Puntos de Interés
Hydrography
Ucles River
The river Uces (from the Leonese zarzes, brambles) is also known as the river de las Uces. It takes its name from the Salamanca municipality of Las Uces, where it rises. The river in question is formed by the confluence of several streams, including the Rivera del Sanchón, the Rivera de los Casales and the Ribera Grande or Santa Catalina. The river itself is 29 km in length and flows in an east-west direction initially, before turning south-northwards. It ultimately discharges into the River Duero at the Aldeadávila reservoir, situated on the border with Portugal.
In this final section, the Senda del Duero Nature Trail crosses the Uces River over the Pereña Bridge, which connects the municipalities of Pereña de la Ribera and Masueco. Both municipalities are separated by the natural border established by the river.
As it makes its way towards the river's mouth, the Uces River winds its way through granite rocks, which are resistant to erosion. For this reason, the river seeks to squeeze between the two banks, flowing mostly through stone beds and giving rise to rapids, waterfalls and pools all along its course. Of notable geological and scenic importance is the Pozo de los Humos, one of the most impressive waterfalls on the Iberian Peninsula. Its formation is a result of the presence of a marked difference in level during the river. The topography of the region has largely precluded human intervention in the ecosystem, with the River Uces Valley remaining largely unaltered since its inception. Consequently, livestock farming represents the only anthropogenic activity capable of influencing the environment to a limited extent.
The riverbank vegetation is characterised by the presence of both tree species, with holm oak (Quercus ilex) and Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica) being the most dominant, and shrubs, represented by species of the genera Cytisus, Genista, Cistus and Rosa. In the river floodplain, hydrophilic species such as ash (Fraxinus angustifolia) and willow (Salix atrocinerea) are found to occupy this ecological niche. Additionally, there are plantations on the terraces and slopes, where vitis vinifera and olea europaea have been traditionally cultivated, taking advantage of the protection provided by the canyon and its microclimate. The final stretch of the River Uces is home to a diverse array of small mammals, including rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), rodents, and other species. These animals inhabit the narrow valleys and thrive in the river's rich ecosystem. The area is also home to several other birds of prey, including golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos), Bonelli's eagles (Hieraetus fasciatus), black vultures (Aegypius monachus) and griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus), as well as peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus).