Lebrija River

Lebrija River
Barranca de Lebrija corregimiento on the banks of the Lebrija river (Municipality of Aguachica).
Lebrija River is located in Colombia
Lebrija River
Location of the Lebrija River in Colombia
EtymologyAntonio de Lebrija
Native nameRío Lebrija (Spanish)
Location
CountryColombia
Departments
Provinces
Municipalities
Physical characteristics
SourceEastern Ranges
 • locationPiedecuesta
 • coordinates7°05′59.1″N 73°00′55.1″W / 7.099750°N 73.015306°W / 7.099750; -73.015306
 • elevation2,532 m (8,307 ft)[1]
MouthMagdalena River
 • location
Puerto Wilches / Loma de Corredor (Aguachica)
 • coordinates
8°07′55.3″N 73°46′24.5″W / 8.132028°N 73.773472°W / 8.132028; -73.773472
 • elevation
41.1 m (135 ft)[1]
Basin size8,790 km2 (3,390 sq mi)[2]
Discharge 
 • locationSan Rafael
 • minimum55.1 m3/s (1,950 cu ft/s)[3]
 • maximum706 m3/s (24,900 cu ft/s)[4]
Basin features
River systemMagdalena Basin
 Caribbean Sea

Lebrija River is a river of northern Colombia. It originates in the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes in Piedecuesta and flows through the northern part of the department of Santander into the Magdalena River in Puerto Wilches.

Etymology

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The Lebrija River is named after Antonio de Lebrija, the conquistador who discovered the river in 1529.

Description

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Lebrija River is located in Santander Department
source
source
mouth
mouth
Source and mouth of the Lebrija River in the Santander Department

The Lebrija River originates at an altitude of 2,532 metres (8,307 ft) in the Eastern Ranges of the Colombian Andes to the northeast of Piedecuesta, Santander.[1] The Lebrija River, a confluence of the Suratá River and the Río de Oro,[5][6] flows northward through the municipalities Girón, capital of Santander Bucaramanga, Lebrija and Sabana de Torres to flow into the Magdalena River near the Loma de Corredor, Puerto Wilches,[7] Santander at an altitude of 41.1 m (135 ft).[1] In the lower course of the river, it forms the natural boundary between Santander and Cesar, close to the border with Bolívar. About 100 kilometres (62 mi) of the river, with a total basin size of 8,790 square kilometres (1.362×1013 sq in), is navegable.[2]

Canyon near the El Ensueño waterfall, upper Lebrija river basin, in Piedecuesta

Geology

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The type locality of the Girón Formation was identified along the Lebrija River in 1954.[8] At this type section, a total thickness of 4,650 metres (15,260 ft) of the formation was registered in 1968.[9] The type locality of the 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) thick La Paz Formation is also located near the river.[10]

Climate

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The heavy rains over the capital district of Santander, the metropolitan area of Bucaramanga, have caused mortality of fish in the Lebrija River.[11] The Lebrija River transports an average of 4,739,000,000 cubic metres (1.674×1011 cu ft) of water per year.[12] The maximum discharge at the San Rafael station has been registered in December with 706 cubic metres per second (24,900 cu ft/s) and the minimum in January with 55.1 cubic metres per second (1,950 cu ft/s).[3][4] The higher basin of Lebrija Alto has between 66 and 2,065 millimetres (2.6 and 81.3 in) of precipitation per year in a bimodal pattern. The rainy seasons are March to May and September to November with drier periods from December to February and June to August. The temperature ranges from 0 and 35 °C (32 and 95 °F), the relative humidity reached 81% and the hours of sunshine vary between 1472 and 1913.[13]

Flora and fauna

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Vismia baccifera
Emerald-eyed tree frog (Hypsiboas crepitans)

Many species of flora and fauna have been registered in the Lebrija River basin. A total number of 761 species of which 172 birds, 77 insects, 124 mammals, 104 fish and 284 plant species have been noted at Rionegro, Santander.[14] The Cerulean Warbler Bird Reserve is close to the Lebrija River in Bucaramanga.[15]

