2. INTRODUCTION
The Napo river is the largest in Ecuador
and is a tributary of the Amazon river
It collects the water from the melting of
the Antisana, Sincholagua, Cotopaxi and
Llanganates volcanoes that, when united,
form the Jatunyacu, it joins the Anzu,
from where it takes the Napo's name
In its upper course it is torrential and full
of eddies, due to its steep slopes. In its
middle section it joins the Coca and
becomes a river with easy navigation
3. INTRODUCTION
Among its innumerable tributaries, the following stand out: the Aguarico, which partly serves
as the border with Peru, the same as its tributary the Lagartococha or Zancudo
Coca River, famous for having been the penetration route of the famous Gonzalo Pizarro
expedition, which culminated in the discovery of the Amazon in 1542
Payamino River, important for the gold sands that it carries in its bed, and Curaray, which
partly serves as the border with Peru
Physical attributes
River
Length
(km)
Width
(km)
Unevenness
(m)
Napo 1400 1 - 3 900 - 140
4. CLIMATE
The whole drainage basin receives 3200 mm per year of rainfall with a main rainfall season
between May and June, with a monthly maximum of 330 mm, and a second rainfall season
between September and November with a monthly maximum of 250 mm
The Ecuadorian Napo region receives high precipitation (2900 mm per year) and presents very
irregular runoff regimes, characterized by flash floods, reflecting their extreme sensitivity to rain
events
The rainfall and discharge regimes are highly variable in space. They depend on altitude so that
different regimes may be found in the same basin
5. HYDROLOGY
The Napo River is the main eastern river of
Ecuador
It has an annual discharge of 2210 m3 at Nuevo
Rocafuerte station on the outlet of this country
Its area is 26 860 km2, with a river discharge
equal to 82 l s-1 km2
In Ecuador, the Napo River drains almost 3% of
the whole Amazonian catchment
The Napo is a ‘white water’ river type. Typically,
these rivers have high levels of total suspended
sediments, due to the mechanical erosion of the
Andean chain
6. FLORA
Among the existing species in the Napo River, we have
trees highly appreciated by wood merchants such as:
• Ceibo (Ceiba pentandra)
• Cedro (Cedrela odorata)
• Guarumo (Cecropia peltata)
• Laurel (Nectandra laurel)
• Guaba (Inga edulis)
• Pambil (Iriartea deltoidea)
• Higuerón (Ficus sp.)
• Morete (Mauritia flexuosa)
• Otoba parvifolia
• Guayacán (Handroanthus chrysanthus), among other
species
7. FAUNA
In summary, there are about 654 species of birds and 470 of
fish
We can mention the following: tapirs, jaguars, ocelots, otters;
birds such as multicolored toucans, tanagers, hummingbirds
and an infinity of reptile amphibians
