ATLAS

on
Amazon River

Name: Rudaiba Khan Aoudrika

ID: 2221944626
Course: Env410
Section: 1
Part-1: Introduction
Amazon River

Amazon river with tributaries & distributaries

The Amazon river rises in Peru, in the Chila mountain range, at an altitude Main tributary: Marañón River &
of 5170m and runs for approx 7000 km flowing through Brazil, Peru, Apurimac River in Peru.
Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname, and French
Guiana until reaching the Atlantic Ocean
 No. of
Major No. of No. of No. of No. of No. of
Area endemic
Tributary sites occurrences Families Genera species
species
• Begins in the Andes Mountains at the west of the basin Amazon
5,896,853 21,500 235,064 56 514 2,406 1,402
• Second largest river (6,992 km approx.) Basin

• largest drainage basin(~7 million km²)

Biodiversity Conservation
• Discharge Volume around 209,000 m³/s
• Home to the Amazon Rainforest, which contains 20% of
the world's freshwater 23%
40%
37%

•Driest month: August (~50 mm of rainfall) Fully protected Under partial protection

•Wet season: December–May (rainfall exceeds 200 Planned for protection

mm per month)
•Annual rainfall: 1,800 to 3,000 mm

(B) mean annual

precipitation from
the CHIRPS dataset
for the period 2000–
2018; (D) terrain
elevation according
to the Shuttle Radar
Topographic
Mission
 Major Amazonian wetland types and their extent
Wetland type Area (103 km2)
White-water floodplains (várzea)(a)
Amazon main stem(b) 117.1
Madeira(c) 92.5
Marañon, including Marañon-Ucayali palm swamps 71
Ucayali 41.5
Purus 36.1
Caquetá-Japurá 31.9
Juruá 20.9
Putumayo-Içá 20.3
Napo 10.6
Smaller white-water rivers (Javaí, Jutai, Nanay, Jandiatuba) 14.4
Subtotal 456.3

Clear- and black-water floodplains (igapó)(a)

Araguaia-Tocantins(d) 76.6
Negro(e) 119.6
Xingu 37.1
Tapajós 22.4
Trombetas(f) 7.4
Smaller black- and clear-water rivers 39.3
(Abacaxis, Uatumã, Madeirinha, Paru, Coari, Curuá-Una, Nhamundá, Curuá, Tefé,
Maicuru, Jarauçu, Piorini, Mamuru) Figure: Wetlands of the lowland Amazon basin, mapped during May –
June 1996 (high water).
Subtotal 302.4

(a) Data from Melack & Hess (2010) for the floodable area of the Amazon lowland (> 500
m above sea level) at 100 m resolution.
Other wetland types (b) Including aggregated area of basins draining directly to the mainstem floodplain.
(c) Excluding the floodable area of Llanos of Moxos.
Riparian zones along high-order rivers (baixios)(g) 1,000.00 (d) Data from Castello et al. (2013) excluding the floodable area of Bananal.
Hydromorphic savannas not included in large river basins (campina and (e) Excluding the floodable area of Negro campinas and campinaranas.
418.7
campinarana)(h) (f) Excluding the floodable area of Trombetas savannas.
(g) According to estimates on river density by Junk (1993).
Palm swamps not included in large river basins (buritizais – aguajales)(i) 80.3 (h) Data from Junk et al. (2011), including Negro river campinas/campinaranas, Madeira
High-elevation freshwater ecosystems(j) 70 river campinas, Trombetas savanas, Roraima/Rupununi savannas, Llanos de Moxos,
Bananal, and smaller savannas interspersed in terra firme. Note that not all white-sand
Mangroves(k) 11 savannas are hydromorphic.
(i) Palm swamps on mineral and organic substrates as indicated in Lähteenoja (2009), but
excluding the Marañon-Ucayali palm swamp complex.
(j) Estimate for freshwater ecosystems > 500 m above sea-level (Andean streams, Tepuis)
Total 2,338.70 by Castello et al. (2013).
(k) Data from Huber et al. (1995).
 Amazon river drainage sub‐basins are computed at 0.25° from a hydrological model (Wu et al., 2011)

