Heavy Rivers - 12 & 13 May 2014

---

We really love the rivers here in Cuenca. I may have mentioned it before, but in case I didn't the formal name of the city is Santa Ana de Los Cuatro Ríos de Cuenca (Santa Ana of the Four Rivers of Cuenca).

The dominant features of the city's geography are also the source of its name in Spanish: the four rivers of Cuenca (meaning a basin made by a confluence of rivers). These rivers are the Tomebamba (named after the Inca culture), Yanuncay, Tarqui and Machangara, in order of importance. The first three of these rivers originate in the Páramo of Parque Nacional Cajas (Cajas National Park) to the west of the city. These four rivers are part of the Amazon river watershed. Cuenca is surrounded by mountains on all sides, with passes to the west, south and east. (Thank you Wikipedia).

Regardless, we love to walk along the pathways next to the rivers. The city has set up exercise equipment along the rivers, so people can workout with having to go to a gym.

But, that's not what this post is about. April and May are the rainiest months of the year in Cuenca and the rainfall in the Cajas really builds up the rivers. This is the highest we have ever seen the rivers. They have even flooded portions of Tarqui and Guron, smaller cities outside Cuenca.

The down side, is when we go into the dry season the river gets so low you can practically count the rocks in the riverbed.

---