Minho

Minho or Miño is the longest river in Galicia, sharing the border with Portugal, with a length of 340 kilometres. By discharge, it is the fourth river of the Iberian peninsula, after the Douro, Ebro and Tagus.

The Minho waters vineyards and farmland, is used to produce hydroelectric power, and also delineates a section of the Spanish–Portuguese border. In ancient English maps, it appears as Minno.The source of the Minho lies north of Lugo in Galicia, in a place called Pedregal de Irimia. After about 73 kilometres, the river passes just south of the walls of this old Roman city, discharging in average 42 m3/s, and flows south through canyons until the valley widens north of Ourense. The river has been harnessed in reservoirs from Portomarín to Frieira. Along its length, it has the following reservoirs: Belesar with 654 cubic hectometres, Peares with 182 cubic hectometres, Velle with 17 cubic hectometres, Castrelo with 60 cubic hectometres and Frieira with 44 cubic hectometres.