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Hydrography

With an exceptional richness, Argentine rivers are mostly navigable and there are also ice fields and subterranean waters. The most important hydrographic systems in Argentina belong to the ATLANTIC SLOPE. They are the Plata Basin and the Patagonian System.

Plata Basin:
It comprises a total surface of 1,196,916 sq. mi. (3,100,000 km2). It is regarded as the most relevant basin in Argentina and has an international significance: it is made up of rivers whose source is outside the Argentine territory; besides, it represents a waterway for Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil.
The main rivers belonging to it are: Paraná, Uruguay, Paraguay, Salado, Carcarañá, Iguazú and the Plata River.
The Plata River is 25 mi. (40 km) wide as measured at Colonia (Uruguay) and 124 mi. (200 km), as measured between the extremes of its mouth. Besides, it is the river which gives its name to the basin and to the geographical region for which it sets the east boundary. Patagonian system:
The rivers belonging to the Atlantic Slope, which traverse Patagonia, compound this system. All of them are born in the cordillera and their flow is increased twice a year, in winter due to the rainfalls and in spring due to the snow thawing. The lowest level occurs in the fall. The most important rivers of this system are: Chubut, Santa Cruz and Río Negro. Within the classification of ENDORHEIC BASIN are all the rivers not flowing into the sea, the waters end within the territory through filtration or evaporation. There are two important systems with these characteristics in Argentina:

Desaguadero Basin:
This basin has a great hydroelectric and irrigatory significance and is considered temporary because in times of great freshets, its waters can reach the sea. It includes the following rivers: Jáchal, Mendoza, Tunuyán, Diamante and Atuel. The Desaguadero River is the collector.

Basin of Pampa Sierras:
It comprises streams of great hydroelectric and irrigatory relevance including the following rivers: Salí, Primero, Segundo, Quinto and other minor rivers.
Some of the Argentine rivers cross the Chilean border and reach the Pacific Ocean. They are thought to belong to the PACIFIC SLOPE. Such is the case of Futaleufú River, which feeds a hydroelectric power plant.

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