Tuma River
Encyclopedia
The Tuma River is a river located in Nicaragua
.
The river, a tributary
of the Río Grande de Matagalpa
, is located in the Jinotega Department, about 250 kilometers northeast of the capital, Managua
. In 1964, President Luis Somoza Debayle
decided to dam the river to form Nicaragua's first man-made lake, Apanás Lake, which provides power for the 50-megawatt Centroamérica hydroelectric plant in the country's Central Highlands
. It is also an important recreational area, as the river and lake provide a good deal of tourism for the department.
Nicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
.
The river, a tributary
Tributary
A tributary or affluent is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. A tributary does not flow directly into a sea or ocean...
of the Río Grande de Matagalpa
Río Grande de Matagalpa
Río Grande de Matagalpa is a river of Nicaragua. Running from its source near Matagalpa to the Caribbean Sea in the northern part of the Southern Atlantic Autonomous Region it is the second longest river in Nicaragua. It gives it name to the city and department of La Cruz del Río...
, is located in the Jinotega Department, about 250 kilometers northeast of the capital, Managua
Managua
Managua is the capital city of Nicaragua as well as the department and municipality by the same name. It is the largest city in Nicaragua in terms of population and geographic size. Located on the southwestern shore of Lake Xolotlán or Lake Managua, the city was declared the national capital in...
. In 1964, President Luis Somoza Debayle
Luis Somoza Debayle
Luis Anastasio Somoza Debayle was the President of Nicaragua from 29 September 1956 to 1 May 1963, but was effectively dictator of the country from 1956 until his death. He was born in León.Luis was educated at LSU...
decided to dam the river to form Nicaragua's first man-made lake, Apanás Lake, which provides power for the 50-megawatt Centroamérica hydroelectric plant in the country's Central Highlands
Central Highlands (Central America)
The Central Highlands is the name given for the string of mountains and volcanoes which run through the middle of Central America. The highlands are part of a circle of volcanoes known as the Pacific Ring of Fire that runs through Japan, New Zealand, the Americas, and rims the entire Pacific Ocean....
. It is also an important recreational area, as the river and lake provide a good deal of tourism for the department.