Papaloapan River
Encyclopedia
The Papaloapan River is one of the main river
s of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Its name is derived from the Nahuatl
papalotl ("butterfly
") and apan ("river
").
The Papaloapan rises in the Sierra Madre Oriental
on the border between the states of Veracruz and Oaxaca
. It is formed where the Santo Domingo River
and the Valle Nacional River
join to the southwest of San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec
in Oaxaca
. The Tonto River
is another major tributary.
The Papaloapan meanders for 122 km in a northeasterly direction through the coastal plain before draining into Alvarado
lagoon
.
The river basin covers 46,517 km2, the second largest in Mexico, and contains 244 municipalities with a population of about 3.3 million people.
The cities of San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec and Tlacotalpan
(Veracruz) are situated on the banks of the Papaloapan.
In the past the Papaloapan river basin was subject to frequent flooding, with the damage sometimes compounded by cyclones. A particularly severe flood in September 1944 covered 470,000 hectares, with great loss of life and property. The Miguel Alemán Dam
on the Tonto river reduced the problem, but further floods occurred after it had been completed in 1955. A flood in 1958 covered 195,000 hectares and one in 1969 covered 340,000 hectares.
Meanwhile the drainage capacity of the Papaloapan river was being reduced by silt carried by the Santo Domingo river.
Construction of the Cerro de Oro
dam on the Santo Domingo river reduced the extent of floods to a manageable level.
The states of Oaxaca and Veracruz are cooperating in developing the river basin. Plans include irrigation to improve agricultural production, promotion of forestry and fish farming and improvements to roads and river navigation.
The planned projects will be designed to avoid ecological damage.
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
s of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Its name is derived from the Nahuatl
Nahuatl
Nahuatl is thought to mean "a good, clear sound" This language name has several spellings, among them náhuatl , Naoatl, Nauatl, Nahuatl, Nawatl. In a back formation from the name of the language, the ethnic group of Nahuatl speakers are called Nahua...
papalotl ("butterfly
Butterfly
A butterfly is a mainly day-flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, which includes the butterflies and moths. Like other holometabolous insects, the butterfly's life cycle consists of four parts: egg, larva, pupa and adult. Most species are diurnal. Butterflies have large, often brightly coloured...
") and apan ("river
River
A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...
").
The Papaloapan rises in the Sierra Madre Oriental
Sierra Madre Oriental
The Sierra Madre Oriental is a mountain range in northeastern Mexico.-Setting:Spanning the Sierra Madre Oriental runs from Coahuila south through Nuevo León, southwest Tamaulipas, San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, and Hidalgo to northern Puebla, where it joins with the east-west running Eje Volcánico...
on the border between the states of Veracruz and Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
. It is formed where the Santo Domingo River
Santo Domingo River (Oaxaca)
The Santo Domingo River in Oaxaca state, Mexico is one of the main tributaries of the Papaloapan River, rising in the Sierra Madre de Oaxaca and flowing east towards San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec, above which it joins with the Valle Nacional River to form the Papaloapan.Carrying sediment from the...
and the Valle Nacional River
Valle Nacional River
The Valle Nacional River is a river of Oaxaca state in Mexico.The river originates in the Sierra Juárez, Oaxaca.The ecology of the region, originally one of pine forests, is threatened by logging, agriculture and grazing....
join to the southwest of San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec
San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec
San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec , or simply referred to as Tuxtepec, is the head of the municipality by the same name and is the second most populous city of the Mexican state of Oaxaca....
in Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
. The Tonto River
Tonto River
The Tonto River is a river of Oaxaca, Mexico that flows from the mountains of Zongolica. It is dammed by the Miguel Alemán Dam near the town of Temascal or Nuevo Soyaltepec, forming the Miguel Alemán Lake....
is another major tributary.
The Papaloapan meanders for 122 km in a northeasterly direction through the coastal plain before draining into Alvarado
Alvarado, Veracruz
Alvarado is a city in the Mexican state of Veracruz. The city also serves as the municipal seat for the surrounding municipality of the same name. It is located 64 km from the city of Veracruz, Veracruz, on Federal Highways 180 and 125...
lagoon
Lagoon
A lagoon is a body of shallow sea water or brackish water separated from the sea by some form of barrier. The EU's habitat directive defines lagoons as "expanses of shallow coastal salt water, of varying salinity or water volume, wholly or partially separated from the sea by sand banks or shingle,...
.
The river basin covers 46,517 km2, the second largest in Mexico, and contains 244 municipalities with a population of about 3.3 million people.
The cities of San Juan Bautista Tuxtepec and Tlacotalpan
Tlacotalpan
The city of Tlacotalpan is located in the eastern coastal region of the Mexican state of Veracruz. Although the area had been inhabited since pre-Columbian times, the modern-day settlement was founded as a river port on the banks of the Río Papaloapan in the mid-16th century...
(Veracruz) are situated on the banks of the Papaloapan.
In the past the Papaloapan river basin was subject to frequent flooding, with the damage sometimes compounded by cyclones. A particularly severe flood in September 1944 covered 470,000 hectares, with great loss of life and property. The Miguel Alemán Dam
Miguel Alemán Dam
The Miguel Alemán Dam is on the Tonto River in the Papaloapan Region of Oaxaca state in southern Mexico, just upstream from the town of Temascal or Nuevo Soyaltepec, forming the Miguel Alemán Lake with an area of 47,800 hectares....
on the Tonto river reduced the problem, but further floods occurred after it had been completed in 1955. A flood in 1958 covered 195,000 hectares and one in 1969 covered 340,000 hectares.
Meanwhile the drainage capacity of the Papaloapan river was being reduced by silt carried by the Santo Domingo river.
Construction of the Cerro de Oro
Cerro de Oro
Cerro de Oro is a small town and municipality in Junin Department in Argentina.It is located in the northeast corner of San Luis Province, east of the city of Santa Rosa de Conlara, near the border with Córdoba Province....
dam on the Santo Domingo river reduced the extent of floods to a manageable level.
The states of Oaxaca and Veracruz are cooperating in developing the river basin. Plans include irrigation to improve agricultural production, promotion of forestry and fish farming and improvements to roads and river navigation.
The planned projects will be designed to avoid ecological damage.