El Niño Is Draining the Amazon's Rivers Weeks Ahead of Schedule

The effects of El Niño go far beyond the supercharged Pacific hurricane season. Climatologists are also blaming the climate phase for the alarming decline in water levels across many of the major rivers of South America's Amazon region. Read on for a look at what is happening to the rivers, and why local officials are becoming increasingly worried.

Dry Weather Pattern Creating Water Crisis in the Amazon

A deepening water crisis in the Amazon basin has prompted the nations of Peru and Brazil to roll out contingency measures as river levels continue to plummet. The strengthening El Niño pattern has exposed the vulnerabilities of this part of the world to lower rainfall totals that result in dangerously low river levels.

The many rivers that dot the landscape of the Amazon serve as crucial transportation arteries for the communities that call this region home. These waterways are also vital to supply chains and overall commerce.

Peru's National Service of Meteorology and Hydrology reported last week that water levels in the main Amazon rivers in Loreto are falling quickly as a result of El Niño. Local officials are now closely monitoring the major river basins in the region, including the Amazon, Marañón, Ucayali, and Huallaga rivers.

A lack of rainfall in recent months has sent water levels plummeting as much as several centimeters per day. The drier weather pattern typically holds off until the end of the year. However, the unusually warm ocean waters in the Pacific this year have dried up the moisture flow earlier than usual.