Rio dos Sinos

BW

The Rio dos Sinos is a river in the southern Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul. It rises about 130 kilometers east of Porto Alegre in the Serra Geral in Caraa and flows through a total of 32 municipalities in the Jacuí delta, which drains into the Rio Guaiba shortly thereafter. Up São Leopoldo it flows in a westerly direction, where he bends to the south.

In the first 15 kilometers of the river over several waterfalls, the highest over 100 meters high crashing into the depths. There the water is clear and drinkable. In the lower reaches of the Rio dos Sinos, in turn, is strongly affected by untreated sewage, including from the local industry, for example tanneries. So it is with local environmental groups symbol of destruction of nature and many, especially in the environment of the University of São Leopoldo, committed to cleaning the river.

The river was formerly known as Curuyarei and later as Itapuy. Since 1748 he is regularly referred to the current name, it means the twisty river.

The Vale dos Sinos was in the 19th century one of the most important settlements of German immigrants.