Map of the Amazon River sub-basins and the main rivers

Climatology (2002–2015) of the water budget over the Amazon before (dashed line) and after (continuous line) optimization.
Fig: Geomorphological diversity of rivers in the Amazon Basin

Fig: Geomorphological diversity of rivers Fig: Water physiochemistry sampling sites in the Amazon Basin. Dots show the locations
in the Amazon Basin of samples, colored by water type
 Schematic definition of main stem data framework

Cartographic representation of Amazon Basin classification data of first 4 levels. BL1 = Basin Level

. Schematic representation of data of river distances from Amazon River mouth.

https://essd.copernicus.org/preprints/essd-2016-
Schematic classification of Amazon River types dataset
17/essd-2016-17.pdf
 • Soils above flood level
are well-drained, porous,
and of variable structure
• Often sandy & of low
natural fertility due to
lack of PO₄³⁻, KOH, N &
their high acidity

• The Amazon Basin has mostly nutrient-poor Oxisols,

rich in Fe & Al
• Andean headwaters have more fertile soils from
volcanic and sedimentary rocks.
Simplified tectonic-chronological map of
northern South America with the distribution
• Floodplains contain more fertile Inceptisols from
of the main ore deposits and oil and gas
fields (Modified from Marini et al. 2016, and
recent deposits.
Klein et al. 2018)
 Figure: Hypothetical cross-section across the Amazon
Basin, showing sylvinite beds dissected by salty rivers
and filled with halite beds. Example of wells with and
without sylvinite (potash): Wells # 1 and 4 are barren,
while wells # 2 and 3 are rich in sylvinite layers. Well #
2 shows the highest sylvinite thickness. In the beginning
of an exploratory program the objective is to locate pay
areas (brown color areas). Outside of the Amazon
Potash Basin (80,000 Km 2 ) is the Amazon Salt Basin
(150,000 Km 2 ).

Figure 1. Generalized paleogeography of the evaporite sequence in Solimões and Amazon basins, according to Szatmari et al. (1975)

Figure: Stratigraphic chart of

the Amazon Basin. Modified
from Cunha et al. (1994).
Figure:Amazon Basin structural features (Caputo, 1986 a, b)
 The Schematic longitudinal section of the Acre, Solimões, Amazon and Marajó basins shows structural arches and highs. Modified section
Figure 1. Surface deformations from a synthetic river load in the Amazon basin. (top) Cross section of simulated 2-D of Wanderley Filho and Travassos (2009).Tectonic activity of structural highs and arches was fundamental in directing the northern South
mass distribution as equivalent water height (cm) (red line) and its representation on a 0.5 ı grid (green dots), and American drainage network, while sea level changes influenced on sedimentation (continental and marine) and erosion in sedimentary basins
spatially smoothed (R = 4 ı 400 km) on a 1.0 ı grid (grey dots). (bottom) Calculated vertical deformation profiles
around Manaus, ˙3 ı distance. Red line is the expected deformation profile according to the mass load. For three
different mass distributions (0.5 ı , 0.5 ı resampled to 0.01 ı , and 1.0 ı spatially smoothed), the deformation is
calculated continuously (at station locations, solid lines) and as 0.5 ı and 1.0 ı gridded deformation field (colored
dots). Dotted lines represent cubic spline interpolation within the gridded deformation fields.
 Effects of Mining in the Amazon River Basin
Impact Area Data
Mercury Released (Annual) 200–500 tonnes
Total Mercury (40 Years) ~8,000 tonnes • Mercury was found in fish species, including
Deforestation Due to Mining 100,000+ hectares migratory fish far from mining areas
Amazonian Deforestation Rate • Satellite Data shows 10,000 hectares per
~10,000 hectares/year
(Mining-Related) year cleared for mining, increasing
Mercury in Amazon River Basin 40% (~3,200 tonnes) sedimentation & habitat destruction
Mercury in Coastal Guianas' • Contaminated fish impact indigenous
40% (~3,200 tonnes) communities reliant on traditional fishing.
Rivers
Mercury in Caroni River 20% (~1,600 tonnes)
Contaminated Population
75% with high mercury
(Santarém Study)
Fish Mercury Levels Above WHO limits
Brazil, Peru, Colombia,
Main Mining-Affected Regions
Venezuela
Key Affected Fish Tambaqui, Catfish, Piranha
River dolphins, giant otters,
Threatened Species
turtles
Mining-Induced Land Conflicts High in Indigenous areas
 Effects of Dams in the Amazon River Basin
• 434 dams that have either been built or are
currently under construction across the
whole of the Amazon Basin
• Further 463 proposed dams that are in
various stages of planning.

