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The river Paraná is born in the fork of two important Brazilian rivers: the Big
rivers and Paranaíba, approximately, at 20° of south latitude and 51° of longitude
west. From its formation, in the fork of the mentioned rivers, it has superior width to 1
Km and minimum reflux of more than 1 thousand m3/s.
Being considered together with the river Parnaíba, its natural prolongation, the river
Paraná has an extension of 4 thousand Km.
Leaving of the fork of the Big rivers and Paranaíba, the river Paraná runs in Brazilian
territory with southeast general orientation for about 619 Km to reach the Waterfalls of
Seven Falls (sunk by the barragem of Itaipu),deste point, inflete for south, starting to
do border between Brazil and Paraguay in an extension of 190 Km to the mouth of the river
Iguaçú, starting from where it becomes limit, between Argentina and Paraguay.
In the proximities of the Fast of Apipé, placed about 468 Km the jusante of the mouth of
the river Iguaçú, the orientation of the river moves to west, direction that conserves
until the fork of the river Paraguay. After receiving its main one flowing, it totally
penetrates in Argentinean territory, where, with south general orientation, it travels
more than 820 Km to a little below the city of Rosário.
The total length of the river Paraná is of 2.739 Km of the which 1.240 km in Argentinean
territory, 619 Km entirely in Brazilian territory and 880 Km as bordering between the
Republic of Paraguay and Argentina or Brazil.
To the point of view of the sailing and taking into account the main characteristics of
the space of the river Paraná in the Brazilian territory can mention the calm aspect of
course of plain water: soft curves, bed very stable, big and numerous islands and banks of
sand, reduced declividade. It is crossed by some basaltic dashs, running even so the bed,
in general, on arenitos and recent deposits. The margins are low, with little soft hills.
The smaller way, has 3 Km of width in Guaíra and 1,2 Km in the most narrow places, it
coils in one it is worth inundável that arrives to 15 Km of width in some spaces.
The maximum variations of the level of water empty space of 3m in Guaíba for 11m in
Jupiá, and on the average they reach, annually, 2 and 6m, respectively, in the mentioned
places. The medium declividade is around 10 to 15 cm/Km; the minimum depths along the
sailing channel, in the same period, are of the order of 1,8m, reaching in exceptional
estiagens, in the bass of Paranapanema and Morumbi (critical spaces) less than 1,0m.
To the point of view of the sailing and taking into account the different characteristics,
of the bed, it can divide the river Paraná in five spaces, of the which only the space of
High Paraná - of Guaíra to the fork of the Big rivers and Paranaiba, with 619 Km of
extension in Brazilian territory.
The main geographical limits of the basin of High Paraná are: to the north the basins of
Tocantins/Araguaia and San Francisco; to east, massive Brazilian Litorâneo (it Saws of
the Sea), to the south of the basin of the river Iguaçu, flowing of Medium Paraná and to
west the basin of the river Paraguay.
The whole high Paraná presents similar morphologic characteristics: a plain river, with
great width and numerous islands.
Now, with the conclusion of the dam of Itaipu the commercial sailing is possible in
Paraná, from Jupiá to the mouth of Iguaçú in an extension of approximately 670 Km and
in more precarious conditions even São Simão (through the river Paranaíba) and Red
Water (through the Big river).
The barragem of Jupiá, located to 21 Km of the fork with the river Tietê, as well as the
barragem of Single Island, doesn't have eclusas, what impedes the continuity of the
sailing in this space of about 55 Km in the river Paraná. Pereira Barreto's channel, now
and the use of the river São José of the Gildings, they provide a passage for the
sailing, allowing the connection between north and south of the river Paraná.
Practically there are no restrictions from the point of view of the depth for the traffic
of embarkations with "calado" up to 2,5m between Jupiá and President Epitácio
and even the jusante of this local one, embarkations with 3,5m "calado", they
only can, in the current conditions, reach Guaíra, for 30 days on the average of a
year (the "calado" of 3,5m is of definitive character for the project of the
works, in the river Paraná).
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