Meeting of Waters

The Meeting of Waters (Portuguese: Encontro das Águas) is the confluence between the dark (blackwater) Rio Negro and the pale sandy-colored (whitewater) Amazon River, referred to as the Solimões River in Brazil upriver of this confluence. For 6 km (3.7 mi) the two rivers' waters run side by side without mixing. It is one of the main tourist attractions of Manaus, Brazil.[1]

The Meeting of Waters is the confluence of the dark Rio Negro with the sandy colored upper Amazon River, or Solimões, as it is known in Brazil.

This phenomenon is due to the differences in temperature, speed and water density of the two rivers. The Rio Negro flows at near 2 km/h (1.2 mph) at a temperature of 28 °C (82 °F), while the Rio Solimões flows between 4 and 6 km/h (2.5–3.7 mph) at a temperature of 22 °C (72 °F).[1]

The phenomenon is common in the Amazon and also occurs on a smaller scale in the locations of Santarém (Brazil) and Iquitos (Peru).

References
  1. "Spectacular confluence of the Negro and Solimões rivers, whose waters are separated for several miles". Visit Brazil. Retrieved 2020-01-25.

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