•Migratory fish species, river dolphins, and turtles face Dam Development by Country
restricted movement & reducing numbers
•Over 20 migratory species and river dolphins at risk & Planned Current
could isolate at least four river dolphin populations Country Total
(<30MW/>30MW) (<30MW/>30MW)
•More frequent and intense floods affecting Indigenous
communities.
Brazil 176 / 55 87 / 22 340
•18 major free-flowing rivers could lose connectivity if all
planned dams are built including Amazon river. Peru 9-Feb 31 / 2 44
•Brazil-Bolivia dam projects threaten regional connectivity.
Bolivia 3-Jan 9-Jan 14

The map at the bottom shows how that connectivity might look if all of
the currently proposed hydropower projects in the region are built
 Amazon river ecosystems being rapidly
degraded, but remain neglected by
conservation efforts

The main drivers of wetland degradation for which basin-wide data are available, and the protected
area network. Courtesy of Castello et al (2013).

Overfishing:
Water contamination from oil extraction activities in Northern Peruvian Amazonian rivers
•Amazonian fish consumption ~94
kg/person/year (6x global average).
•Average size of harvested fish dropped 60%
over the century.
•Some species near commercial extinction.
 Effects of Deforestation in the Amazon River Basin

•The average soil erosion rate rose by 600% (from 0.015 Mg

ha−1 year−1 in 1960 to 0.117 Mg ha−1 year−1 in 2019).

•The most affected sub-basins: Madeira (+390%), Solimões

(+350%), Xingu (+280%), and Tapajós (+240%).

•Deforestation exceeded 410,000 km² (7%) of the Amazon

rainforest between 1960 and 2019

•Increased sediment delivery rate (SDR) in sub-

basins:Solimões (27%), Madeira (13%), Negro (6%).

Fig: Soil erosion assessment in the Amazon basin in the last 60 years of deforestation
 Spatial distributions of the (a) channel width and (b) channel depth parameters.

The river network map of the Amazon basin at the 0.25 degree resolution. The light blue squares denote the
gauging stations for river discharge; these stations, a–f, refer to the stations labeled a–f in Table and graph.
The green squares denote the observation sites of the Envisat altimeter. The red rectangular indicates the area
where flooded area was validated.

Statistics of the Simulated and Observed Daily River Discharge

Rivera Station Lat Lon Qobs Qsim Ratio Correl Nash-ME
(m3/s) (m3/s)
Amazon (a) Obidos −1.91 −55.50 165,500 190,100 0.15 0.86 0.67

Solimoes (b) Manacapuru −3.30 −60.60 104,500 102,700 −0.02 0.8 0.51

Branco (c) Caracarai 1.81 −61.10 2,900 3,700 0.27 0.88 0.4

Madeira (d) Manicore −5.82 −61.30 23,700 29,100 0.22 0.85 0.63

Purus (e) Canutama −6.50 −64.40 6,400 9,100 0.42 0.8 −0.20 Time series of the daily discharge at the six gauging stations identified in Figure 1 and discussed
in Table. The gray line indicates the gauged observations, while the red line indicates the model
Negro (f) Serrinha −0.50 −64.80 17,700 18,600 0.05 0.87 0.75 simulation

Water Resources Research, Volume: 48, Issue: 9, First published: 07 September 2012, DOI: (10.1029/2012WR011869)
 Amazonian river winds unraveled by in situ air pollution

•Daytime: Land heats up, air rises, and cooler river

air moves toward landforms a circulation cell.
•Nighttime: Land cools faster than water, reversing
the air flow.

