Palena River
Río Buta Palena[3]
Native name[1]
Name otherRío Corcovado[2]
CountriesArgentina · Chile
Length240 km
Discharge1 locationmouth
Discharge1 avg130 m3/s (4,600 cu ft/s)
Source 1Vintter Lake
Source1 locationAndes, Patagonia, Argentina
Source1 coordinates43°53′58″S 71°25′32″W
Source1 elevation927 m (3,041 ft)
MouthGulf of Corcovado
Mouth locationPacific Ocean, Chile
Mouth coordinates43°46′04″S 72°58′33″W[3]
Mouth elevation0 m (0 ft)
Basin size12887 km²
Tributaries leftRosselot River
Rio Risopatrón
Tributaries rightRio Frio

The Palena River or Carrenleufú is a river shared by Chile and Argentina in Southern Lakes Region. It drains the waters of the Vintter Lake, also shared by these nations, and it flows into the Pacific Ocean. 56.5% of the river basin lies in Chile.[4]

This river has a regular glacial regime and rapid white waters. The rapids between Palena and Puerto Raúl Marín Balmaceda are choice kayaking white water.[5] The volume and rapid drop in elevation of the river is ideal for hydroelectric power plants. There are several projects at both sides of the border to use this power.[citation needed]

Course

The river originates as the Carrenleufú as the out-flow from Lake Vintter. Its major tributaries include the Tranquilo, Figueroa, Frío, Risopatrón and Melimoyu rivers.[5]

See also

References

  1. ^
  2. ^
  3. ^ , United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  4. ^ "Hidrografía Región de Aysén" (in Spanish). Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile. Retrieved 2022-03-02.
  5. ^ "Los 10 rios mas impresionantes de Carretera Austral, Patagonia – Chile" (in Spanish). Archived 15 August 2015 at the Wayback Machine.