37 streams of various sizes in which fishing can be improved. All are crossed by the high 
way from Chiquimlilla going westward through Escuintla, Mazatenango, to Ayutla and 
Malacatan, near the M&xican boundary. For our purpose, these streams may be distinguished 
by their rapid riffles of gravel, rubble, and boulders as contrasted with the sandy-bottom 
streams of the coastal plain. In the upper reaches of the piedmont area, most streams have 
gradients greater than five meters per kilometer and the pools are of poor quality. In the 
middle and lower reaches, the gradient is usually less than five meters per kilometer, the 
pools of high quality, and fish foods moderately abundant. These streams maintain satis— 
factory flows through the dry season, and appear to present possibilities for the development 
of sport fishing with the smallmouth bass. The numerous rock ledges and abundant cover 
present water areas that appear well suited to channel catfish, particularly in the areas 
where gradients are below about three meters per kilometer. The better streams in this area 
are as follows from east to west: Rio de los Esclavos, Pajal, Aguicapa, Achihmate, Coyolate, 
Madre Vieja, Zanjon de la Arena, Moca, Cutzan, Panan, Nagualate, Tilapa, Nil Naranjo, 
Namatan, Cabus, and Petacalapa. Rfo Suchiate was not observed above Ayutla, but there is 
reason to believe that it is suitable for development in the piedmont area. The same is 
true of the larger tributaries of Rio Suchiate.. 
These streams usually contain five species of mojarras (Cichlasoma). Three or 
more species of robalos (Centropomus) occur in the lower portion of the area, the abundance 
varying with the season. The tepsmechin (Agonostomis) occurs abundantly at certain periods 
in March and April in the faster waters of the upper piedmont. Other species of little 
value for food, but of value as forage for the larger fishes, are the pepesca (Astyanax) , 
the plateada (Roeboides), the butes (Mollinenesia and Poecilistes), the cuatro-ojo 
(Anableps), and others. 
The streams of the Pacific coastal plain, lying below the piedmont, have sandy 
bottoms, and velocities ranging from one to four centimeters per second. The velocities 
decrease materially near the coast, where the streams have many oxbows and marginal lagoons. 
In the upper part of the coastal plain, the pools are shallow and. provide little 
cover. Cover provided by undercut banks, logs, and overhanging vegetation increases as one 
travels toward the coast. The streams are always slightly murky from shifting sand, and the 
bottom fauna is meagre, Fish are not abundant in thesesandybottom streams, and it is not 
expected that productive fisheries can be developed in them. They can support some fish, 
and fish produced in the lagoons and oxbow areas probably will frequent the rivers during 
the dry season, when the lagoons decrease in size. 
It is believed that the channel catfish (Ictalurus lacustris punctatus) would 
provide more fishing than any other species. The largemouth bass (M. salmoides) also is 
recommended. It is particularly well adapted, it is believed, to the type of habitat found 
in the lagoons and the oxbow areas of the streams. During the rainy season, the water areas 
for these species in the lagoons is two or more times that available during the dry season. 
This enlarged habitat should permit excellent growth. Reduction of the size of the water 
areas during the dry season should be particularly favorable for fishing, as the fish will 
be concentrated. 1 
Streams Flowing into the Caribbean Sea 
Rfo Motagua Drainage 
The source of the Rfo Motagua is in the vicinity of Santa Cruz Quiché, at an 
altitude of about 3,200 meters. The river flows eastward and then northeastward over a 
course of more than 400 kilometers, and empties into Bahia de Omoa at the border of 
Guatemala and Honduras. The drainage is largely from mountainous terrain consisting mainly 
of sandstone, but with occasional strata of limestone and shale. Except in the lower half, 
the watershed is badly eroded, with little vegetation covering it during the dry season. 
Below Gualfn, the higher slopes are covered by pine forests, and the valley 
vegetation in the lower reaches increases to dense tropical growth. The rainfall at the 
source of the drainage is near 74 centimeters annually, with approximately 65 centimeters 
falling during the months of May to October, inclusive. In the arid region of Progreso, 
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