Uruguay River

{{Short description|River in South America}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2022}} {{Infobox river | name = Uruguay River | native_name = {{native name list |tag1=es |name1=Río Uruguay |tag2=pt |name2=Rio Uruguai}} | name_etymology =  | image = Atardeceruruguayrio.JPG | image_size = | image_caption = Sunset in the Uruguay River, from [[Misiones]], Argentina | map = Uruguay (fleuve).png | map_size = | map_caption = Map of the Uruguay River | pushpin_map = | pushpin_map_size = | pushpin_map_caption=  | subdivision_type1 = Countries | subdivision_name1 = {{ubl|[[Argentina]]|[[Brazil]]|[[Uruguay]]}} | subdivision_type2 = | subdivision_name2 = | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 = | subdivision_type5 = | subdivision_name5 =  | length = {{cvt|1,838|km|mi|abbr=on}}<ref name=britannica>{{cite web |title= Río de la Plata |publisher= [[Encyclopædia Britannica]] |url= http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/463804/Rio-de-la-Plata |access-date= 14 August 2010}}</ref> | width_min = | width_avg = | width_max = | depth_min = | depth_avg = | depth_max = | discharge1_location=[[Nueva Palmira]] (near mouth) | discharge1_min = | discharge1_avg =(Period 1971–2010){{cvt|7,058|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}<ref name="Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis for the La Plata Basin"/> | discharge1_max =  | source1 = [[Pelotas River]] | source1_location = [[Serra Geral]], [[Brazil]] | source1_coordinates= | source1_elevation = {{cvt|1,800|m|abbr=on}} | source2 = [[Canoas River (Santa Catarina)|Canoas River]] | source2_location = [[Serra Geral]], [[Brazil]] | source2_coordinates= | source2_elevation = | mouth = [[Río de la Plata]] | mouth_location = [[Argentina]], [[Uruguay]] | mouth_coordinates = {{coord|34|12|S|58|18|W|display=inline,title}}<ref name=gns>{{GEOnet2|32FA883A134C3774E0440003BA962ED3|Uruguay River}}</ref> | mouth_elevation = {{cvt|0|m|abbr=on}} | progression =[[Río de la Plata]] → [[Atlantic Ocean]] | river_system = '''[[Río de la Plata]]''' | basin_size ={{cvt|365,000|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}<ref name=varis/> | tributaries_left =[[Pelotas River|Pelotas]], [[Inhandava River|Inhandava]], [[Apuaê River|Apuaê]], [[Passo Fundo River|Passo Fundo]], [[Rio da Várzea]], [[Guarita River|Guarita]], [[Turvo River (Rio Grande do Sul)|Turvo]], [[Buricá River|Buricá]], [[Ijuí River|Ijuí]], [[Piratini River (Uruguay River tributary)|Piratini]], [[Icamaquã River|Icamaquã]], [[Ibicuí River|Ibicuí]], [[Quaraí River|Cuareim]], [[Arapey Grande River|Arapey Grande]], [[Queguay Grande River|Queguay Grande]], [[Daymán River|Daymán]], [[Rio Negro (Uruguay)|Negro]], [[San Salvador River (Uruguay)|San Salvador]] | tributaries_right =[[Canoas River (Santa Catarina)|Canoas]], [[Do Peixe River (Santa Catarina)|Peixe]], [[Irani River|Irani]], [[Chapecó River|Chapecó]], [[Das Antas River (Santa Catarina)|Das Antas]], [[Pepiri-Guazu River|Pepiri-Guazu]], Arroyo Yabotí, [[Aguapey River|Aguapey]], [[Miriñay River|Miriñay]], [[Mocoretá River|Mocoretá]], [[Gualeguaychú River|Gualeguaychú]] | custom_label = | custom_data = | extra = |discharge2_location=[[Concordia, Entre Ríos|Concordia]], [[Salto Grande Dam|Salto Grande]] |discharge2_avg=(Period 1971–2010){{cvt|5,725|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}<ref name="Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis for the La Plata Basin"/> |discharge3_location=[[Paso de los Libres]] |discharge3_avg=(Period 1971–2010){{cvt|4,789|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}<ref name="Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis for the La Plata Basin">{{cite web|url=https://iwlearn.net/resolveuid/92c8003b-1b64-424e-b251-602185ffa061|title=Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis for the La Plata Basin}}</ref> |discharge4_location=[[El Soberbio]] |discharge4_avg=(Period 1971–2010){{cvt|2,384|m3/s|cuft/s|abbr=on}}<ref name="Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis for the La Plata Basin"/>}} [[File:Mocona2.jpg|thumb|right|250px|The Moconá Falls (also known as the Yucumã Falls), where the river passes between [[Argentina]] and [[Brazil]], are up to 3 km wide]] [[File:Riodelaplatabasinmap.png|thumb|right|250px|Map of the [[Rio de la Plata Basin]], showing the Uruguay River joining the Paraná near [[Buenos Aires]]]] The '''Uruguay River''' ({{langx|es|Río Uruguay}} {{IPA|es|ˈri.o wɾuˈɣwaj|}}; {{langx|pt|Rio Uruguai}} {{IPA|pt|ˈʁi.u uɾuˈɡwaj|}}) is a major [[river]] in [[South America]]. It flows from north to south and forms parts of the boundaries of [[Brazil]], [[Argentina]] and [[Uruguay]], separating some of the Argentine provinces of the [[Mesopotamia, Argentina|Mesopotamia]] from the other two countries. It passes between the states of [[Santa Catarina (state)|Santa Catarina]] and [[Rio Grande do Sul]] in Brazil; forms the eastern border of the provinces of [[Misiones Province|Misiones]], [[Corrientes Province|Corrientes]] and [[Entre Ríos Province|Entre Ríos]] in Argentina; and makes up the western borders of the departments of [[Artigas Department|Artigas]], [[Salto Department|Salto]], [[Paysandú Department|Paysandú]], [[Río Negro Department|Río Negro]], [[Soriano Department|Soriano]] and [[Colonia Department|Colonia]] in Uruguay.

