Rio Cobre

{{Infobox river

| name = Rio Cobre

| name_native =

| name_native_lang =

| name_other =

| name_etymology =

| image = Jamaica-FlatBridge.jpg

| image_caption = The A1 road crossing the Rio Cobre via the Flat Bridge.

| map = Rio Cobre Watershed.jpg

| map_size = 270

| map_caption = Rio Cobre watershed ([https://mghydro.com/watersheds/shared/A68A00.html Interactive map])

| pushpin_map =

| pushpin_map_size =

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| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = Jamaica

| subdivision_type2 =

| subdivision_name2 =

| subdivision_type3 = Region

| subdivision_name3 = St Catherine

| subdivision_type4 =

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| length = 51 km (32 mi)

| width_min = 5 m (16 ft)

| width_avg = 50 m (164 ft)

| width_max = 100 m (328 ft)

| depth_min = 1 m (3.3 ft)

| depth_avg = 3 m (9.8 ft)

| depth_max = 12 m (39.4 ft)

| discharge1_location= Hunts Bay

| discharge1_min = 0.1 cu ft/s

| discharge1_avg = 10 cu ft/s

| discharge1_max = 11o cu ft/s

| source1 = Rose Hall Mountain

| source1_location = Rose Hall Mountain

| source1_coordinates= {{coord|17.5904|-76.5226}}

| source1_elevation = 1,135 ft (346 m)

| mouth = Caribbean Sea

| mouth_location = Kingston Harbour

| mouth_coordinates = {{coord|17.9840396|-76.8596649|display=inline,title}}

| mouth_elevation = {{convert|0|m|abbr=on}}

| progression =

| river_system =

| basin_size = 145 km2 (56.28 mi2)

| tributaries_right = Rio D'Oro, Crawle river, Pedro river,

| tributaries_left = Magno River

| custom_label =

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}}

The Rio Cobre is a river of Jamaica. Its source is in the Rose Hall Mountain in the north-east of Saint Catherine Parish,UK Directorate of Overseas Surveys 1:50,000 map of Jamaica sheet K, 1966.{{circular inline|date=September 2023}}{{circular inline|date=September 2023}} the headwaters being a writhing of unnamed, seasonally dry tributaries. The highest of these rise just above the {{convert|1135|ft|m}} contour. From here it flows to meet the Caribbean Sea into the Hunts Bay. It is dammed by the Rio Cobre Dam just above Spanish Town.

The river's most significant feature is perhaps the gorge through which it runs between Bog Walk and northern Spanish Town.

Bridges

File:Hakewill, A Picturesque Tour of the Island of Jamaica, Plate 02.jpg, circa 1822]]

There are a number of bridges over the Rio Cobre. The oldest is Flat Bridge, which was first built before 1774.Long, Edward History of Jamaica (London: Frank Cas & Co. Ltd.) 1970

A second bridge, Iron Bridge was built in 1801. The proposal for this bridge first appeared in 1766 and the topic was discussed various bodies until 1796 the House of Assembly which originally resolved to erect a stone bridge. However technical difficulties led to an iron bridge being erected. This enabled the road to be raised above the surrounding terrain, something particularly important in the context of periodic floods in the rainy season.{{cite book |last1=Hakewill|first1=James|title=A Picturesque Tour of the Island of Jamaica|date=1825|publisher=Hurst and Robinson |location=London |page=16 |access-date=25 June 2016|url=https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/A_Picturesque_Tour_of_the_Island_of_Jamaica}} It used the same technology developed for The Iron Bridge in Shropshire, England,{{cite web|title=The Iron Bridge at Spanish Town {{!}} Completed projects |url=http://fgsj.org.uk/projects/10-the-iron-bridge-at-spanish-town |website=Friends of the Georgian Society of Jamaica |access-date=25 June 2016}} and indeed constituted the first application of this technology outside the United Kingdom. The iron components were pre-fabricated in West Yorkshire with a total weight of {{convert|87|lt}}. It took 43 horse-drawn wagons to transport these from the coast to the construction site. The bridge remained in use until 2000, when erosion by storm water put its future survival in jeopardy. However, funds were raised for a restoration project which restored the bridge for use by 2010.{{update inline|date=September 2023|reason=Has restoration been undertaken? Completed?}}

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See also

References

=General bibliography=

  • [http://earth-info.nga.mil/gns/html/index.html GEOnet Names Server]
  • OMC Map
  • [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/americas/jamaica_pol_2002.jpg CIA Map]
  • Ford, Jos C. and Finlay, A. A. C. (1908).The Handbook of Jamaica. Jamaica Government Printing Office

=Citations=

{{Reflist}}