Maipo (river)

The Maipo is a river that flows from east to west through the Santiago Metropolitan and the Valparaíso regions in central Chile. It flows just south of the national capital, Santiago, and ends in the Pacific Ocean.

The Maipo river is one of the main rivers of Chile and is an important source of irrigation and potable water for the region.

Geography
The Maipo river has a length of , and a drainage basin with an area of approximately .

Course
The Maipo river starts on the Andes, in the place called Los Nacimientos, on the side of the Maipo volcano, in the San José de Maipo commune (Santiago Metropolitan Region), at an elevation of about .

From its start, the river flows to the northwest through the Cajón del Maipo, a canyon; the El Volcán and Yeso rivers join the Maio before San José de Maipo near the town of San Gabriel and as right tributaries. After the city of San José de Maipo the river is joined, also as a right tributary, by the Colorado river and then turns to the southwest.

After a total of about , Maipo river leaves the Andes to the south of Puente Alto, still at near  of altitude above sea level, and gets into the Maipo valley. Near Talagante, after flowing through the city of Santiago, the Mapocho river joins, as a right tributary, the Maipo river.

After crossing the coastal mountains, the Maipo gets to the town of Llolleo, just south of the port city of San Antonio, where it flows into the Pacific Ocean.

Main tributaries 
Most of the tributaries of the Maipo river join:

Left tributaries:
 Clarillo - 

Right tributaries:
 El Volcán- 
 Yeso - 
 Colorado - 
 Mapocho - 

Uses
In the upper part, the Maipo is used to produce hydroelectricity. The Cajón del Maipo is a popular tourist region, mainly for water sports like rafting.

In the Maipo valley, grapes are produced with the water of the river and the valley is a very important wine region.

Gallery

Related pages
 List of rivers of Chile

References

Other websites

 Cuenca Río Maipo  

Category:Rivers of Chile