==Etymology== The name of the river tends to comes from the Spanish settlers' interpretation of the [[Guarani languages|Guaraní language]] word the inhabitants of the region used to designate it. There are several interpretations, including "the river of the [[Spot-winged wood quail|uru]] (an indigenous bird)", and "[river of] the uruguá" (an indigenous [[gastropod]], ''[[Pomella (gastropod)|Pomella]] [[Pomacea megastoma|megastoma]]'').<ref>[http://www.elpais.com.uy/101008/pciuda-520474/informe/presentan-tesis-del-nombre-uruguay/ El País newspaper: Presentan tesis del nombre Uruguay] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314100414/http://www.elpais.com.uy/101008/pciuda-520474/informe/presentan-tesis-del-nombre-uruguay/ |date=14 March 2012 }}, {{in lang|es}} Retrieved 21 November 2014.</ref>

==Course==

The river measures about {{convert|1,838|km|mi|abbr=on}} in length and starts in the [[Serra do Mar]] in [[Brazil]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.cennave.com.uy/content/view/253/136/ |title=Rio Uruguay |access-date=3 August 2013 |archive-date=7 November 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131107053011/http://www.cennave.com.uy/content/view/253/136 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.conicet.gov.ar/new_scp/detalle.php?keywords=&id=38807&congresos=yes&detalles=yes&congr_id=1019296|title=CONICET {{!}} Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos|website=www.conicet.gov.ar|access-date=2019-10-06}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.neotropical.com.br/arquivos/dissert_lisiane.pdf |title=FACULDADE DE BIOCIÊNCIAS PROGRAMA DE PÓS-GRADUAÇÃO EM BIOCIÊNCIAS – ZOOLOGIA |access-date=3 August 2013 |archive-date=4 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200204233232/http://www.neotropical.com.br/arquivos/dissert_lisiane.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=cprm/><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.neotropical.com.br/arquivos/passo_fundo.pdf |title=The fish fauna of two tributaries of the passo fundo river, uruguay river basin, rio grande do sul, brazil |access-date=3 August 2013 |archive-date=27 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140527215751/http://www.neotropical.com.br/arquivos/passo_fundo.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> where the [[Canoas River (Santa Catarina)|Canoas River]] and the [[Pelotas River]] are joined, at about {{convert|200|m|ft}} [[above mean sea level]]. At this stage, the river goes through uneven, broken terrain, forming [[rapids]] and falls. Its course through [[Rio Grande do Sul]] is not navigable.

