Rio Piracicaba (Sao Paulo)
| Rio Piracicaba | ||
 Rio Piracicaba while flowing through the city of Piracicaba |
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| Data | ||
| location | South America , Brazil , State of São Paulo | |
| River system | Río de la Plata | |
| Drain over | Tietê → Paraná → La Plata → Atlantic | |
| source | Confluence of Atibaia and Jaguari 22 ° 42 ′ 19 ″ S , 47 ° 16 ′ 43 ″ W |
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| muzzle | in Santa Maria da Serra in the Tietê coordinates: 22 ° 36 ′ 53 ″ S , 48 ° 19 ′ 12 ″ W 22 ° 36 ′ 53 ″ S , 48 ° 19 ′ 12 ″ W.
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| Big cities | Campinas | |
| Navigable | theoretically to Piracicaba | |
The Rio Piracicaba is located in the Brazilian state of São Paulo . The Rio Piracicaba has various meander-shaped courses. The name of the river Piracicaba comes from the Tupí-Guaraní and means "place where the fish stops". Rio (port.) Itself means 'river'.
In terms of volume, it is the largest tributary of the Rio Tietê . In addition, the Rio Piracicaba is one of the most important bodies of water in the state of São Paulo and especially for the metropolitan region around Campinas there .
Geography and location
The river bed of the Rio Piracicaba extends over an area of 12,531 km², and is found in the southeast of the state of São Paulo and in the extreme south of Minas Gerais .
The Rio Piracicaba rises from the confluence of the Rio Atibaia and Rio Jaguari in the urban area of Americana . After passing the city of the same name, Piracicaba, the river meets its main inflow, the Rio Corumbataí . Then the Rio Piracicaba traverses another 250 km before it flows into the Rio Tietê in the area of the cities of Santa Maria da Serra and Barra Bonita .
The river bed is found in one of the most developed regions of the state of São Paulo and includes major cities such as Bragança Paulista , Campinas , Limeira , Americana, Atibaia , Rio Claro , Santa Bárbara d'Oeste and the city of Piracicaba itself.
History and use of the river
The river was used as a waterway and provided access to the neighboring states of Mato Grosso and Paraná during the 18th century . Cities like Piracicaba were founded on its banks.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, small steamships traveled on the river. In addition, this represented a supply for factories and the production of cane sugar and coffee.
Around 1960, for example, the government of São Paulo decided to continue using the river to supply water to the metropolitan region of São Paulo. Thus, various dams were created at the origins of the river. This holding back and partially diverting the tributaries resulted in a lower water level in the river.
Around 1980 the progressive urbanization and industrialization of the metropolitan region of Campinas caused increasing water pollution of the already smaller amount of water of the Rio Piracicaba. As a result, the river is one of the most polluted waters in Brazil at the beginning of the 21st century .
In recent years the strengthening of environmental groups, expanded controls and efforts to protect water bodies have prevented this situation from deteriorating further. Sewage treatment plants that have been set up in some cities are also beneficial . In spite of this, the water of the Rio Piracicaba is still unsuitable for human or even animal consumption in large parts of the river's course.
By building a lock near its mouth at Santa Maria da Serra, shipping on the river could be resumed. This would enable navigability to the vicinity of the city of Piracicaba and a connection to the Tietê-Paraná waterway. However, so far there has been no feasibility study .
Culture
The Rio Piracicaba crosses one of the oldest regions of settlement in the state of São Paulos. The Rio Piracicaba also has a permanent place in culture in the city of the same name, which grew on the river banks. Various popular festivities are held near the river banks in this town. The Rio Piracicaba is also sung about in a Brazilian song Rio de Lágrimas ('River of Tears').
literature
- Maria José Brollo: Diagnóstico do meio físico da média bacia do rio Piracicaba para fins de gestão ambiental. Governo do Estado de São Paulo, Secretário de Estado do Meio Ambiente, São Paulo 1996.