•Pollutants from land (urban/industrial) get lifted and recirculated

Conceptual representation of thermally driven recirculatory flow of river winds and potential impacts on the
over rivers.
dispersion of urban pollution over the river-city landscape and river-forest landscape. •Ox (O₃ + NO₂) showed unique drops at mid-altitudes due to forest
ozone uptake

https://communities.springernature.com/
Large eddy simulations for river winds and their impacts on pollution dispersion. CO was used as a proxy for the point- posts/amazonian-river-winds-unraveled-
source air pollution emitted from the riparian area. by-in-situ-air-pollution-observations-
over-river
 Pharmaceuticals and other urban contaminants threaten Amazonian freshwater ecosystems

Pollution in the Amazon basin

Map of sampling locations and population trends of the largest cities in the
Brazilian Amazon. Sampling site initials refer to: N: Negro River (n = 5); M:
Manaus (n = 8); A: Amazon River (n = 11); TA: Tapajós River (n = 2); S:
Santarém (n = 3); MA: Macapá (n = 3); Tocantins River (n = 2); B: Belém
(n = 6). The population data series for the monitored urban areas was retrieved
from IBGE, 2020.
Amazon basin in transition
 Reference
• https://riversarelife.com/articles/the-amazon-our-planets-greatest-example-of-biodiversity-under-threat

• https://www.britannica.com/place/Amazon-River/Physiography-of-the-river-course
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amazon_basin#Climate
• https://news.mongabay.com/2023/06/dam-building-spree-pushes-amazon-basins-aquatic-life-closer-to-
extinction/
• https://misr.jpl.nasa.gov/gallery/dry-and-wet-seasons-amazon-
basin/#:~:text=During%20the%20wet%20season%2C%20rainfall,rainfall%20back%20into%20the%20atmosph
ere.
• https://www.nature.com/articles/s41597-020-0436-4/tables/3
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0009254197000740
• https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2012WR011869
• https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/earth-science/articles/10.3389/feart.2022.939908/full
• https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40899-020-00440-5
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0169555X21004864
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/317153914_AMAZON_BASIN_POTASH_REPORT/figures?lo=1
• https://www.scielo.br/j/bjgeo/a/JMM96kwnm8NwRpjMbgbrsYD/?lang=en
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258776868_Global_high-
resolution_crustal_deformations_from_simulated_terrestrial_water_storage_estimates/figures?lo=1
• https://news.mongabay.com/2013/02/amazon-river-ecosystems-being-rapidly-degraded-but-remain-neglected-
by-conservation-efforts/
• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/351076324_Coherent_Satellite_Monitoring_of_the_Water_Cycle_Ove
r_the_Amazon_Part_1_Methodology_and_Initial_Evaluation/figures?lo=1
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0048969724042980

• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412021003275
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0269749116321674
Part 2: Key issues in integrating
water resource management
 Establishing basin management systems

Political Conditions of Amazon Basin

Theme Political Condition
Brazil controls over 60% of the Amazon and strongly asserts
Sovereignty & National Interest its sovereignty. Development projects often override
environmental protections.

