News
11/10/24
Brazil's drought: Northern rivers continue to drop
Sao Paulo, 11 October (Argus) — The worst drought in Brazil's history continues
to reduce river levels in the Northern Arc region, hampering navigation on
rivers that are used as waterways and are important routes to transport grains
and fertilizers. Madeira waterway The waterway links Rondonia state's capital
Porto Velho to the Itacoatiara port, in Amazonas state. Itacoatiara port is
expected to receive around 78,100 metric tonnes (t) of fertilizers in October,
according to line-up data from shipping agency Unimar. Status: The situation is
critical in Porto Velho on the Madeira waterway, the second largest in the
northern region. The state's ports and waterways authority (Soph) halted
operations on 23 September because the Madeira River registered the lowest water
level since monitoring began in 1967. The Madeira River's depth in Porto Velho
decreased to 24cm on 11 October, from 48cm on 2 October, according to monitoring
data from the Brazilian Geological Survey (SGB). Navigation remains suspended in
the port. Amazonas waterway It is the main waterway in Brazil's north, handling
around 65pc of the region's cargo, according to the national transportation and
infrastructure department (Dnit). It links Amazonas' capital Manaus to Para's
capital Belem. Status: The Negro River has also been falling. The depth was at
12.25m at the SGB monitoring point in Manaus on 11 October, down from 12.89m on
2 October. This is an extreme drought level and below the historic low of 12.7m
recorded in 121 years of monitoring. Tapajos waterway It is an important
waterway to move product from Mato Grosso state's northern area, with the
Santarem port, in Para state, as a destination. The Santarem port is expected to
receive 90,976t of fertilizers in October, according to line-up data from
Unimar. Status: The Tapajos-Teles Pires waterway is also facing a dire
situation. The national water and sanitation agency ANA declared a water
shortage on the Tapajos River on 23 September. Drier than usual weather has
dropped the levels of Tapajos, especially in the stretch between Itaituba and
Santarem cities, in Para state, where flows are below historic minimum levels.
The depth of the Tapajos River at the Itaituba monitoring point, where the
transfer point for the Miritituba waterway is located, was at 86cm on 11
October, from 87cm on 2 October and below the record low of 1.32m, according to
SBG data. At the Santarem monitoring point, where the port of Santarem is
located, the Tapajos River was at -6cm, a level considered dry. The level was
25cm on 2 October. The historic minimum at the location is -55cm below the
port's reference point. A level below zero does not mean the river is dry, but a
negative reading indicates very low conditions. Tocantins-Araguaia waterway The
Tocantins-Araguaia waterway encompasses the Araguaia and Tocantins rivers. It
runs from the Barra do Garcas city, in Mato Grosso, into the Araguaia River, or
from Peixes city, in Tocantins state, into the Tocantins River, to the port of
Vila do Conde, in Para state. Soybeans, corn, fertilizers, fuels, mineral oils
and derivative products are transported via the northern waterways. Vila do
Conde port is expected to receive 152,800t of fertilizer in October, according
to Unimar. Status: The SGB has two monitoring points on the Araguaia River. In
the Nova Crixas city, in Goias state, the river was at 2.84m on 11 October, from
2.87m on 2 October. The river remains below the historical level of 3.10m. In
Sao Felix do Araguaia city, in Mato Grosso state, the river was at 2.54m, from
2.55m in the prior week, a situation of extreme drought and close to the
historical minimum level of 2.51m. By João Petrini Send comments and request
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