Paranapanema River
| Paranapanema River | |
| River | |
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| Country | Brazil |
|---|---|
| States | São Paulo, Paraná |
| Part of | Paraná River |
| Tributaries | |
| - left | Apiai-Guaçu River, Taquari-Guaçu River, Itararé River, Das Cinzas River, Tibagi River, Pirapó River |
| - right | Itapetininga River, Pardo River |
| Source | Serra dos Agudos |
| - elevation | 910 m (2,986 ft) |
| - coordinates | 24°51′S 48°10′W / 24.850°S 48.167°W |
| Mouth | Paraná River |
| - elevation | 233 m (764 ft) |
| - coordinates | 22°39′31″S 53°5′15″W / 22.65861°S 53.08750°WCoordinates: 22°39′31″S 53°5′15″W / 22.65861°S 53.08750°W |
| Length | 929 km (577 mi) |
 Map of the La Plata Basin, showing the Paranapanema River joining the upper Paraná River.
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The Paranapanema River (Portuguese, Rio Paranapanema) is one of the most important rivers of the interior of the Brazilian state of São Paulo. The river forms most of the boundary between the states of São Paulo and Paraná.
From source to mouth the Paranapanema River has an elevation drop of 677 metres (2,221 ft). The river's length is about 929 kilometres (577 mi). It flows generally west, reaching the Paraná River at an altitude of about 233 metres (764 ft).
The sources of the river are protected by the 22,269 hectares (55,030 acres) Nascentes do Paranapanema State Park, created in 2012. The sources are situated in the Serra Agudos Grandes, in south-central São Paulo, approximately 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the Atlantic coast.
From the sources to the mouth of the Itararé River, the Paranapaneba flows within the territory of São Paulo state. Below the Itararé the Paranapanema forms the border between the states of Paraná and São Paulo.
The river is associated with a date according to State Law 10.488/99 (Antônio Salim Curiati), sanctioned by Governor Mário Covas, designated as August 27.
The Paranapanema is the least polluted river of the state of São Paulo.
The average total gradient of the Paranapanema River, from its sources to its mouth in the Paraná river is 61 cm/km, not considering the first 100 km, where the river descends from the Serra of Paranapiacaba, at an average gradient of 43 cm/km, a value relatively low for a stream with a length of 929 km.
The Paranapanema river may be divided into three principal stretches:
From its mouth at the Paraná River, to the Grande Falls, a length of 421 km, the average gradient is 29 cm/km. There are widths of more than 200 m, deeper and shallower stretches, widths that reach nearly 800 m. The radii of curvature are in the order of 1.000 m. The course is more or less meandering presenting a complete horizontal equilibrium, with an excess, only of the stretch close to the junction with the Paraná river, where one may notice the existence of moving sand-banks and islands.
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Wikipedia