An unusual feature of the Uruguay River is a [[submarine canyon|submerged]] [[canyon]]. This canyon formed during [[Last glacial period|the Ice Age]], when the climate was drier and the river was narrower. Its depth is up to {{convert|100|m|ft}} below the bottom of the river channel and it is one-eighth to one-third as wide as the river.<ref name=cprm>{{cite web|url=http://www.cprm.gov.br/33IGC/1205232.html|title=A particular canyon excavated in the large Uruguay River channel (South America)}}</ref><ref name=wondermondo/> The canyon is only visible in two places, one of which is the Moconá Falls (also called the Yucumã Falls). However, the falls are not visible for 150 days per year and become more like rapids when they are not visible. Unlike most [[waterfall]]s, the Moconá Falls are [[parallel (geometry)|parallel]] to the river, not [[perpendicular]]. The falls are {{convert|10|m|ft}} to {{convert|12|m|ft}} high and between {{convert|1,800|m|ft}} and {{convert|3,000|m|ft}} wide. They are {{convert|1,215|km|mi|abbr=on}} from the mouth of the river.<ref name=cprm/><ref name=wondermondo>{{cite web|url=http://www.wondermondo.com/Countries/SA/Argentina/Misiones/Mocona.htm|title=Moconá Falls (Yucumã Falls)|publisher=Wondermondo|date=2012-02-15|access-date=15 February 2012|archive-date=14 March 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160314063721/http://www.wondermondo.com/Countries/SA/Argentina/Misiones/Mocona.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> The {{convert|17,491|ha|abbr=on}} [[Turvo State Park]], created in 1947, protects the Brazilian side of the falls.<ref>{{citation|ref={{harvid|PES do Turvo – ISA}}|language=pt |title=PES do Turvo|publisher=ISA: Instituto Socioambiental |url=https://uc.socioambiental.org/uc/597608|access-date=2016-11-11}}</ref>

Together with the [[Paraná River]], the Uruguay forms the [[Río de la Plata]] [[estuary]]. It is navigable from around [[Salto Chico]]. Its main [[tributary]] is the [[Río Negro (Uruguay)|Río Negro]], which is born in the south of Brazil and goes through Uruguay for 500 km until its [[Confluence (geography)|confluence]] with the Uruguay River, which is located 100 km north of the Uruguay's confluence with the Río de la Plata, in [[Punta Gorda, Colonia Department]], Uruguay.

The river is crossed by five international bridges called (from north to south): [[Integration Bridge]] and [[Paso de los Libres-Uruguaiana International Bridge]], between Argentina and Brazil; and the [[Salto Grande Bridge]], [[General Artigas Bridge]] and [[Libertador General San Martín Bridge]] between [[Argentina]] and [[Uruguay]].{{Cn|date=August 2025}}

