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.
