Insufficient rainfall in 2023-2024 has taken a toll on South America’s rivers and groundwater and upended daily life in several countries.
Record-low river levels in the Amazon basin during October 2024 reflect a severe drought influenced by El Niño and other climatic conditions. The drought has caused widespread wildfires, disrupted hydroelectric power and transportation, and complicated scientific research, particularly impacting regions like the Pantanal."Satellite image of the Solimões River near Tabatinga, Brazil captured on September 21, 2021.Satellite image of the Solimões River near Tabatinga, Brazil captured on September 21, 2024.
Implications
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Record-Low Water Levels in the Amazon
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Extensive River Depletions Across Multiple Locations: scientists reported unusually low water levels at several Brazilian lakes and reservoirs as well, including Lake Tefe, Lake Mamia, Lake Mamori, Lake Ariau, Lake Faro, and Lake Erepecu.
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Severe Fire Season in Southern Amazon: Pantanal region—and especially Bolivia—has experienced one of its worst fire seasons in decades.
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drought has strained power supplies in Brazil and Ecuador as hydroelectric power stations generate less electricity.