Objective: To characterize the community of aquatic macroinvertebrates associated with the bottom and macrophytes of three swamps of the municipality of Quibdo, Choco, Colombia. Materials and methods: In October 2013 and February 2014, samples were taken in three swamps of the middle Atrato basin. For the sampling of the macroinvertebrates associated to the macrophytes a quadrant of one m 2 , with a mesh of 0.5 mm was used, and for the benthic ones an Ekman dredge (225 cm 2 ) with three launches in each station was used. The physicochemical variables were measured with multiparameter equipment in the eld and with a spec - trophotometer in the laboratory. Results: We collected 165 individuals, 55.4% associated with the bottom of the swamps and 44.6% in the macro- phytes. The fund community was distributed in two orders, four families and ve genera; whereas in the macrophytes ve orders were registered, 14 families and 17 genera; being the order Ephemeroptera the most representative in both zones. Ecological indices presented high values in La Grande I swamp and low in the La Grande II swamp for both macrophyte and background organisms. The physical-chemical variables did not show signi cant di erences between swamps except for nitrates, being within the normal ranges; however, there is a strong association between abundance of aquatic macroinvertebrates and physical-chemical variables. Conclusions: The highest number of organisms was found in the background, while the highest taxonomic richness was observed in the macrophytes; being this substrate the one that presented the highest values of diversity. The physical-chemical parameters showed a typical behavior of tropical zones and indicated oligotrophic waters in all swamp. A high percentage of the families registered in the study were signi cantly correlated with the physical-chemical parameters studied.