Government anticipates measures to reduce effects of new drought in the Amazon

The Federal Government has anticipated measures to reduce the effects of a possible new drought in the Amazon in 2026. The initiative includes dredging planning, waterway maintenance, reinforcement of nautical signaling and permanent assessment of navigability conditions.

The actions take place in a preventive manner, taking into account the historic droughts recorded in 2023 and 2024, and aim to avoid damage to passenger transport, the supply of cities and the flow of cargo in the North region.

Among the planned measures is the launch of the Waterways Monitoring Panel, a tool from the SNHN (National Secretariat of Waterways and Navigation) that will allow monitoring, in real time, navigability conditions in different regions of the country. The system will concentrate hydrological data, operational information and strategic alerts to support decisions about dredging, channel maintenance and logistical operations during extreme weather events.

According to the Minister of Ports and Airports, Tomé Franca, early action is essential to reduce social and economic impacts in the Amazon. “Strengthening monitoring of waterways and preparing operational actions in advance is essential to guarantee supply, mobility and safety for the population that depends on rivers on a daily basis,” he stated.

History

The droughts recorded in 2023 and 2024 caused direct effects in cities such as Manacapuru, Tabatinga, Itacoatiara and Parintins, where rivers reached critical levels, affecting the transport of food, medicines and drinking water, in addition to interfering with economic activities such as fishing and family farming.

In Itacoatiara, the Amazon River reached 83 centimeters in 2024. In the case of Parintins, levels reached 1.9 meters, the lowest level recorded in 49 years. In addition to the logistical difficulties, the drought caused isolation of riverside and indigenous communities and intensified supply challenges in municipalities dependent on water transport.

According to experts, extreme weather events, associated with the increase in global temperature and the influence of the El Niño phenomenon, have intensified dry periods in the Amazon and increased the challenges for navigation in the region.

Planning

To expand operations during critical periods, MPor and the National Department of Transport Infrastructure (Dnit) have adopted measures for continuous technical monitoring of river levels, advance definition of priority stretches for dredging and coordination with logistics operators in the North region.

According to the director of Dnit, Edme Tavares, the Federal Government currently has permanent waterway maintenance contracts, which increases its operational capacity compared to previous years. “Today we have a structure that is more prepared to act preventively. The contracts in force allow for greater planning of the necessary interventions to maintain navigability and reduce logistical and social impacts in the Amazon region.”