RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – In recent days, the Paraguay River reached a historic low of -0.75 below the hydrological zero, specifically on October 6, its lowest level in history since 1904, but it rose again as a result of the latest rains.
Good prospects for the next few days are highlighted due to the forecast of heavy rains starting on Wednesday afternoon. The Paraná River has been rising steadily for the past few days, allowing vessels to transport cargo.
“Despite these potential improvements, the water level continues to be extremely low. There was some improvement in the Paraná River, which allows navigation. I am still cautious, given the level of our two main rivers,” said Luis María Jara, head of the Navigation Unit of the Paraná River Paraguay-Argentina Joint Commission – COMIP Py.
The country’s main riverbed originates in the Pantanal area, where there are typically heavy rains in the months of January and February that fill the whole watershed, forming a sort of gigantic reservoir.
The Centre for River Shipowners is celebrating the slight recovery of the Paraná and Paraguay rivers, which allows for better navigation after several months. Although rainfall is still low, there is hope for a recovery as the rivers are crucial for trade.
“For a week now we have had very satisfactory levels that at least allow us to navigate after several months. Hopefully this will be permanent, because it is encouraging. Let’s hope that it is not only due to occasional rains. It is recovering little by little, although levels are still below normal,” said Juan Carlos Muñoz, vice-president of the Centre for River Shipowners.
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