Palena River

Palena River
Río Buta Palena[1]
Río Corcovado[2]
Headwaters at Vintter Lake
Map
Native nameCarrenleufú (Mapudungun)[3]
Location
Countries
Physical characteristics
SourceVintter Lake
 • locationAndes, Patagonia, Argentina
 • coordinates43°53′58″S 71°25′32″W / 43.89944°S 71.42556°W / -43.89944; -71.42556
 • elevation927 m (3,041 ft)
MouthGulf of Corcovado
 • location
Pacific Ocean, Chile
 • coordinates
43°46′04″S 72°58′33″W / 43.76778°S 72.97583°W / -43.76778; -72.97583[1]
 • elevation
0 m (0 ft)
Length240 km (150 mi)
Basin size12,887 km2 (4,976 sq mi)
Discharge 
 • locationmouth
 • average130 m3/s (4,600 cu ft/s)
Basin features
Tributaries 
 • leftRosselot River
Rio Risopatrón
 • rightRio Frio

The Palena River or Carrenleufú is a river shared by Chile and Argentina in Northern Patagonia. It drains the waters of the Vintter Lake, also shared by these nations, and it flows into the Pacific Ocean. 56.5% of the river basin lies in Chile.[4]

This river has a regular glacial regime and rapid white waters. The rapids between Palena and Puerto Raúl Marín Balmaceda are choice kayaking white water.[5] The volume and rapid drop in elevation of the river is ideal for hydroelectric power plants. There are several projects at both sides of the border to use this power.[citation needed]

  1. ^ a b Río Buta Palena (Approved - N) at GEOnet Names Server, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  2. ^ Río Corcovado (Variant - V) at GEOnet Names Server
  3. ^ Río Carrenleufú (Variant - V) at GEOnet Names Server
  4. ^ "Hidrografía Región de Aysén". Biblioteca del Congreso Nacional de Chile (in Spanish). Retrieved 2 March 2022.
  5. ^ "Los 10 rios mas impresionantes de Carretera Austral, Patagonia - Chile" (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 15 August 2015.