Shift between pro-conservation policies (e.g., Lula da Silva in

Environmental Politics Brazil) and pro-extraction policies (e.g., Bolsonaro era).
Environmental protection often hinges on political leadership.
•Amazon Summit (2023, Belém): Leaders from
all Amazon nations committed to halting Over 400 indigenous groups inhabit the basin. Political
deforestation by 2030 but failed to agree on a Indigenous Rights recognition varies; Bolivia and Ecuador have constitutions
recognizing nature rights, while others lag in land titling.
shared target.
Illegal mining, logging, and drug trade flourish in remote,
•Resurgence of Lula’s Environmental Agenda: Illegal Activities & Governance
poorly governed areas. State presence is minimal in vast
Reinstated Brazil’s environment ministry powers Gaps
parts of the rainforest.
and demarcated new indigenous territories. Norway, Germany, and the EU have pushed for deforestation
International Pressure &
•Growth of Indigenous Political Voices: Diplomacy
limits via trade and finance leverage. Brazil and others have
criticized this as "neo-colonial" interference.
Indigenous leaders increasingly hold elected
The Amazon Cooperation Treaty Organization (ACTO)
office, influencing regional policy and gaining
promotes basin-wide cooperation, but has limited
visibility. Regional Cooperation
enforcement power. Efforts like the 2023 Belém Summit
signal renewed political will.
Amazon nations are gaining global leverage as key players in
Climate Diplomacy climate negotiations, especially regarding carbon storage and
biodiversity.
 International Agreements
Category Details
Amazon Cooperation Treaty (1978)
Multilateral
Amendment Protocol creating ACTO (1998)
Brazil & Bolivia: Hydroelectric Plant Agreements (1984,
Bilateral 1988)
Agreements
Ecuador & Peru: Demarcation Agreement (1944)

ACTO & COICA (Indigenous Organizations)

ACTO & Andean Community
MoUs
ACTO & Inter-American Development Bank
ACTO & WHO/PAHO
ACTO & Plata Basin Committee
GEF Amazonas Project (with UNDP, OAS, GEF)
Projects Amazon GEO Report (with UNEP)
Amazon Regional Program (GTZ, BMZ, DGIS)
 Regional Agreements and Mechanisms
Policy / Countries
Scope Notes
Agreement Involved
Signed in 1978 to
promote
Amazon
Regional All 8 basin sustainable
Cooperation Treaty
governance countries development and
(ACT)
integrated
management.
Key law
regulating
Forest Code deforestation and
National Brazil
(Brazil) land use. Recently
amended for
flexibility.
Linked to global
Various
Climate mitigation carbon markets;
REDD+ Initiatives Amazonian
finance supports forest
countries
conservation.
Essential for
Indigenous Land Constitutional in Peru, Brazil, protecting forest
Titling some countries Bolivia through legal
recognition
Present & before pictures of the river in Amazon Rain Forest drying up
 Present Water Management Framework in Amazon Basin Countries
Institutional Water Management
Country Legal Framework
Arrangement Features
Risks / Issues Common Regional Challenges
Advanced; includes Conflicts over hydro
Specific water
allocation, dams; upstream-
Brazil
legislation; regulated byDecentralized,
hydroelectric downstream restrictions;
Issue Description
National Water Agency participative system
regulation, multiple- indigenous
(ANA)
use approach displacement Transboundary Water Dam building and water flow control
Advanced Conflicts cause upstream-downstream tensions
framework; Implementation gaps
Specific water laws and Decentralized and
Venezuela emphasizes and inter-agency
regulations participatory
sustainability and coordination issues Institutional Difficulty in coordination between
integration Incoherence agencies across and within countries
Strong emphasis on
Specific and advanced Risk of overexploitation;
Institutional structure in integrated water
Peru water resource environmental impact
place resource Lack of Water Absence of comprehensive, basin-wide
legislation concerns
management Resource Plans planning in many countries
Aligns with
Organizational Law on Recent reforms still
Decentralized and Brazil/Venezuela/Per
Ecuador Water Resources maturing; coordination Data Gaps and Inadequate information for informed
participative u in principles and
(2014) challenges Monitoring Weakness decision-making
sustainability goals
General environmental Intermediate stage;
Limited institutional and Unclear responsibilities; Limited Public Insufficient engagement of local
Colombia law with water-related lacks specific water
instrumental setup weak integration Participation communities and civil society
provisions laws
Lack of strategic
Generic environmental No dedicated water Underdeveloped planning; poor data
Bolivia No charges or penalties for untreated
legislation only resource institutions framework availability; risk of Pollution Risks
wastewater discharge in many cases
pollution
No specific water Vulnerable to
Generic environmental Weak or absent
Guyana resource policy or unmanaged water use
legislation institutional structure
instruments and quality degradation
 2.Local/Regional NGOs
1.International NGOs
Name of Organization Focus Area Name of Organization Focus Area
Biodiversity, forest Indigenous rights, socio-
World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Instituto Socioambiental (ISA - Brazil)
conservation environmental justice
Ecosystem protection,
Conservation International (CI)
community empowerment Local governance,
Fundación Gaia Amazonas (Colombia)
biocultural diversity
Watershed & forest resilience,
The Nature Conservancy (TNC)
carbon projects
Satellite forest monitoring
Amazon Conservation (Peru, Bolivia)
Indigenous mapping, forest (MAAP), research
Amazon Conservation Team
monitoring

