High
The High Paraná section of the river begins at the Itaipu Dam and ends at the tri-national border of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. This portion of the river is 1,208 miles (1,944 km) and flows southwest and then west along the borders of Paraguay and Argentina from the Iguaçu River.
The controversial Yacyretá Dam is in the mid-section of the High Paraná and has 20 turbines with a power of 4,050 MW that can produce 19,080 GWh per year. It is equipped with two fish elevators to allow fish to go upstream during the reproductive season.
Middle and Lower
This Middle portion of the Paraná begins where it meets the Paraguay River at Corrientes and turns south to run through Argentina. Here it is a typical plains river with numerous islands.
The Lower portion starts at Santa Fé where the last tributary, the Salado River, merges. Due to the constant erosion of the west bank, which is higher than the east bank, the water is turbid and divided into many branches. The delta starts at Diamante where the river turns southeast for the final 199 miles (320 km) into the Río de la Plata.