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Estuario Coatzacoalcos
Navigable for 222 kilometers, the Coatzacoalcos River is one the most important fluvial routes in Mexico. It begins in the Sierra Atravesada located in the state of Oaxaca at an altitude of more than 2,000 meters above sea level. It receives the Coachapa, Uxpanapa, Calzadas and Jaltepec rivers, which are considered main tributaries, before ending its journey in the Gulf of Mexico at the Coatzacoalcos Barrier in the city and port that carry the same name. There are thirty-one fish species, and ten invertebrate (seven crustaceans and three molluscs) species hosted by the estuary. The best represented families are Sciaenidae with four species, Portunidae and Aridae with three species. The most abundant species are Arius melanopus, Diapterus rhombeus, and Penaeus setiferus, which account for 81.5 percent of the estuary’s fauna. Adjacent to the river are the wetlands, which not only offer diversity but also offer abundance of species, crucial for the survival of resident and migratory birds of the area. The Coatzacoalcos and its tributaries register drastic changes such as low concentrations of Oxygen, high pH, temperature increments, high concentration of nutrients and elevated levels of mercury, which reveal an altered hydrological condition caused by heavy human and industrial activity such as waste disposal among others. These factors make the most important fluvial route also the most contaminated one in Mexico since the amount of toxins present in the water have already surpassed the system’s ability to rid itself of them. Pesticides are also an alarming presence in the sediments and organisms of the estuary, and although concentration levels are not high, they reveal a continuous use of these organic compounds by the agricultural sector as well as from past efforts to eradicate malaria . 
Coordinates: 18.16° N 94.41° W Selected Characteristics: (Castañeda and Contreras, 2001) Average Salinity: 3 ppt References: Castañeda L.O. and F.E. Contreras. 2001. Serie: Bibliografia Comentada sobre ecosistemas costeros mexicanos 2001. Centro de Documentacion Ecosistemas Litorales Mexicanos. Universidad Autonoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Division C. B. S. Depto. de Hidrologia. Publicacion electronica (CD). ISBN:970-654-912-9. Mexico, D.F. Keywords: Estuary, River, Fluvial route, Contamination, Navigable, Wetlands, Migratory birds, Sciaenidae |
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To give proper credit to the original authors, please cite information taken from GulfBase by the original source as displayed. 
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and J.W. Tunnell, Jr., Editors. 2010.
GulfBase: Resource Database for Gulf of Mexico Research.
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Web electronic publication. http://www.gulfbase.org, 02 September 2010. |
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