San Juan River (Nicaragua) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids San Juan River |
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San Juan River
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 Mouth of the river
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| Physical characteristics | |
| Main source | Lake Nicaragua |
| River mouth | San Juan Lagoon on the Caribbean Sea 10°56′23″N 83°41′54″W / 10.93972°N 83.69833°W |
| Length | 110 mi (180 km) |
The San Juan River is a long river in Central America. It flows east from Lake Nicaragua all the way to the Caribbean Sea. This river is also known as El Desaguadero, which means "the drain" in Spanish.
A big part of the border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica follows the southern bank of the river. For a long time, people thought about building a canal here. This canal would connect the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. The idea has come up again recently. There's even a project called Ecocanal. It aims to open the San Juan River for commercial boats.
Nicaragua owns the waters of the San Juan River. This is stated in a special agreement called the Cañas–Jerez Treaty. Costa Rica can use parts of the river for commercial boats, but only with Nicaragua's permission.
The San Juan River is home to many amazing creatures. You can find freshwater bull sharks here. These sharks can even swim into Lake Nicaragua! The river is full of different kinds of plants and animals, making it a very special place.
A River of History
Before the Panama Canal was built, the San Juan River was a very important travel route. It was a main path from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. Many people used this river to travel across the continent.
During the California Gold Rush, lots of people wanted to find gold. Tens of thousands of people from all over the world traveled this way. They took a steamboat operated by the Accessory Transit Company. This company was run by a man named Cornelius Vanderbilt.
The steamboat would travel up the San Juan River. Then, it would cross Lake Nicaragua. After that, travelers would take a stagecoach to reach the Pacific coast. This route helped many people get to California quickly.
River Rapids
As you travel upstream on the San Juan River, you will find several exciting rapids. These are places where the water flows very fast over rocks. It can be a thrilling ride!
Here are some of the rapids you might see:
- Raudal de Machuca
- Raudal del Mico
- Raudal Los Valos
- Raudal del Castillo (also called Raudal del Diablo)
- Raudal del Toro
See also
In Spanish: Río San Juan (Nicaragua) para niños
- El Castillo
- Boca de Sabalos
- Piracy on Lake Nicaragua