The [[drainage basin]] of the Uruguay River has an area of {{cvt|365,000|km2|mi2|abbr=on}}.<ref name=varis>{{cite book |last1= Varis |first1= Olli |last2= Tortajada |first2= Cecilia |last3= Biswas |first3= Asit K. |title= Management of Transboundary Rivers and Lakes |year= 2008 |publisher= Springer |isbn= 978-3-540-74926-4 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=Z3ilzosWx4wC&pg=PA272 |page= 272}}</ref> Its main economic use is the generation of [[hydroelectricity]] and it is dammed in its lower portion by the [[Salto Grande Dam]] and by the [[Itá Hydroelectric Power Plant|Itá Dam]] upstream in Brazil.{{Cn|date=August 2025}}

==Discharge==

Average monthly discharge at [[Salto Grande Dam|Salto Grande]]: {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! rowspan="2" |Year ! colspan="13" |Average discharge (m3/s) |- !JAN !FEB !MAR !APR !MAY !JUN !JUL !AUG !SEP !OCT !NOV !DEC !''Average'' |- |2014 |4,652 |3,858 |3,910 |4,277 |7,104 |8,332 |16,199 |5,065 |7,298 |12,873 |5,862 |6,241 |'''''7,139.2''''' |- |2015 |13,471 |4,543 |3,622 |2,450 |2,450 |5,945 |11,865 |7,855 |3,731 |14,948 |13,155 |18,559 |'''''8,549.5''''' |- |2016 |10,690 |5,206 |4,569 |13,535 |6,758 |4,204 |5,609 |3,098 |3,947 |6,937 |6,931 |2,630 |'''''6,176.2''''' |- |2017 |6,231 |4,885 |5,680 |8,712 |13,748 |21,136 |3,684 |5,865 |5,801 |7,537 |3,588 |1,971 |'''''7,399''''' |- |2018 |3,086 |2,902 |2,397 |3,137 |5,355 |2,784 |4,057 |2,478 |6,071 |8,208 |8,044 |6,714 |'''''4,602.7''''' |- |2019 |16,384 |4,850 |5,264 |3,647 |10,389 |6,650 |4,066 |4,395 |2,549 |4,066 |8,687 |3,628 |'''''5,774.7''''' |- |2020 |1,459 |1,679 |831 |581 |2,315 |5,056 |7,318 |3,893 |3,418 |1,785 |700 |2,079 |'''''2,592.8''''' |- |2021 |5,570 |939 |1,734 |1,724 |4,589 |4,975 |2,017 |1,801 |4,499 |4,373 |1,229 |1,283 |'''''2,894.4''''' |- |2022 |5,665 |986 |6,363 |9,211 |10,098 |2,896 |2,513 |482 |472 |7,671 |2,035 |7,105 |'''''4,624.7''''' |- |2023 |569 |677 |1,435 |1,082 |2,707 |9,778 |6,388 |3,451 |11,210 |16,536 |22,898 |14,101 |'''''7,569.3''''' |- |2024 |7,714 |3,384 |2,826 |9,473 |18,397 |8,339 |7,815 |5,382 |4,260 |3,056 |1,923 |1,882 |'''''6,204.3''''' |- | colspan="14" |Source: ''Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica''<ref name="Síntesis del Mercado Eléctrico Mayorista">{{cite web|url=https://www.cnea.gob.ar/nuclea/handle/10665/803|title=Síntesis del Mercado Eléctrico Mayorista}}</ref> |} Mean annual discharge at [[Salto Grande Dam|Salto Grande]], ({{coord|31|16|32.8008|S|57|56|19.3884|W}}):<ref name="Síntesis del Mercado Eléctrico Mayorista"/><ref name="The Flood Observatory">{{cite web|url=https://floodobservatory.colorado.edu|title=The