Rio Negro | |
---|---|
Location | |
Country | Jamaica |
Region | Saint Elizabeth, Jamaica |
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• coordinates | 18°11′22″N 77°41′00″W / 18.189553°N 77.683307°W |
• elevation | 141 m (463 ft) |
Mouth | Caribbean Sea |
• location | Black River (town) |
• coordinates | 18°01′18″N 77°50′49″W / 18.021624°N 77.846949°W |
• elevation | 0 m (0 ft) |
Length | 53.4 km (33.2 mi) |
Basin size | 166 km2 (64 sq mi) |
Width | |
• minimum | 5 metres (16 ft) |
• average | 50 metres (160 ft) |
• maximum | 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) |
Depth | |
• minimum | 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) |
• average | 27 metres (89 ft) |
• maximum | 92 metres (302 ft) |
Discharge | |
• location | Black River Bay |
• average | 176 m3/s (6,200 cu ft/s) |
• minimum | 20 m3/s (710 cu ft/s) |
• maximum | 4,200 m3/s (150,000 cu ft/s) |
Basin features | |
River system | Dendritic |
Tributaries | |
• left | Y.S. River |
• right |
|
Protection status | |
Official name | Black River Lower Morass |
Designated | 7 October 1997 |
Reference no. | 919[1] |
The Black River is one of the longest rivers in Jamaica. At a length of 53.4 km (33.2 mi),[2] it was believed to be the longest until it was discovered that the Rio Minho was 92.8 km long.[3] Its name refers to the darkness of the riverbed caused by thick layers of decomposing vegetation.
Over 100 species of birds have been recorded in the Black River morass.[3] A 17,769 ha area of the river basin, encompassing much of the Upper and Lower Morass, has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International because it supports significant populations of many Jamaican bird species.[4]