The Copan River is a tributary of the Motagua River located in Guatemala. The Copan River basin has length of 25 Kms. and an approximate surface area of 500 Kms 2 in Honduran soil. The Copan River and its tributaries run by a mountainous zone. Each extension at the side of the main river are known locally as “Bolsas” or pockets. Throughout the course of the river there are 5 different pockets: Rio Amarillo Oriente, Rio Amarillo Poniente, El Jaral, Santa Rita and Copan. The pocket with the biggest extension is the Copan pocket and is the most important; although both of the Rio Amarillo pockets are as big they are swamp like and have bad drainage, so they are not as useful.

The Copan River has changed course several times over its history, causing destruction to the Archaeological features at different times, in the 1930's a team of scientists funded by the Peabody Museum of Harvard, were in charge of the not so small task of diverting the course of the river, to prevent it from further destroying the structures at Copan. Since then a careful watch has been kept on the river in order to keep it from changing its present course.

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