The water level of the Amazon River drops to its lowest in 121 years — The drying artery: Amazon River drought and the cries of 100 dolphins

The Amazon River "Disappeared" - A Historic Drought in 121 Years and Its Impact

In mid-October, at the port of Manaus in northern Brazil, the water surface was nowhere to be seen, and countless ships were stranded on the dried riverbed. It recorded the lowest level since official observations began in 1902, at 13.59 m. People walked on the brown mud, capturing the shocking sight of "no river" on their smartphones and spreading it with the hashtag #AmazonDrought.

Reading "The Worst in History" by the Numbers

The water level dropped more than 4 m in just one year from 17.60 m in the same month of the previous year, making navigation impossible over a stretch of more than 500 km. Satellite images from NASA Landsat 8 (taken on October 3) show the massive Rio Negro transformed into a maze of sand. The water level dropped further, recording 13.49 m on October 17.

The "Double Punch" of El Niño and Atlantic Heat

The dry season usually lasts from July to October, but this year, the combination of El Niño in the Pacific and high sea temperatures in the North Atlantic suppressed cloud formation. According to statistics from the Brazilian Disaster Monitoring Agency, rainfall from July to September was the lowest since 1980. Meteorologists warn that "the dry season is getting longer by a week every decade."

The Frontline Captured by Social Media

"Ships are piled higher than houses," "Trucks are running on the riverbed." On X (formerly Twitter), #AmazonDrought exceeded 5,000 posts a day, with satellite photos and drone footage going viral. Particularly, a post by @ryderkimball recorded 2.3 million impressions, spreading empathy as "a textbook example of the climate crisis."

Collapse of Infrastructure - Disrupted Logistics and Dry Faucets

The Amazon is the "water highway." Ships, which account for 90% of all logistics, are stranded, causing delays in fuel, food, and medicine. About 60 municipalities have declared a state of emergency, and the federal government has started airlifting supplies, but 500,000 people are facing water and food shortages.

Economic Losses Estimated to Exceed $2 Billion

Grain barge operators have notified investors of "significant revenue declines this season." The export of major products like timber and rubber is also stalled, with an estimated 7% loss in regional GDP. Rising logistics costs are beginning to affect food prices within Brazil.

The Cry of the Ecosystem - Mass Death of Pink Dolphins

At the end of September, over 100 Amazon river dolphins were found floating in Lake Tefé. The cause is believed to be water temperatures of 39 °C and a sharp decrease in dissolved oxygen. Researchers warn that "5-10% of the population has been lost, potentially crossing the extinction threshold."

Mass Fish Deaths and Deteriorating Water Quality

High water temperatures and low water levels accelerate eutrophication, with thousands of fish washed ashore at Lake Mancardú. The stench of decay reaches communities 10 km away, with respiratory diseases and dermatitis rapidly increasing.

Forest Fires and Smoke Damage - A Chain of Secondary Disasters

The dried riverbed becomes combustible, with illegal slash-and-burn and dry leaves expanding the fire. In the second week of October, Manaus recorded an AQI of over 300, "Hazardous," leading to school closures. Satellites captured smoke spreading over an area of 400 km².

Voices of Indigenous Peoples: "Water is a Right"

The Matsés tribe in the Rio Javari basin organized their own drone team to aerially photograph the dried tributaries. "Our hospital and market are across the river," lamented the chief in a video, prompting global environmental NGOs to start fundraising support.

Scientists Indicate the Risk of "Flying River" Collapse

Climate scientist Carlos Nobre warns that "if the deforestation rate reaches 20-25% and temperatures rise by 2.5 °C, savannization will become irreversible." He points out that the weakening of the water vapor transport known as the "flying river" will put the entire South American agriculture at risk.

International Community's Actions and Disarray

On the eve of COP28, the EU proposed a "Green Amazon Fund," considering $5 billion in support conditional on cracking down on illegal logging. Meanwhile, in the Brazilian Congress, a bill prioritizing mining development has resurfaced, questioning policy consistency.

Model Predictions: Drought Frequency to Double by 2030

The latest simulation by INPE shows that by 2030, the average river flow will decrease by 15% compared to the current level, with extreme droughts occurring once every two years. Researchers warn that "if adaptation measures do not keep pace, transportation and power generation will become chronically unstable."

Digital Activism and Citizen Science

The civic group "MapeiaRio" has released an open-source water level measurement app. Residents place a ruler on the riverbank with their smartphones and upload photos, which are automatically fed into a GIS, generating a real-time map. Within a month of its release, data from 800 locations were collected.

Messages from Classrooms of Children

In Benjamin Constant, Amazonas, 20 schools were closed. Liana, a 12-year-old who switched to online classes, said in a video, "I want to become a climate scientist and save the river," garnering 2 million views. It became a symbolic scene of Gen Z advocating for climate justice.

The International Market's View on "Amazon Risk"

International coffee futures rose by 3% due to "transport delays and water quality issues." Investment funds have begun reassessing the valuation of Amazon-related companies as an ESG risk. It is attracting attention as a concrete example of climate impact driving the financial sector.

The Path to Restoration - Fusion of Science and Traditional Knowledge

Researchers and indigenous peoples have started a mangrove planting project over a 50 ha area in the basin. The shade of the trees enhances evapotranspiration, attempting to create a "small flying river" to bring back localized rainfall. The results will be verified by drone LiDAR and submitted to international journals.

From "Point" to "Plane" - What We Can Do

Photos of ships stranded on the dried Rio Negro are not news from a distant world. Choosing renewable energy and demanding decarbonization policies from politicians - our everyday choices are connected to the future of the vast basin.