5.Academic & Research Institutes

3.Indigenous Organizations 4.Governmental Bodies Name of Organization Focus Area
INPA (National Institute for Amazonian
Name of Organization Focus Area Name of Organization Focus Area Research – Brazil)
Ecology,
biodiversity,
COICA (Coordination of Indigenous climatology
Organizations of the Amazon Basin) OTCA (Amazon Cooperation Treaty Intergovernmental
Pan-Amazonian Woods Hole Research Center (now
Organization) coordination across 8 Carbon cycles,
indigenous advocacy Woodwell Climate)
countries climate
modeling
Brazilian Institute for the Environment RAISG (Amazon Network of
Land titling, (IBAMA) Environmental law Georeferenced Socio-Environmental Maps, data
AIDESEP (Peru) advocacy, forest enforcement Information) visualization of
conservation threats
 Roles of organizations under the Amazon
6. Multilateral & UN Agencies Cooperation Treaty framework
Name of Organization Focus Area Organization/Body Role/Function
ACTO (Amazon Cooperation Treaty Main regional body implementing the Amazon
Forest carbon offsets Organization) Cooperation Treaty.
UN-REDD Programme
and climate finance
Prepares work plans, activities, and budgets

Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Sustainable Permanent Secretariat Coordinates technical units (non-bureaucratic)
development financing Signs agreements with unanimous consent of
Member States
Implement the Treaty at national level
Funding for biodiversity,
Global Environment Facility (GEF) Coordinate national sustainable development
climate resilience Permanent National Commissions (PNCs)
policies
Suggest measures and represent ministries
Address sector-specific issues:
• Health
7. Private Sector/Philanthropic • Indigenous Affairs
• Environment
Special Amazon Commissions (7)
Name of Organization Focus Area • Transport/Infrastructure
• Tourism
• Education
• Science & Technology
Funding Amazon Ensures compliance with the Treaty
Bezos Earth Fund CCA (Amazon Cooperation Council)
protection projects Coordinates decisions and provides policy
guidance
Highest political forum
Meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs Evaluates cooperation progress
Partnerships for Forests (UK-funded) Provides policy direction
Public-private
Facilitates high-level dialogue on critical
collaboration in forest Meeting of Presidents
regional issues
regions
 Sources of
Finance

Multilateral
International Climate
Development Banks Government Budgets Private Sector
Funds
(MDBs)

• Funders of infrastructure • Target forest conservation • Roads

• Support reforestation
• Conservation • Emissions reduction (REDD+) • Hydroelectric dams
• Support indigenous rights
• Climate adaptation projects • Indigenous land protection • Agriculture expansion
 Financial Challenges of Amazon River Basin

Category Use of Finance

Current Challenges
Forest monitoring, REDD+ carbon credits, anti-
Conservation
deforestation enforcement, protected area creation
Challenge Description

Shifting government
Policy Instability
priorities Sustainable
Development
Indigenous empowerment, agroecology, clean energy
microgrids, bioeconomy hubs
Misuse of
Corruption conservation/development
Roads, hydropower dams (e.g., Belo Monte),
funds Infrastructures
urbanization in Amazonian cities