Flood Observatory}}</ref> {{Bar chart | title = 1998–2024 | label_type = Year | data_type = Average discharge (m3/s) | bar_width = 18 | width_units = em | data_max = 8,700 | label1 = 2024 | data1 = 6,204 | label2 = 2023 | data2 = 7,569 | label3 = 2022 | data3 = 4,625 | label4 = 2021 | data4 = 2,894 | label5 = 2020 | data5 = 2,593 | label6 = 2019 | data6 = 5,775 | label7 = 2018 | data7 = 4,603 | label8 = 2017 | data8 = 7,399 | label9 = 2016 | data9 = 6,176 | label10 = 2015 | data10 = 8,550 | label11 = 2014 | data11 = 7,139 | label12 = 2013 | data12 = 5,031 | label13 = 2012 | data13 = 4,460 | label14 = 2011 | data14 = 8,295 | label15 = 2010 | data15 = 8,605 | label16 = 2009 | data16 = 8,201 | label17 = 2008 | data17 = 5,182 | label18 = 2007 | data18 = 4,775 | label19 = 2006 | data19 = 4,560 | label20 = 2005 | data20 = 5,198 | label21 = 2004 | data21 = 7,408 | label22 = 2003 | data22 = 7,482 | label23 = 2002 | data23 = 6,594 | label24 = 2001 | data24 = 5,492 | label25 = 2000 | data25 = 4,729 | label26 = 1999 | data26 = 5,722 | label27 = 1998 | data27 = 7,497 }} Multiannual average discharge:<ref name="Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis for the La Plata Basin">{{cite web|url=https://iwlearn.net/resolveuid/92c8003b-1b64-424e-b251-602185ffa061|title=Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis for the La Plata Basin}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/3/ca2141en/CA2141EN.pdf|title=Transboundary River Basin Overview – La Plata}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last1=Isupova |first1=M. V. |last2=Mikhailov |first2=V. N. |title=Long-Term Variations of Water Runoff and Suspended Sediment Yield in the Parana and Uruguay Rivers |journal=Water Resources |date=16 November 2018 |volume=45 |issue=6 |pages=846{{ndash}}860 |doi=10.1134/S0097807818060088 |s2cid=135342646 |url=https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134%2FS0097807818060088 |access-date=1 January 2022|url-access=subscription }}</ref> {{Bar chart | title = 1971–2010 | label_type = Location | data_type = Average discharge (m3/s) | bar_width = 15 | width_units = em | data_max = 7,100 | label1 = [[Nueva Palmira]] | data1 = 7,058 | label2 = [[Salto Grande Dam|Salto Grande]] | data2 = 5,725 | label3 = [[Paso de los Libres]] | data3 = 4,789 | label4 = [[El Soberbio]] | data4 = 2,384 }} ==Tributaries== The main tributaries from the mouth: {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" ! Left tributary ! Right tributary ! Length (km) ! Basin size (km2) ! Average discharge (m3/s)* |- | colspan="2" |''Uruguay'' |''1,838'' |''353,451'' |''7,562.4'' |- | colspan="5" |'''Lower