Amazon: Madeira River drops 35 cm to reach record low

On Tuesday (Jul. 30), the Brazilian Geological Survey (SGB) reported that the Madeira River in Porto Velho, Rondônia state, dropped 35 centimeters in the last week of July, reaching 2.56 meters—the lowest level for this period. By comparison, the river was at 4.56 meters at the end of July last year.

According to the SGB, the river's level drop is due to below-average rainfall from November last year to April this year, which is typically the rainy season for the region.

Marcus Suassuna, a researcher at the geological service, warns that the current river level could lead to navigation restrictions.

“The river hit low levels unusually early. If the rainy season is delayed, the Madeira River could face prolonged restrictions, affecting both water availability and navigation,” Suassuna stated.

On Tuesday (30), the National Water and Sanitation Agency declared a quantitative water scarcity in the Madeira and Purus rivers, along with their tributaries, in the southwestern region of the Amazonas state.

The measure aims to enhance hydrological monitoring of these basins, assess the impacts on water use, and develop preventive actions in collaboration with various water user sectors.

Transnational river

The Madeira River is a transnational waterway. Spanning 1.42 million square kilometers, 43 percent of its basin lies within Brazil, while the remainder is divided between Peru (7.6%) and Bolivia (49.4%). The Madeira River Basin region typically experiences a rainy season from November to April, followed by a dry season from May to October, with October serving as a transitional month.

The Jirau and Santo Antônio hydroelectric plants are situated along the Madeira River. Both plants operate on the water's edge and together have the capacity to generate up to 6.7 percent of the National Interconnected System's total energy.

Additionally, the Madeira River is a crucial transportation route for cargo and passengers. The navigable stretch of 1,060 kilometers between Porto Velho in Rondônia and Itacoatiara in Amazonas handled 6,538,079 tons of cargo in 2022, accounting for 9.2 percent of the total cargo transported by inland waterways in Brazil.

The Madeira River also supplies water to Porto Velho, a city with approximately 460,000 residents, as well as to other smaller communities.