Chixoy River

The Chixoy River or Río Chixoy 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.

Chixoy River Río Negro, Río Chixoy, Salinas River
Native name	Río Chixoy (Spanish)
Location
Country	Guatemala
Physical characteristics
Source
• location	Quiché Department, Guatemala
• coordinates	14.985389°N 91.219165°W / 14.985389; -91.219165
• elevation	2,000 m (6,600 ft)
Mouth
• location	Confluence of Usumacinta River & Pasión River
• coordinates	16.481060°N 90.543121°W / 16.481060; -90.543121
• elevation	160 m (520 ft)
Basin size	12,150 km2 (4,690 sq mi)[1]
Discharge
• average	551 m3/s (19,500 cu ft/s) at San Agustín 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).[2] in the municipality of Ixcán, El Quiché.