Flora

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The following species and genera are noted in the upper part of the Lebrija River: Ocotea sp., Miconia sp., Guarea grandifolia, Hedyosmum bomplandianum, Guateria sp., Protium sp., Ochroma sp., Piper sp., Trema micrantha, Vismia baccifera, Urera caracasana, Cecropia sp. and Croton leptostachis.[16]

Fauna

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Mammals
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The following mammals have been registered in the upper and central Lebrija River basins:[14][16][17]

Name Species Image
Venezuelan red howler Alouatta seniculus
gray-handed night monkey Aotus griseimembra
white-fronted capuchin Cebus albifrons
oncilla Leopardus pardalis
southern tamandua Tamandua tetradactyla
northern tamandua Tamandua mexicana
silky anteater Cyclopes didactylus
Brazilian porcupine Coendou prehensilis
crab-eating fox Cerdocyon thous
crab-eating raccoon Procyon cancrivorus
collared peccary Pecari tajacu
red brocket Mazama americana
red-tailed squirrel Sciurus granatensis
brown-throated sloth Bradypus variegatus
Linnaeus's two-toed sloth Choloepus didactylus
Hoffmann's two-toed sloth Choloepus hoffmanni
tapeti Sylvilagus brasiliensis
eastern cottontail Sylvilagus floridanus
common opossum Didelphis marsupialis
brown four-eyed opossum Metachirus nudicaudatus
sepia short-tailed opossum Monodelphis adusta
mountain paca Agouti paca
lowland paca Cuniculus paca
black agouti Dasyprocta fuliginosa
Central American agouti Dasyprocta punctata
kinkajou Potos flavus
tayra Eira barbara
long-tailed weasel Mustela frenata
striped hog-nosed skunk Conepatus semistriatus
neotropical otter Lontra longicaudis
nine-banded armadillo Dasypus novemcinctus
northern naked-tailed armadillo Cabassous centralis
dusky rice rat Melanomys caliginosus
Jamaican fruit bat Artibeus jamaicensis
pygmy fruit-eating bat Artibeus phaeotis
silky short-tailed bat Carollia brevicauda
Seba's short-tailed bat Carollia perspicillata
common vampire bat Desmodus rotundus
common big-eared bat Micronycteris microtis
Heller's broad-nosed bat Platyrrhinus helleri
greater sac-winged bat Saccopteryx bilineata
little yellow-shouldered bat Sturnira lilium
great fruit-eating bat Artibeus lituratus
chestnut short-tailed bat Carollia castanea
Thomas's shaggy bat Centronycteris centralis
Godman's long-tailed bat Choeroniscus godmani
northern ghost bat Diclidurus albus
black myotis Myotis nigricans
Amphibians and reptiles
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The following species have been registered in the central Lebrija River basin:[14]

Name Species Image
palm rocket frog Rheobates palmatus
robber frog Craugastor raniformis
emerald-eyed tree frog Hypsiboas crepitans
yellow treefrog Dendropsophus microcephalus
Fleischmann's glass frog Hyalinobatrachium fleischmanni
yellow-striped poison frog Dendrobates truncatus
South American common toad Rhinella margaritifera
Dendropsophus subocularis
Pristimantis miyatai
Rulyrana adiazeta
Allobates niputidea
fer-de-lance Bothrops asper
blunthead tree snake Imantodes cenchoa
red-nape snake Ninia atrata
yellow-bellied snake Coniophanes fissidens
Micrurus dumerilii
turnip-tailed gecko Thecadactylus rapicauda
Polychrus marmoratus
Anolis frenatus
Anolis sulcifrons
Lepidoblepharis xanthostigma
Sphaerodactylus heliconiae
Birds
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The following species have been registered in the central Lebrija River basin:[14]

