Térraba River

{{Short description|River in Costa Rica that flows to the Pacific Ocean}}

{{Infobox river

| name = Térraba River

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| name_other = Río Térraba

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| image = Diquis.jpg

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| image_caption = Térraba River

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| pushpin_map = Costa Rica

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| pushpin_map_caption= Location of mouth

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| subdivision_type1 = Country

| subdivision_name1 = Costa Rica

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| mouth_location = Pacific Ocean

| mouth_coordinates = {{Coord|9.032256|N|83.626742|W|format=dms|type:river_region:CR-P|display=it}}

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Térraba River (Spanish: Río Grande de Térraba), in the southern Brunca region of Costa Rica, is the largest river in that country.[http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/mapas/Mapa_TCR_CostaRica_600.pdf Instituto Costarricense de Turismo map] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090126161850/http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/mapas/Mapa_TCR_CostaRica_600.pdf |date=2009-01-26 }}, 2007. {{in lang|es}}

The indigenous Boruca language name is Diquís which means "great river".[http://www.precolombino.cl/en/culturas-americanas/culturas-precolombinas/intermedia/diquis/ American Cultures > Pre-Columbian Cultures > Intermediate > Diquís > Environment and Geography] Museo Chileno de Arte Precolombino. Retrieved: 2012-11-05. Its basin is {{convert|5085|sqkm|sqmi}} and it is {{convert|160|km|mi}} long, covering ten percent of the country. It is a tributary from the confluence of the Río General and Río Coto Brus.[http://www.guiascostarica.com/rios/terraba.htm Río Grande de Térraba] Guías Costa Rica. Retrieved: 2012-11-04. {{in lang|es}} Pineapple plantations occupy {{convert|10815|ha|acres}} in the basin, amounting to 21 percent of national production.[http://cdn.livediverse.eu/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Cuaderno-01-Final.pdf Caracterización Socioeconómica de la Cuenca del Río Grande de Térraba] Escuela de Relaciones Internacionales, Universidad Nacional Heredia, 2010. {{in lang|es}} Mangrove cockles (Anadara tuberculosa and Anadara similis), known locally as piangua, are collected in the mangrove swamps and mud at the mouth of the Río Grande de Térraba.[http://spo.nwr.noaa.gov/mfr631/mfr6311.pdf The Fisheries for Mangrove Cockles] Marine Fisheries Review, 2001.

The Interamerican Highway partially follows the river course and crosses it with a bridge. Along the river lie the villages of Palmar Norte, Palmar Sur and Ciudad Cortés. The Térraba empties in the Pacific Ocean with six mouths: Mala, Brava, Chica, Zacate, Guarumal and Sierpe. A nationally protected wetland, Humedal Nacional Térraba-Sierpe (Térraba-Sierpe National Wetlands) is situated here in the mangroves along the coast.{{Cite web|title=Terraba-Sierpe|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/782|accessdate=25 April 2018}}

A proposed project to provide renewable energy to the region, El Diquís Hydroelectric Project, was cancelled. It would have covered {{convert|7000|ha|acre}} and required the relocation of 1,500 people.Project Website. [http://www.grupoice.com/esp/ele/infraest/proyect/icelec/proy_diquis/proyecto_diquis_icelec.htm Proyecto Hidroelctrico El Diquís] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110128225559/http://www.grupoice.com/esp/ele/infraest/proyect/icelec/proy_diquis/proyecto_diquis_icelec.htm |date=2011-01-28 }}