| Baker River | |
|---|---|
| Origin | Bertrand Lake |
| Mouth | Baker Channel, Pacific Ocean |
| Basin countries | Chile/Argentina |
| Length | 170 km [1] |
| Source elevation | 200 m [1] |
| Avg. discharge | 870 cubic metres per second (31,000 cu ft/s)[2] |
| Basin area | 26,726 km² [1] |
The Baker River is a river located in the Aisén Region of the Chilean Patagonia. It is Chile's largest river in terms of volume of water. The river flows out of Bertrand Lake, which is fed by General Carrera Lake. It runs along the east side of the Northern Patagonian Ice Field and empties into the Pacific Ocean, near the town of Caleta Tortel. The river forms a delta, dividing into two major arms, of which only the northernmost one is navigable.
Its characteristic turquoise-blue color is due to the glacial sediments deposited in it.
It is the site of an approved hydro-electric project by the Chilean- and Spanish-owned Endesa, the biggest hydro-electric project in the history of Chile. It will produce 2,400 MW for the Interconnected Central System (Sistema Interconectado Central, Chile's main grid), whose energy consumption increases by 6% every year.
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The river also receives the waters of the Cochrane Lake through the Cochrane River. Other major tributaries are:
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