Name Species Image
rufous-tailed hummingbird Amazilia tzacatl
orange-billed sparrow Arremon aurantiirostris
bright-rumped attila Attila spadiceus
rufous-capped warbler Basileuterus rufifrons
orange-chinned parakeet Brotogeris jugularis
cattle egret Bubulcus ibis
great black hawk Buteogallus urubitinga
Muscovy duck Cairina moschata
bicolored wren Campylorhynchus griseus
turkey vulture Cathartes aura
grey-cheeked thrush Catharus minimus
golden-headed manakin Ceratopipra erythrocephala
dusky antbird Cercomacra tyrannina
green kingfisher Chloroceryle americana
green honeycreeper Chlorophanes spiza
blue-tailed emerald Chlorostilbon mellisugus
bananaquit Coereba flaveola
spot-breasted woodpecker Colaptes punctigula
crested bobwhite Colinus cristatus
ruddy ground dove Columbina talpacoti
black vulture Coragyps atratus
white-bibbed manakin Corapipo leucorrhoa
smooth-billed ani Crotophaga ani
little tinamou Crypturellus soui
green jay Cyanocorax yncas
rufous-browed peppershrike Cyclarhis gujanensis
black-faced dacnis Dacnis lineata
violet-bellied hummingbird Damophila julie
plain-brown woodcreeper Dendrocincla fuliginosa
straight-billed woodcreeper Dendroplex picus
yellow-bellied elaenia Elaenia flavogaster
mountain elaenia Elaenia frantzii
white-tailed kite Elanus leucurus
checker-throated stipplethroat Epinecrophylla fulviventris
thick-billed euphonia Euphonia laniirostris
white-necked jacobin Florisuga mellivora
spectacled parrotlet Forpus conspicillatus
white-tailed hawk Geranoaetus albicaudatus
wedge-billed woodcreeper Glyphorynchus spirurus
white-breasted wood wren Henicorhina leucosticta
scrub greenlet Hylophilus flavipes
yellow-backed oriole Icterus chrysater
Euler's flycatcher Lathrotriccus euleri
white-tipped dove Leptotila verreauxi
striped manakin Machaeropterus regulus
white-bearded manakin Manacus manacus
boat-billed flycatcher Megarhynchus pitangua
tropical screech owl Megascops choliba
red-crowned woodpecker Melanerpes rubricapillus
southern nightingale-wren Microcerculus marginatus
yellow-headed caracara Milvago chimachima
tropical mockingbird Mimus gilvus
ochre-bellied flycatcher Mionectes oleagineus
buff-rumped warbler Myiothlypis fulvicauda
rusty-margined flycatcher Myiozetetes cayanensis
pauraque Nyctidromus albicollis
Colombian chachalaca Ortalis columbiana
chestnut-bellied seed finch Oryzoborus angolensis
cinereous becard Pachyramphus rufus
band-tailed pigeon Patagioenas fasciata
pale-bellied hermit Phaethornis anthophilus
green hermit Phaethornis guy
stripe-throated hermit Phaethornis striigularis
olivaceous piculet Picumnus olivaceus
great kiskadee Pitangus sulphuratus
slaty-headed tody-flycatcher Poecilotriccus sylvia
spectacled owl Pulsatrix perspicillata
blue-and-white swallow Pygochelidon cyanoleuca
vermilion flycatcher Pyrocephalus rubinus
flame-rumped tanager Ramphocelus flammigerus
crimson-backed tanager Ramphocelus dimidiatus
roadside hawk Rupornis magnirostris
olive-grey saltator Saltator olivascens
buff-throated saltator Saltator maximus
streaked saltator Saltator striatipectus
black phoebe Sayornis nigricans
saffron finch Sicalis flaveola
Lesson's seedeater Sporophila bouvronides
plumbeous seedeater Sporophila plumbea
ruddy-breasted seedeater Sporophila minuta
yellow-bellied seedeater Sporophila nigricollis
southern rough-winged swallow Stelgidopteryx ruficollis
chestnut-collared swift Streptoprocne rutila
white-winged swallow Tachycineta albiventer
white-shouldered tanager Tachyphonus luctuosus
blue-necked tanager Tangara cyanicollis
bay-headed tanager Tangara gyrola
black-capped tanager Tangara heinei
scrub tanager Tangara vitriolina
barred antshrike Thamnophilus doliatus
blue-grey tanager Thraupis episcopus
palm tanager Thraupis palmarum
band-tailed barbthroat Threnetes ruckeri
sooty grassquit Tiaris fuliginosus
fasciated tiger heron Tigrisoma fasciatum
common tody-flycatcher Todirostrum cinereum
house wren Troglodytes aedon
black-billed thrush Turdus ignobilis
pale-breasted thrush Turdus leucomelas
tropical kingbird Tyrannus melancholicus
red-eyed vireo Vireo olivaceus
blue-black grassquit Volatinia jacarina
plain xenops Xenops minutus
eared dove Zenaida auriculata
jet antbird Cercomacra nigricans
sooty ant tanager Habia gutturalis
sooty-headed wren Pheugopedius spadix
brown-winged schiffornis Schiffornis turdina
northern slaty antshrike Thamnophilus punctatus
Fish
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The following species have been registered in the central Lebrija River basin:[14]