Uruguay''' |- |[[San Salvador River (Uruguay)|San Salvador]] | rowspan="2" | |100 |3,072.1 |52.5 |- |[[Río Negro (Uruguay)|Negro]] |903 |71,154 |952.1 |- | |[[Gualeguaychú River|Guale-guaychú]] |268 |6,935.8 |84 |- |Arroyo Negro | rowspan="3" | | |2,271.2 |37.9 |- |[[Queguay Grande River|Queguay Grande]] |280 |8,596 |157.7 |- |[[Daymán River|Daymán]] |210 |3,415 |63.3 |- | colspan="5" |'''Middle Uruguay''' |- |Arroyo Itapebí Grande | rowspan="3" | | |1,042.2 |19.1 |- |[[Arapey Grande River|Arapey Grande]] |240 |11,996 |234.9 |- |Arroyo Yacuy | |1,089.5 |20.6 |- | |[[Mocoretá River|Mocoretá]] |140 |3,783.3 |59.3 |- |[[Quaraí River|Cuareim]] | |351 |14,641 |326.5 |- | |[[Miriñay River|Miriñay]] |285 |12,473.6 |168.2 |- |Arroio Touro Passo | | |991.9 |22.7 |- | |[[Guaviraví River|Guaviraví]] | |1,765.8 |34.7 |- |[[Ibicuí River|Ibicuí]] | |673 |47,203.4 |1,113.1 |- | |[[Aguapey River|Aguapey]] |310 |7,088.2 |163.6 |- |[[Icamaquã River|Icamaquã]] | rowspan="7" | |250 |4,886.7 |132.3 |- |[[Piratini River (Uruguay River tributary)|Piratini]] |120 |5,611 |152.4 |- |[[Ijuí River|Ijuí]] |300 |10,794 |307 |- |[[Comandaí River|Comandaí]] |199 |1,418 |40 |- |[[Santo Cristo River|Santo Cristo]] |121.7 |899.2 |24.2 |- |[[Santa Rosa River (Rio Grande do Sul)|Santa Rosa]] |185.1 |1,401.5 |38.9 |- |[[Buricá River|Buricá]] |195.5 |2,356.2 |66.4 |- | |Arroyo Soberbio |133.1 |1,084.7 |23.7 |- |[[Turvo River (Rio Grande do Sul)|Turvo]] | |247.1 |1,877.7 |53.2 |- | |Arroyo Yabotí | |2,002.4 |53.4 |- | colspan="5" |'''Upper Uruguay''' |- | |[[Pepiri-Guazu River|Pepiri]] [[Pepiri-Guazu River|Guazú]] |180 |2,345.6 |74.4 |- |[[Guarita River|Guarita]] | |242 |2,234 |66.8 |- | |[[Das Antas River (Santa Catarina)|Rio das]] [[Das Antas River (Santa Catarina)|Antes]] |194 |2,706.1 |81.7 |- |[[Rio da Várzea]] | |165 |5,480.5 |183.8 |- | |[[Chapecó River|Chapecó]] |248 |8,364.1 |284.1 |- |[[Passo Fundo River|Passo Fundo]] | |200 |4,055 |135.7 |- | rowspan="3" | |[[Irani River|Irani]] |223 |1,586.5 |50.1 |- |[[Jacutinga River (Uruguay River tributary)|Jacutinga]] |168 |1,003.2 |29.8 |- |[[Do Peixe River (Santa Catarina)|Peixe]] |299 |5,286.8 |143.7 |- |[[Apuaê River|Apauê]] | rowspan="2" | |210 |3,729.8 |124.7 |- |[[Inhandava River|Inhandava]] |181.7 |2,406 |73.5 |- |[[Pelotas River|Pelotas]] | |437 |13,378.4 |343.5 |- | |[[Canoas River (Santa Catarina)|Canoas]] |572 |14,883.7 |308.8 |- | colspan="5" |Source:<ref name="Parana (La Plata)">{{cite web|url=https://www.riversnetwork.org/V1/index.php/component/content/?view=article&id=174&catid=336&Itemid=179|title=Parana (La Plata)}}</ref><ref name="Transboundary Diagnostic Analysis for the La Plata Basin"/> |}

