Floods in the Guayanilla-Yauco area, Puerto Rico

This report is a compilation of data pertaining to floods in Rios Guayanilla and Yauco, based principally upon information obtained from residents in the study area. This information is a useful tool in making land-use and development decisions.

The Guayanilla and Yauco basins lie in the southwestern part of Puerto Rico. The streams flow southward from the rugged Cordillera Central and empty into Bahia de Guayanilla. The lower basins are devoted principally to the production of sugarcane and are subject to destructive floods. Details pertaining to basin features, flood frequency, flood profiles, and inundated areas are discussed by individual basins. All elevations given are in meters above mean sea level.