The Douro river (Duero in spanish) is 475 mi (765 km) long. It
is rising in the Sierra de Urbión, N central Spain. It flows
W across N Spain, then southwest to form part of the Spanish-Portuguese
border before flowing W across N Portugal to the Atlantic Ocean at Pôrto.
One of the longest rivers of the Iberian Peninsula, it drains most of
the northern portion of the central plateau; the Tormes, Esla, and Pisuerga
rivers are its chief tributaries.
Silting, rapids, and deep gorges combine to make the Douro unnavigable.
The middle Douro is extensively used for irrigation. Several hydroelectric
power plants are along the river, and through an international agreement
the power is used for irrigation and development. Grapes are the chief
crop of the Douro valley, and the Douro estuary is the center of Portuguese
wine trade.
- Informations on dam
projects in the basin (ext. Coagret Website)
- Informations on the National Hydrological
Plan
- News ( go to iberian river pages)