YUNA RIVER

Spanish Ro Yuna, river in central and northeastern Dominican Republic, one of the nation's three most important river systems, the others being the Yaque del Norte and Yaque del Sur rivers. The Yuna is formed by the union of many headstreams arising near Bonao in the tangled mountains of the Cordillera Central. The river descends northeastward into the fertile region known as the Cibao Valley, turns and receives its major tributary, the Cam, and then flows eastward. It crosses a marshy lowland and empties into Saman Bay just southwest of the port of Snchez. Although the river is about 100 miles (160 km) long, only the lower course is navigable. Its waters are used principally for irrigating rice.