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.

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

Etymology edit

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

Description edit

 
 
source
 
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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

 
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 edit

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 edit

Mammals edit

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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

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 edit

See also edit

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

References edit

  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 edit

Further reading edit