After two consecutive years of record-breaking droughts, the river levels in the Amazon Basin are slowly starting to recover. According to the Geological Survey of Brazil, the Madeira River, home to the most diverse fish life in the region, left the “drought” classification as its levels surpassed the 13-foot mark in late November. In both Madeira and Negro rivers, navigability is back to normal after months of suspension. However, the drought is far from over, and its impacts are still felt across the region. In 2024, 69% of municipalities in the Amazon recorded more intense drought levels than in 2023. In the Madeira River, the levels were so low that the Geological Survey had to install a new ruler to measure it. In Amazonas state alone, 850,000 people were affected and Indigenous communities still struggle with food insecurity and lack of access to drinking water. In the state of Pará, mass mortality of fish caused by the drought increases the vulnerability of riverine communities. Although river levels are beginning to rise, the rains from the Amazonian wet season are less than expected, and the drought may further intensify into December. While notably extreme, the droughts experienced by the Amazon River Basin in the past two years are not unusual. For the past 20 years, the nine countries that make up the Amazon Basin have seen drastic reductions in their total water surface area, with nine out of the past 10 years among the driest ever registered. They were also made…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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