucayali lies the famous "Pampa del Sacramento," a level region of stoneless alluvial lands covered with thick, dark forests, first entered by Christian missionaries in 1726. It is about 300 miles (482.8 km) long, from north to south, and varies in width from 40 to 100 kilometers. Many streams, navigable for canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s, penetrate this region from the Ucayali and the Huallaga. In addition to peasants, it is still occupied by many indigenous
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
communities, such as the Cocama-Cocamilla
Cocama-Cocamilla
Cocama is an indigenous language spoken by thousands of native people in western South America. It is spoken along the banks of the Northeastern lower Ucayali, lower Marañón, and Huallaga rivers and in neighboring areas of Brazil and an isolated area in Colombia. There are three dialects...
.
Eric Fleming
Eric Fleming
Eric Fleming was an American actor, known primarily for his role as Gil Favor in the long running CBS television series Rawhide.-Early life:...
who played Trail Boss Gil Favor in the long running Western series Rawhide was killed in the Huallaga River. During the shooting of location shots on the Huallaga River on September 28, 1966, Fleming dove (intentionally?) from a dug-out canoe after paddling it beyond the rapids. His body was lost in the turbulent water and was not recovered until three days later.