| Balsas River Mezcala River, Atoyac River | |
|---|---|
_River_in_Guerrero,_Mexico.jpg) Balsas River | |
 Major rivers of Mexico, with Balsas in the southwest | |
| Location | |
| Country | Mexico |
| State | Michoacán |
| Physical characteristics | |
| Mouth | |
• location | Mangrove Point, Pacific Ocean |
| Length | 771 kilometers (479 mi) |
| Basin features | |
| River system | Confluence of the San Martín River and Zahuapan River |
The Balsas River (Spanish Río Balsas, also locally known as the Mezcala River, or Atoyac River) is a major river of south-central Mexico.
The basin flows through the states of Guerrero, México, Morelos, and Puebla. Downstream of Ciudad Altamirano, Guerrero, it forms the border between Guerrero and Michoacán.[1] The river flows through the Sierra Madre del Sur, and empties into the Pacific Ocean at Mangrove Point, adjacent to the city of Lázaro Cárdenas, Michoacán.[2][3] Several rapids along the course of the Balsas River limit its navigability and thus the river has been largely used for generation of hydroelectric power, flood control and irrigation.[2]
- ^ "Ciudad Altamirano · Guerrero, Mexico". Ciudad Altamirano · Guerrero, Mexico. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
- ^ a b "Balsas River". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 26 December 2010.
- ^ Mining and engineering world. Mining and Engineering World. 1909. p. 37.