* Period: 1971–2000

==Cellulose plant conflict== {{more citations needed section|date=May 2014}} {{main|Pulp mill conflict between Argentina and Uruguay}} Argentina and Uruguay experienced a conflict over the construction of [[pulp mill]]s on the Uruguay River. Two European companies, ENCE and Botnia, proposed building [[cellulose]] processing plants at [[Fray Bentos]], Uruguay, opposite [[Gualeguaychú, Entre Ríos|Gualeguaychú]], Argentina. According to a 1975 treaty, Argentina and Uruguay were supposed to jointly agree on matters relating to the Uruguay River.<ref>{{cite web |author=Helsingin Sanomat |title=Pulp mill dispute between Argentina and Uruguay intensifies |url=http://www.hs.fi/english/article/Pulp+mill+dispute+between+Argentina+and+Uruguay+intensifies/1135219507760 |access-date=26 May 2014}}</ref> Argentina alleged that Uruguay broke the treaty. Additionally, Argentina believed the Finnish company Botnia was polluting the fish and the overall environment of the river while Uruguay believed that the plant was not depositing a large amount of toxins in the Uruguay River.<ref>{{cite web |title=Argentina y Uruguay ya esperan fallo de la CIJ en diferendo sobre pastera |publisher=AFP, Por Anna Pelegrí| url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gTc3ZWTskRnrf1J9zTNEuDtgSD1A | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100412131321/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gTc3ZWTskRnrf1J9zTNEuDtgSD1A | url-status=dead | archive-date=12 April 2010 |access-date=10 February 2009}}</ref>

