Native name Río Negro Basin size 1,250 km (480 sq mi) Source Guatemala Countries Guatemala, Mexico | Country Guatemala Length 400 km Mouth Salinas River | |
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Main source Quiché Department, Guatemala
2,000 m (6,600 ft) River mouth Confluence of Usumacinta River & Pasión River
160 m (520 ft) Discharge Average rate:
551 m/s (19,500 cu ft/s)
at San Agustín Chixoy | ||
The Chixoy River or Río Negro is a river in Guatemala. The river is called Río Negro from its sources in the highlands of Huehuetenango and El Quiché until it reaches the Chixoy hydroelectric dam (located at 15.281536°N 90.490952°W / 15.281536; -90.490952 (Chixoy Hidroelectric Dam)), where the Río Salamá and Rio Carchela converge with the Río Negro. After the Chixoy dam, the river is called Río Chixoy and flows northwards, marking the departmental limits between Alta Verapaz and El Quiché, until it reaches the border with Mexico. From there on it continues along the border for another 113 kilometres (70 mi) as the Salinas river until it finally converges with the Río la Pasión (at 16.481193°N 90.544167°W / 16.481193; -90.544167 (Convergence Salinas and Pasión rivers)) to form the Usumacinta river which flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
Map of Rio Chixoy
The Chixoy river's water discharge of 551 cubic metres per second (19,500 cu ft/s) is Guatemala's highest. This was one of the main reasons for selecting this river for the construction of the Chixoy Hydroelectric dam. Guatemala's National Institute for Electricity (INDE) is planning the construction of another hydroelectric dam on the Chixoy river. The proposed location of the Xalalá hydroelectric dam is situated at 15.692833°N 90.786361°W / 15.692833; -90.786361 (Planned location Xalalá Hidroelectric Dam). in the municipality of Ixcán, El Quiché.