RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The river is once again in an extreme low water level despite having risen steadily for weeks above the hydrological zero, but lacking a significant flow to help sustain the increase in level, it evaporated and dropped last weekend, experts said.
Shipping sector personnel is again on alert as this could affect the transport of goods. Large barges are unable to navigate the waters in the country’s capital due to the Paraguay river’s low water level.
The Paraguay River reached a historic low of -0.75 below the hydrological zero on October 6, its lowest since 1904. It rose again as a result of recent rainfall, but dropped again in the past few days.
The country’s main waterway originates in the Pantanal area, where there are typically heavy rains in January and February that fill the whole watershed, making it a sort of giant reservoir.