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| De las Vueltas River | |
|---|---|
| Name | De las Vueltas River |
| Native name | Río de las Vueltas |
| Country | Argentina |
| Region | Santa Cruz Province |
| Length km | 50 |
| Source | Andes |
| Mouth | Río Gallegos |
| Basin size km2 | 2230 |
De las Vueltas River De las Vueltas River is a glacially fed tributary in the southern Patagonia region of Argentina that joins the Río Gallegos system. The river originates on the eastern slopes of the Andes near the Lago Argentino basin and flows through a sequence of valleys, wetlands, and steppe before entering the lowland estuary near Puerto San Julián. It lies within the administrative boundaries of Santa Cruz Province and is influenced by climatic patterns associated with the Roaring Forties, the Andean orogeny, and regional Patagonian icefields dynamics.
De las Vueltas River rises in glacial cirques adjacent to the Southern Patagonian Ice Field and drains eastward past the Lago Viedma catchment toward the Río Gallegos estuary near Puerto Santa Cruz, traversing terrain described in studies by the Instituto Geográfico Nacional (Argentina), the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional (Argentina), and the Consejo Federal de Inversiones. Along its course it crosses transitional biomes mapped by the Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria and skirts protected areas administered by the Administración de Parques Nacionales and private reserves recognized by the Fundación Vida Silvestre Argentina. Major topographic features crossed include the Sierra de la Ventana foothills, the Meseta Central, and alluvial plains catalogued in cartography by IGN Argentina, USGS, and the Instituto Geográfico Militar de Chile.
The river’s hydrology is driven by meltwater from outlet glaciers documented by the World Glacier Monitoring Service, precipitation patterns monitored by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, and seasonal runoff characterized in hydrological models produced by the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development and researchers from the Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia Austral. Its watershed overlaps catchment delineations used by the Global Runoff Data Centre and exhibits flow regimes similar to those recorded at gauging stations of the Dirección Provincial de Aguas. Water chemistry assessments reference standards from the Organización Mundial de la Salud and employ methods from the International Organization for Standardization. The catchment supports irrigation projects evaluated by the Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo, riparian groundwater exchanges described by the United Nations Environment Programme, and sediment transport studies aligned with protocols from the International Association of Hydrological Sciences.
Riparian habitats along the river support flora and fauna monitored by the CONICET, the IUCN, and the World Wildlife Fund. Vegetation zones include communities similar to those in the Patagonian steppe described in floristic surveys by the Museo Argentino de Ciencias Naturales and the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid. Faunal assemblages host species assessed on the IUCN Red List such as the Guanaco, the Andean condor, and migratory waterfowl cataloged by the Wetlands International and the Ramsar Convention. Aquatic species studies reference trout populations introduced under programs by the Secretaría de Agricultura, Ganadería y Pesca and endemic fish taxa recorded in faunal compilations by the Museo de La Plata. Predator-prey dynamics echo research themes from the Smithsonian Institution and collaborative conservation plans with the Wildlife Conservation Society.
Indigenous presence in the basin includes cultures documented in archaeological surveys by the Institut Français d'Études Andines and the Museo de La Plata, with ethnographic records involving the Tehuelche peoples. European exploration and colonial-era expeditions referenced activities by Falklands (Islas Malvinas) navigators and mapping by the Spanish Empire and later cartographers from the Argentine Republic. 19th- and 20th-century land use incorporates sheep ranching introduced under enterprises registered with the Bolsa de Comercio de Buenos Aires and infrastructure projects financed by the Banco Nación. Hydropower feasibility and water resource proposals were assessed by the Comisión Nacional de Energía Atómica and provincial energy agencies; mining interests intersected with claims filed at the Secretaría de Minería. Scientific expeditions by teams from the Universidad de Buenos Aires, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation, and the Instituto Antártico Argentino have produced baseline data on geomorphology and paleoclimate.
Conservation measures involve collaboration among the Administración de Parques Nacionales, provincial authorities of Santa Cruz Province, international NGOs such as the Conservation International and the Nature Conservancy, and research institutions including the CONICET and the Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Management plans draw on frameworks from the Convention on Biological Diversity, the Ramsar Convention, and best-practice guidelines promulgated by the IUCN World Commission on Protected Areas. Threats identified by environmental impact assessments prepared for the Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo and provincial ministries include glacier retreat documented by the IPCC, invasive species recorded by the Global Invasive Species Database, and water abstraction regulated under provincial water codes adjudicated at tribunals like the Corte Suprema de Justicia de la Nación Argentina.
Access to the river corridor is via provincial routes connected to Ruta Nacional 3 and regional airfields near Río Gallegos Airport with services coordinated by the Administración Nacional de Aviación Civil. Recreational activities promoted by local tour operators registered with the Cámara Argentina de Turismo include fly-fishing in venues endorsed by the Federación Argentina de Fly Casting, birdwatching supported by guides affiliated with the Aves Argentinas network, and trekking linked to routes charted by the Asociación Argentina de Guías de Pesca. Visitor facilities are influenced by guidelines from the World Tourism Organization and regional stewardship promoted by community groups working with the Programa de Pequeñas Donaciones (UNDP).
Category:Rivers of Santa Cruz Province, Argentina