Arque River

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The Río Arque is one of the headwaters of the Río Caine, and hence of the Río Grande in Bolivia.

Course

The headwaters of the Río Arque arise in the Cordillera Quimsa Cruz ( Tres Cruces). The main source river, which is about 50 km long Rio Taracachi, arises as Quebrada Ticanoma on the western slope of Cerro Huaylluma, 50 kilometers northeast of the mining city of Oruro and 65 kilometers southwest of the city of Cochabamba and flows in a generally southeasterly direction. The other source river, the Río Tacopaya (initially as Incalacaya ) generally flows westward. From the union of the river valley facing northeast with slight turns. On the way through the province Arque is located at kilometer 58 (from the source of the Ticanoma ) the provincial capital Arque on the north bank of the river, at km 72 Estancia Umani on the south bank, at kilometer 85, the town Capinota on the north shore.

The catchment area of ​​the river Arque covers 2224 km ². In Capinota the minimum flow of the river Arque is 2 to 2.5 m³ / s When the river swells during the rainy season from November to April, however, flow rates can be achieved in a century maximum of up to 900 m³ / s. For the mean discharge was 6.7 m³ / s is calculated. The entrained dissolved sediments can be up to 120 g / l during the rainy season and are red, yellow or dark brown, depending on Herkunftstal of the water.

After a total of 88 kilometers, the Río Arque united at an altitude of 2,350 m above sea level with the Río Rocha and then carries the name Río Caine. The Río Caine goes after another 162 km into the Rio Grande, which flows 1438 km below the source of the Rio Arque in the Río Mamoré.

Tributaries

The Río Arque gets its water from a dendritic branched river system. The larger tributaries are from right: Río Ballia, Río Chullmayu, Quebrada Huanu Wara, Quebrada Fundición and Quebrada Curamayu and from left: Río Pichacani, Río Taracachi, Quebrada Muralani, Quebrada Millu Waykho, Waca Waca and Quebrada Quebrada Sotaza.