Loa River

River course of the Río Loa

Río Loa in Calama

The Río Loa is 443 kilometers in length, the longest river in Chile and runs in the Región de Antofagasta.

The river rises in the Andes, in a Laguna Seca ( " Dry Lake " ) above the valley north of the Miño volcano ( 5611 m ), which accumulate numerous streams. It flows south over long Chiu- Chiu and then west over the city Calama. Shortly before Tocopilla it flows back far to the north, and then north of Mina Fakir to flow into the Pacific Ocean. He is the only river in the Atacama desert, which does not completely evaporate. In the lower reaches it flows along the border of the two Chilean regions I and II

The flow is dammed up at multiple sites. Often there is contamination with heavy metals from the Chuquicamata copper mine and other industrial waste. The city of Calama has only inadequate sewage treatment plants.

At Río Loa are also the ruins of the Inca Fortress Pucara de Lasana.