Hydrography

Águeda River

The Águeda River is an impressive tributary of the Duero River, situated in the western section of the province of Salamanca. It is of great importance because it acts as a natural border with Portugal for 40 km.

The river traverses a considerable length of beautiful landscapes, including pine and oak woods, and its streams pass through historic towns such as Ciudad Rodrigo.

The river's source is in the tranquil springs of Puente de los Llanos in Navasfrías, situated in close proximity to the border with Extremadura and the Sierra de Gata. After a 144-kilometre journey in a northerly direction, the river Agueda joins the river Duero at Barca de Alba. This is the location of the Vega Terrón Pier, which is the sole river port in Castilla y León with access to the sea. The Duero River also marks the border between Portugal and Spain, where it enters Portuguese territory and takes over as the dividing line between the two Iberian countries.

The river Águeda basin is characterised by an irregular rainfall regime, which is influenced by altitude differences with respect to sea level and the effect of the Central System's mountainous terrain on the local climate. Despite this, many areas of the basin are significantly impacted during low water levels.

To regulate the flow of the Águeda river more effectively, the Irueña Dam and the Águeda Dam have been constructed in the initial section of the river. It is worth noting that the outlet of the Águeda Dam has an average flow of approximately 13m³/s. The tributaries that feed into the Salamanca river include the Badillo river, the Frío river and the Olleros O de las Mayas river.

The significant cultural and historical heritage preserved on the banks of the Águeda river. This includes sites from remote times such as the Siega Verde cave site, the Castro de Irueña or the Roman villa of Saelices el Chico, which also contains some interesting uranium mines. The numerous dams that were previously used to power the mills that operated in the area. Today, many of them are used as river pools or as a service area for agricultural activities.

The river is a veritable hotspot of biodiversity, boasting a diverse array of flora and fauna. Oak, ash, poplar and Mediterranean scrubland with an Atlantic influence are particularly noteworthy. The area boasts a diverse range of wildlife, including genets, otters, martens, badgers, wild boar, deer and an impressive array of birds of prey.