Name Species Image
guppy Poecilia reticulata
redhump eartheater Geophagus steindachneri
wolf fish Hoplias malabaricus
Prochilodus magdalenae
Sturisomatichthys leightoni
Cauca molly Poecilia caucana
Astroblepus homodon
Leporinus muyscorum
Ancistrus caucanus
Astynax magdalenae
Brycon henni
Chaetostoma fischeri
Chaetostoma milesi
Gephyrocharax melanocheir
Hemibrycon dentatus
Hypostomus hondae
Ichthyoelephas longirostris
Parodon magdalenensis
Pimelodus blochii
Pimelodus grosskopfii
Rhamdia quelen
Roeboides dayii
Salminus affinis

Trivia

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See also

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List of rivers of Colombia
Suárez River
Chicamocha River, Sogamoso River

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Google Maps Elevation Finder
  2. ^ a b GIDROT, 2011, p.128
  3. ^ a b GIDROT, 2011, p.118
  4. ^ a b GIDROT, 2011, p.119
  5. ^ GIDROT, 2011, p.144
  6. ^ CIAT, s.a., p.21
  7. ^ CDIM, s.a., p.5
  8. ^ GIDROT, 2011, p.44
  9. ^ GIDROT, 2011, p.45
  10. ^ GIDROT, 2011, p.59
  11. ^ (in Spanish) El Río Lebrija pierde sus peces - El Espectador
  12. ^ GIDROT, 2011, p.117
  13. ^ CDMB, s.a., p.4
  14. ^ a b c d e (in Spanish) Fauna y flora de la cuenca media del Río Lebrija en Rionegro, Santander - Humboldt Institute
  15. ^ Cerulean Warbler Bird Reserve - ProAves
  16. ^ a b CDMB, s.a., p.9
  17. ^ CDMB, s.a., p.10
  18. ^ Castaño Mora, 1986, p.666

Bibliography

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  • Castaño Mora, Olga Victoria (1986), "Contribución al conocimiento de la reproducción de Podocnemis lewyana (Reptilia: Quelonia: Pelmedusidae)" (PDF), Caldasia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, XV: 665–667, retrieved 2017-03-11
  • GIDROT (2011), Santander 2030 - Diagnóstico dimensión biofísico ambiental territorial de Santander (PDF), Universidad Industrial de Santander, pp. 1–250, retrieved 2017-03-11
  • N., N, Aspectos del medio natural (PDF), CIAT, pp. 1–32, retrieved 2017-03-11
  • N., N, Plan de ordenamiento y manejo ambiental subcuenca Lebrija Alto, CDMB, pp. 1–121, retrieved 2017-03-11
  • N., N, Sistema hidrográfico municipio de Barrancabermeja (PDF), CDIM, pp. 1–39, retrieved 2017-03-11

Further reading

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