Environment vs.
Conflicting Ministries Scientific Research Biodiversity studies, hydrology, climate modeling
Agriculture/Energy clashes
Education & Health Public services for remote Amazonian communities
No unified basin-wide
Lack of Governance
authority
Unfortunately, illegal mining, logging, and
Illegal Economies narcotrafficking are funded through informal
channels, often undermining state efforts
 Weak financial
systems and
Inadequate public and High levels of debt
institutions
private investment. and limited fiscal
space

Poor capacity to Challenges Insufficient

mobilize domestic in financing international aid and
resources sustainable donor fatigue
development

Absence of
innovative financing Political instability Lack of access to
mechanisms and governance affordable and long-
issues term financing
 Provide direct
funding for
conservation

Philanthropic
Organizations

Types of On-ground
implementation,
Stakeholders land use
regulation,
public service
delivery

Support
conservation
and climate
action
Multilateral
Development
Advocacy, Banks
monitoring &
project
implementation
Fund large-
scale projects
 Reference
• https://digitalcommons.trinity.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1189&context=tipiti
• http://www.internationalwatersgovernance.com/amazon-basin.html
• https://acervo.socioambiental.org/sites/default/files/documents/n8d00030.pdf
• https://scirp.org/journal/PaperInformation?PaperID=76314
• https://slideplayer.com/slide/10972020/
• https://ceeep.mil.pe/2024/08/08/la-organizacion-del-tratado-de-cooperacion-amazonica-como-
herramienta-de-combate-al-crimen-organizado-transnacional-desde-una-perspectiva-
ambiental/?lang=en
• https://study.com/academy/lesson/the-amazon-basin-culture-history-politics.html
• https://shs.cairn.info/journal-politique-etrangere-2020-1-page-135?lang=en
• https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/10/1371
• https://aguasamazonicas.otca.org/strategic-action-
program/?lang=en#:~:text=Transboundary%20Diagnostic%20Analysis%20of%20the,Actions%20ou
tlined%20within%20the%20SAP.
• https://otca.org/en/welcome-to-the-amazon-basin-project/

• https://www.researchgate.net/publication/350609993_Implementing_Brazil's_Forest_Code_a_vital
_contribution_to_securing_forests_and_conserving_biodiversity
• https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844024057414
• https://x.com/BengaluruRains_/status/1711826267329417523
Part 3: Strategy and
Implementation
 Strategic Long-Term Planning
Environmental
Degradation Costs

Priorities
Fragmented Late Integration of
Identifying Resilience in Amazon Planning
Land Use in Issues Environmental
the Amazon Variables Promotion of Sustainable Ventures
Inclusion of Environmental Costs Early

Lack of Adoption of Environmental Economic Valuation

Techniques
Monetary
Valuation

Map of the drought severity derived from the Amazon basin for the 2001–2020 period. For
Map of the sub-indicators (A) land comparison, the values of drought severity were scaled from 0 (minimum drought severity) to 1
productivity; (B) land cover degradation; (maximum drought severity) at the pixel level.
Forest cover loss in the Amazon River basin 2001–2020. Forest loss data and (C) SOC degradation; together with (D) the
were acquired from the Global Forest Change Dataset (Hansen et al., 2013). SDG indicator 15.3.1 for the period 2001–2020.
 Management Options

Cost Typologies Defined

Control Costs Mitigation Costs

Preventive investments to avoid impacts. Measures to reduce existing impacts.

Monitoring Costs
Continued assessment of environmental and Institutional Costs
social programs. Preparation and compliance-related expenses.

Compensation Costs Degradation Costs

Offsetting impacts where direct repair Residual impacts not covered by the above,
isn’t possible. typically unaccounted for in project budgeting.

Use of Typologies for Project

Classification
In early stages, unknown venture specifics are
addressed by developing representative project
types to apply valuation frameworks.

