The Chixoy river valley is important to Guatemalans, historically, because it houses many villages from the pre-Hispanic era (the time period before 1492, when the Europeans began to arrive in the Americas). The river was a major transportation route for different groups of people. It provided historical routes for migration. During the twentieth century, archeologists have found many pre-Hispanic artifacts in this river valley. The artifacts point to the richness of the pre-Hispanic culture and civilization.
Before the hydroelectric dam was built, raising the water level, the lower valley was much greener and provided a stable source of agriculture for the residents. After the hydroelectric company built the dam in the 1980s, the river became an important part of the fish economy for the residents of Río Negro. Today the river still provides sustenance to the plants and agriculture that exist along the sides of the mountains. Livestock such as cows also play a big part in the environment here. Very few cattle roam the plots of land here, but the ones that do allow families to be self-sustaining.
One of the major problems that comes to mind with the Chixoy river is how problematic the hydroelectric dam project was for the citizens of Río Negro. The hydroelectric company began to construct the dam at a time of heightened conflict during the Guatemalan civil war.
