Río Frío | |
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Location of the Río Frío in Colombia
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Native name | Río Frío |
Etymology | "Cold river" |
Country | Colombia |
Department | Cundinamarca |
Provinces | Central Savanna, Rionegro |
Municipalities | Zipaquirá, Tabio, Cajicá, Chía |
Basin features | |
Main source |
Páramo de Guerrero Zipaquirá 3,700 m (12,100 ft) 5°07′06.9″N 74°00′47.9″W / 5.118583°N 74.013306°WCoordinates: 5°07′06.9″N 74°00′47.9″W / 5.118583°N 74.013306°W |
River mouth |
Bogotá River Chía 2,550 m (8,370 ft) 4°50′06.5″N 74°04′55.5″W / 4.835139°N 74.082083°W |
River system |
Bogotá River Magdalena Basin Caribbean Sea |
The Río Frío ("Cold river") is a river on the Bogotá savanna and a right tributary of the Bogotá River. The river, in a basin of 6,008.69 hectares (23.1997 sq mi), originates on the Páramo de Guerrero in Zipaquirá at an altitude of 3,700 metres (12,100 ft). It flows through the municipalities Tabio and Cajicá and into the Bogotá River in the south of Chía, at 2,550 metres (8,370 ft) above sea level.
The Río Frío originates on the Páramo de Guerrero at an altitude of 3,700 metres (12,100 ft), in the north of the municipality Zipaquirá. The river flows north and westward before flowing south through Tabio. From there, the river flows eastward through Cajicá to turn south through Chía where in the southern part of the municipality, close to the border with Suba, Bogotá the Río Frío flows into the Bogotá River at an elevation of 2,550 metres (8,370 ft).
In the valley of the Río Frío, shales belonging to the Guaduas Formation are outcropping. Also the Cacho, Bogotá and Chorrera Formations are present in the Río Frío valley. During the Last Glacial Maximum in the Late , the Río Frío deposited conglomerates and sands.
The basin of the Río Frío covers Zipaquirá, Pacho, Subachoque, Tabio, Cogua, Cota, Cajicá and Chía. The cultivation of flowers produces contamination of the Río Frío. The river overflows frequently. Carbon mining is present in the Río Frío basin.