Tárcoles River
Encyclopedia
The Tárcoles River, also called the Grande de Tárcoles River or the Río Grande de Tarcoles, in Costa Rica
originates on the southern slopes of the Cordillera Central volcanic range and flows in a south-westerly direction to the Gulf of Nicoya
. The river is 111 km long and its watershed
covers an area of 2,121 km², which encompasses around 50% of the country's population.
The river is the most contaminated river in Costa Rica, carrying much of the sewage from the central towns and cities. The river's watershed drains approximately 67% of Costa Rica's untreated organic and industrial waste and is considered the most contaminated river basin in the country. It was also affected by a leak of 400 thousand litres of diesel fuel by the state-owned Costa Rican Petroleum Refinery in 2000 which further damaged the ecology of the river and its immediate surroundings.
The river's upper reaches form the northern border of the Carara Biological Reserve. It is a habitat for American Crocodile
s, while the marshes located at the river's mouth have many waterfowl
and wading birds. Among the many heron
s and egret
s are the Boatbill
and Bare-throated Tiger Heron
, and other birds found here include Double-striped Thick-knee
, Mangrove Warbler
and American Pygmy Kingfisher
.
Reptiles, such as the American Crocodile
, Cayman
, Common Basilisk
and large iguana
s, are also easily seen.
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
originates on the southern slopes of the Cordillera Central volcanic range and flows in a south-westerly direction to the Gulf of Nicoya
Gulf of Nicoya
The Gulf of Nicoya is an inlet of the Pacific Ocean. It separates the Nicoya Peninsula from the mainland of Costa Rica, and encompasses a marine and coastal landscape of wetlands, rocky islands and cliffs.-Islands:*Chira Island*Venado Island*Isla Caballo...
. The river is 111 km long and its watershed
Drainage basin
A drainage basin is an extent or an area of land where surface water from rain and melting snow or ice converges to a single point, usually the exit of the basin, where the waters join another waterbody, such as a river, lake, reservoir, estuary, wetland, sea, or ocean...
covers an area of 2,121 km², which encompasses around 50% of the country's population.
The river is the most contaminated river in Costa Rica, carrying much of the sewage from the central towns and cities. The river's watershed drains approximately 67% of Costa Rica's untreated organic and industrial waste and is considered the most contaminated river basin in the country. It was also affected by a leak of 400 thousand litres of diesel fuel by the state-owned Costa Rican Petroleum Refinery in 2000 which further damaged the ecology of the river and its immediate surroundings.
The river's upper reaches form the northern border of the Carara Biological Reserve. It is a habitat for American Crocodile
American Crocodile
The American crocodile is a species of crocodilian found in the Neotropics. It is the most widespread of the four extant species of crocodiles from the Americas. Populations occur from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Mexico to South America as far as Peru and Venezuela. It also lives...
s, while the marshes located at the river's mouth have many waterfowl
Waterfowl
Waterfowl are certain wildfowl of the order Anseriformes, especially members of the family Anatidae, which includes ducks, geese, and swans....
and wading birds. Among the many heron
Heron
The herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
s and egret
Egret
An egret is any of several herons, most of which are white or buff, and several of which develop fine plumes during the breeding season. Many egrets are members of the genera Egretta or Ardea which contain other species named as herons rather than egrets...
s are the Boatbill
Boat-billed Heron
The Boat-billed Heron - colloquially known as the Boatbill - is an atypical member of the heron family, and was formerly thought to be in a monotypic family, Cochlearidae....
and Bare-throated Tiger Heron
Bare-throated Tiger Heron
The Bare-throated Tiger Heron, Tigrisoma mexicanum, is a wading bird of the heron family Ardeidae, found from Mexico to northwestern Colombia, with one recorded sighting from the United States in Hidalgo County, Texas...
, and other birds found here include Double-striped Thick-knee
Double-striped Thick-knee
The Double-striped Thick-knee, Burhinus bistriatus, is a Stone-curlew, a group of waders in the family Burhinidae.It is a resident breeder in Central and South America from southern Mexico south to Colombia, Venezuela and northern Brazil...
, Mangrove Warbler
Yellow Warbler
Dendroica petechia is a New World warbler species or superspecies; the subspecies group around D. aestiva is increasingly treated as good species Dendroica aestiva again. The name for the entire cryptic species complex is Mangrove Warbler, and another group of subspecies is known as Golden Warbler...
and American Pygmy Kingfisher
American Pygmy Kingfisher
The American Pygmy Kingfisher, Chloroceryle aenea, is a resident breeding bird which occurs in the American tropics from southern Mexico south through Central America to western Ecuador, and then around the northern Andes cordillera in the east to central Bolivia and central Brazil...
.
Reptiles, such as the American Crocodile
American Crocodile
The American crocodile is a species of crocodilian found in the Neotropics. It is the most widespread of the four extant species of crocodiles from the Americas. Populations occur from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of southern Mexico to South America as far as Peru and Venezuela. It also lives...
, Cayman
Cayman
Cayman may refer to* Cayman Islands, an overseas territory of the United Kingdom;* Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, or Little Cayman, three islands that are part of the Cayman Islands;* Porsche Cayman, a sports car produced by Porsche;...
, Common Basilisk
Common Basilisk
The Common Basilisk is a lizard found in Central and South American rainforests near rivers and streams.The basilisk is part of the corytophanid family...
and large iguana
Iguana
Iguana is a herbivorous genus of lizard native to tropical areas of Central America and the Caribbean. The genus was first described in 1768 by Austrian naturalist Josephus Nicolaus Laurenti in his book Specimen Medicum, Exhibens Synopsin Reptilium Emendatam cum Experimentis circa Venena...
s, are also easily seen.