Water Resources eAtlas
 

SA04 Orinoco
Watersheds of South America
     

 

 

 

Land Cover and Use Variables
  
Percent Forest Cover: 50.5
Percent Grassland, Savanna and Shrubland: 37.8
Percent Wetlands: 15.3
Percent Cropland: 7.6
Percent Irrigated Cropland: 0.2
Percent Dryland Area: 27.6
Percent Urban and Industrial Area: 2.6
Percent Loss of Original Forest Cover: 22.5

 
 
 

Basin Indicators
  
Basin Area (sq. km.): 953,675
Average Population Density (people per sq. km.): 17
Number of Large Cities (>100,000 people): 9
Water Supply per Person (1995) (m3/person/year): 90,482
Degree of river fragmentation: Medium
Number of Dams (>15m high) in Basin: 10
Number of Dams (>150m high) in Basin: 1
Number of Dams (>60m high) under Construction: 3
Number of Dams (>15m high) on Main Stem of River: 0
Number of Dams (>150m high) on Main Stem of River: 0

 
 
 

Biodiversity Information and Indicators
  
Number of Fish Species: 318
Number of Fish Endemics: 88
Number of Amphibian Species: -
Number of Ramsar Sites: 0
Number of Wetland-Dependent IBAs: -
Number of Endemic Bird Areas: 9
Percent Protected Area: 23.7

The Orinoco crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) is restricted to the freshwater reaches of the Orinoco river. This species is classified as critically endangered by IUCN. The Orinoco basin also houses populations of the Amazon river dolphin (Inia geoffrensis). This species is the largest of all river dolphins and considered vulnerable to extinction by IUCN. Hydrologic development poses the major threat to the species.

 
 

 

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