RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The shortage of rainfall in the country is causing the Paraguay river water level to reach historic lows, mainly affecting its navigability. It currently stands at -0.30 meters at the port of Asunción while the historical minimum was -0.54 meters.
The river level is dropping by some 5 centimeters per day and the situation is critical.
Water level in the port of Concepción stands at 0.80 meters while its historical minimum was 0.34 meters recorded on January 7, 1968. In Asunción the minimum yesterday was -0.30 meters and the historic minimum had been reached last year, when it dropped to -0.54 meters.
In Alberdí the level of the Paraguay River reached 0.34 meters while its lowest was recorded on December 31, 2008 at 0.03 meters. In the port of Pilar the river currently stands at 0.55 meters, with its historical minimum measured on October 6, 1944 at -0.49 meters.
The Paraná river is also experiencing a similar alarming situation. In Ayolas it stands at 0.9 meters, while its historical minimum was reached on September 13, 2007, measuring zero. In Encarnación the river currently stands at 10 meters, while the minimum there was 8.3 meters.