Starting in April 2005, residents of Gualeguaychú, as well as many others, protested, claiming that the plants would pollute the river shared by the two countries. Early in 2006, the conflict escalated into a [[diplomatic crisis]],{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} compelling one of the companies move the project {{convert|250|km|mi}} south. Beginning in December 2005, the international bridges linking the Argentine province of [[Entre Ríos Province|Entre Ríos]] with Uruguay were intermittently blockaded by Argentine protesters, causing major disruptions in commercial traffic and tourism.

In 2006, Argentina brought the dispute before the [[International Court of Justice]]. The ICJ completed hearings between Argentina and Uruguay regarding the dispute on October 2, 2009. In 2010, the court ruled that although Uruguay failed to inform Argentina of the construction of the pulp mills, the mills did not pollute the river, so closing the remaining pulp mill would be unjustified. Later in 2010, Argentina and Uruguay created a joint commission to coordinate activities on the river.

==Links across the Uruguay== The course of the Uruguay is crossed by the following bridges, beginning upstream:

{| class=wikitable ! Crossing ! Location ! Built ! Carries ! Coordinates |- !colspan=6|Brazil |- |Campos Novos{{ndash}}Barracão Bridge |[[Campos Novos]]{{ndash}}[[Barracão, Rio Grande do Sul|Barracão]] | |[[BR-470]] |{{coord|27|36|12.1|S|51|28|10.6|W}} |- |[[Machadinho Hydroelectric Power Plant|Machadinho Dam]] |[[Piratuba]]{{ndash}}[[Maximiliano de Almeida]] |2002 | |{{coord|27|31|31.8|S|51|47|15.7|W}} |- |Marcelino Ramos Railway Bridge |[[Alto Bela Vista]]{{ndash}}[[Marcelino Ramos]] | | |{{coord|27|27|54.8|S|51|54|02.3|W}} |- |Concórdia{{ndash}}Marcelino Ramos Bridge |[[Concórdia]]{{ndash}}[[Marcelino Ramos]] | |[[BR-153]] |{{coord|27|22|32.8|S|51|59|11.2|W}} |- |[[Itá Dam]] |[[Itá, Santa Catarina|Itá]]{{ndash}}[[Aratiba]] | |SC-155 / RS-420 |{{coord|27|15|51.9|S|52|22|53.8|W}} |- |Chapecó{{ndash}}Nonoai Bridge |[[Chapecó]]{{ndash}}[[Nonoai]] | |SC-480 |{{coord|27|17|02.4|S|52|41|32|W}} |- |[[Foz de Chapecó Dam]] |[[Águas de Chapecó]]{{ndash}}[[Alpestre]] | | |{{coord|27|08|23.1|S|53|02|37.2|W}} |- |Palmitos{{ndash}}Iraí Bridge |[[Palmitos]]{{ndash}}[[Iraí]] | |[[BR-158]] |{{coord|27|10|21.7|S|53|13|42.8|W}} |- !colspan=6| Brazil{{ndash}}Argentina |- |Alba Posse{{ndash}}Porto Mauá Bridge |[[Alba Posse]]{{ndash}}[[Porto Mauá]] |''Planned'' | | |- |San Javier{{ndash}}Porto Xavier Bridge |[[San Javier, Misiones|San Javier]]{{ndash}}[[Porto Xavier]] |''Planned'' | | |- |[[Integration Bridge]] |[[Santo Tomé, Corrientes|Santo Tomé]]{{ndash}}[[São Borja, Rio Grande do Sul|São Borja]] |1997 |[[National Route 121 (Argentina)|National Route 121]] / [[BR-285]] |{{coord|28|36|40.5|S|56|00|51.1|W}} |- |Alvear-Itaqui Bridge |[[Alvear, Corrientes|Alvear]]{{ndash}}[[Itaqui]] |''Planned'' | | |- |[[Paso de los Libres–Uruguaiana International Bridge|Agustín P. Justo-Getúlio Vargas International Bridge]] |[[Paso de los Libres]]{{ndash}}[[Uruguaiana]] |1945 |[[National Route 117 (Argentina)|National Route 117]] / [[BR-290]] |{{coord|29|44|36.5|S|57|05|34.1|W}} |- !colspan=6| Argentina{{ndash}}Uruguay |- |Monte Caseros{{ndash}}Bella Unión Bridge |[[Monte Caseros]]{{ndash}}[[Bella Unión]] |''Planned'' | | |- |[[Salto Grande Bridge]] |[[Concordia, Entre Ríos|Concordia]]{{ndash}}[[Salto, Uruguay|Salto]] |1982 |[[National Route A015 (Argentina)|National Route A015]] / Acceso Puente Internacional |{{coord|31|16|30|S|57|56|18.2|W}} |- |[[General Artigas Bridge]] |[[Colón, Entre Ríos|Colón]]{{ndash}}[[Paysandú]] |1975 |[[National Route 135 (Argentina)|National Route 135]] / Avenida de las Américas |{{coord|32|15|52.7|S|58|06|01.4|W}} |- |[[Libertador General San Martín Bridge]] |[[Gualeguaychú, Entre Ríos|Gualeguaychú]]{{ndash}}[[Fray Bentos]] |1976 |[[National Route 136 (Argentina)|National Route 136]] / Acceso Puente Internacional |{{coord|33|05|55.7|S|58|14|55.5|W}} |- |Zárate{{ndash}}Nueva Palmira |[[Zárate, Buenos Aires|Zárate]]{{ndash}}[[Nueva Palmira]] |''Planned'' | | |}

==See also== {{commons}} * [[List of rivers of the Americas]] * [[Geography of Uruguay#Topography and hydrography|Geography of Uruguay]] * [[Tributaries of the Río de la Plata]]

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

==External links== {{Commons category-inline|Uruguay River}} * {{in lang|es}} [http://www.oni.escuelas.edu.ar/olimpi98/Energia-Vs-Ambiente/salto.htm Salto Grande Hydroelectric System] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050818220129/http://www.oni.escuelas.edu.ar/olimpi98/Energia-Vs-Ambiente/salto.htm |date=18 August 2005 }} * {{GEOnet2|32FA883A134C3774E0440003BA962ED3|Uruguay River}} * {{GEOnet2|32FA883A134A3774E0440003BA962ED3|Río Uruguay}} * {{GEOnet2|32FA883A13493774E0440003BA962ED3|Rio Uruguai}} * [http://www.wdl.org/en/item/189 "Map of the Uruguay River from Yapeyu to the Farm of Sn. Gregorio"] from 1784

[[Category:Uruguay River| ]] [[Category:Rivers of Santa Catarina (state)]] [[Category:Rivers of Rio Grande do Sul]] [[Category:Rivers of Uruguay]] [[Category:Rivers of Argentina]] [[Category:Argentina–Brazil border]] [[Category:Argentina–Uruguay border]] [[Category:International rivers of South America]] [[Category:Border rivers]] [[Category:Rivers of Misiones Province]] [[Category:Rivers of Entre Ríos Province]] [[Category:Rivers of Corrientes Province]]