Silala River

River in Bolivia, Chile

Bolivia
Chile

Department (BO)PotosíRegion (CL)AntofagastaPhysical characteristicsSource • elevationc. 4400 m asl^[1] Mouth

• location

Inacaliri River^[1]Length8.5 km^[1]Discharge • locationBolivia–Chile border • average160 L/s^[1]

The Silala or Siloli^[1] is an international river arising from springs in Bolivia, and flowing naturally into Chile.^[2]

The division of the flow from this water body was a matter of controversy between the two nations, Chile claiming that the present route makes it an international river, while Bolivia denied there was a river and asserted that the Silala ‘springs’ would not flow to Chile if not for the construction of canals over a hundred years ago.^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6] In 2016, Chile demanded Bolivia in the International Court of Justice case Dispute over the Status and Use of the Waters of the Silala, in the countermemory, Bolivia recognized the water body as a river, redicing the controversy to artificial infrastructure in the place which would give a 30% more water to Chile. Finally in 2022 the Court ruled that the water body is in fact a river and that Chile has an equitable and reasonable right to use the waters of it.^[2]

References

Notes

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Application, June 6, 2016
^ ^a ^b "Corte de La Haya dice que Silala es un río internacional: Chile tiene derecho equitativo y razonable" (in Spanish). CNN Chile. 1 December 2022. Retrieved 1 December 2022.
^ tierraamerica.net Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine
^ Newton, Joshua, "The Disputed Silala River: A Catalyst for Cooperation? " (2007). Water Resources Research Center Conferences. Paper 28. link Accessed 8 April 2011
^ Gabriel Eckstein and Brendan M. Mulligan Water Resources Development, Vol. 27, No. 3, pp. 595-606, September 2011. Posted on SSRN September 1, 2011 link Accessed 8 April 2011
^ Gabriel Eckstein. The Silala Basin: One of the Most Hydropolitically Vulnerable Basins in the World. International Water Law Project Blog link Accessed 8 April 2011