The rivers of the Brazilian savannah lost 27% of their flow in 50 years.

Rio de Janeiro, June 23 (EFEverde).— The rivers of Brazil's Cerrado—the savannah that stretches across the center of the country—have lost 27% of their water flow between the 1970s and 2020, according to a report released Monday by the organization Ambiental Media . The study attributes this alarming decline to the advance of deforestation and climate change.

The loss is equivalent to about 1,300 cubic meters per second , enough to fill about 30 Olympic-sized swimming pools every minute , the authors warn. The Cerrado, considered Brazil's water cradle, feeds eight of the country's 12 major river basins , including the Amazon, Paraná, and São Francisco rivers.

Six key basins, less water

The analysis is based on data from the National Water Agency (ANA) collected over the past 51 years in six large Cerrado basins: Araguaia, Paraná, Parnaíba, São Francisco, Taquari, and Tocantins . In the 1970s, these basins contributed 4,742 cubic meters per second; today, that figure has dropped to 3,444.

Between 1985 and 2022, native vegetation in these basins decreased by 22% , especially between 2003 and 2022, a period in which deforestation devastated some 240,000 square kilometers , the equivalent of the size of Romania.

Intensive agriculture and climate change

“The Cerrado is drying out because it's being deforested to produce agricultural commodities, such as soybeans and cattle, in highly irrigated systems,” explained researcher Yuri Salmona , technical coordinator of the study. “Secondly, there are the effects of climate change,” he added.

The area dedicated to soybean cultivation has multiplied by 19 in just 40 years, going from 6,200 km² in 1985 to 120,000 km² in 2022. Despite still conserving 49% of its native vegetation, the Cerrado has been progressively converted into pastureland (29%) and agricultural land (14%) , affecting its capacity to regulate the hydrological cycle.

Risk to water, food and energy

“ Deforesting the Cerrado is extending the drought and jeopardizing the country's water security ,” warned Salmona, noting that its rivers supply not only human consumption and agriculture, but also strategic infrastructure such as the Itaipu hydroelectric plant, one of the largest in the world.

The study reinforces the urgency of protecting this key biome for Brazil and other South American countries, amid growing pressure on natural resources due to the expansion of agribusiness. EFEverde

Photograph: EFE/FERNANDO BIZERRA JR/ARCHIVE