Inventory Studies in
Hydropower
Early inclusion of environmental impact
considerations through hydrographic basin
inventories. make a flow chart from this
 Increased frequency and
severity of floods and droughts
Climate Change and
Changes in the hydrological cycle
Hydrological Cycle
Impact on ecosystems
Loss of biodiversity

Deforestation Unsustainable land management practices

and Land Use
Deforestation for agriculture and logging

Risk of Dam construction

Infrastructure
Long-term- and Development
planning Urbanization and infrastructure development

Social and Displacement of indigenous communities

Economic Impacts
Economic impacts on various sectors

Coordination and cooperation

Governance and
Policy and enforcement
Management
Monitoring and data collection
Indigenous Lands according to the set of common
environmental threats inside and outside these territories
 Basin Action Plans

Past: (1990s–2000s)
Early Goals: Key Milestones:
•Combat deforestation and illegal logging. •1998-2007: Implementation of the GEF-
•Improve sanitation and reduce river funded Amazon River Basin Project via
pollution from urban waste and mining. UNEP
•Promote integrated watershed management. •2002: Establishment of the (ACTO)

Present: Multilateral Implementation and Climate Resilience

Current Focus Areas (2020s): Notable Programs:
•Climate resilience •Amazon Sustainable Landscapes Program (ASL)
•Biodiversity protection •ACTO's Amazon Regional Observatory
•Deforestation monitoring DETER •Brazil’s Plano Amazônia 2021/2022
•Community engagement

Future: (2030 and Beyond)

Vision 2030+: Proposed
•Aligning with the UN SDGs and the Kunming-Montreal Global Developments:
Biodiversity Framework.
•AI-based monitoring systems
•Scaling up nature-based solutions (NbS) and carbon credit mechanisms.
•Expansion of ecological corridors and
•More robust transboundary water governance among all 9 basin
restoration of degraded riparian zones.
countries.
•Formalizing a regional water authority
•Increasing investments in bioeconomy and eco-friendly infrastructure.
Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework under ACTO
 Changes in the Amazon
Meandering River over the Time

Figure: The Amazon basin today and future fire risks. a, Protected areas and major planned infrastructure. b, The risk of fire by 205096
under business-as-usual deforestation and climate change scenarios24. The numbers in a indicate the following cities: 1, Cuiabá; 2, Porto
Velho; 3, Manaus; 4, Belém; 5, Rio Branco; 6, Paramaribo; 7, Georgetown; 8, Iquitos; 9, Puerto Maldonado; 10, Santa Cruz de la Sierra.

•Rio Mamoré showed significant

changes between 1985 and 2014 due to
high sediment from Rio Grande.
•Meandering supports floodplain
biodiversity and habitat renewal.

June 11, 1985 July 13, 2014

 Basin Information Systems and Monitoring
Features of Amazon Basin Information Systems
Feature Description
Combines satellite imagery, topographic
Major Amazon Basin Information System Initiatives Geospatial Integration
maps, hydrology data using GIS.
Integrates data from remote sensing
Multisource Data (MODIS, Landsat), in situ sensors, and local
agencies.
Tracks changes in land cover, river
Temporal & Spatial Resolution dynamics, and infrastructure at high
resolution over time.
Web dashboards, APIs, mobile platforms for
User Interfaces
various stakeholder groups.
Many systems are built on open standards
Open Data & Interoperability
(OGC, ISO 19115) for data sharing.

Functional Components of Basin Information System

Module Role
Flow simulation, flood forecasting
Hydrological Models
(e.g., SWAT, MGB-IPH models)
Biodiversity, ecosystem integrity
Ecological Data
indicators
Agricultural expansion, urbanization,
Land Use Mapping
forest degradation
Rainfall, evapotranspiration, drought
Climate Inputs
indices from remote sensing
Population, protected areas,
Socioeconomic Layers
industrial zones
Technical Aspects of Amazon River Basin Information Systems
Category Details
Data Acquisition: Remote sensing, field sensors (water
level,rainfall)
Transmission: GSM, satellite (VSAT), LoRaWAN
System Architecture Storage: Cloud (AWS, GCP), PostgreSQL/PostGIS
Processing: Kafka, Python, R
Visualization: Web-GIS (Leaflet, Mapbox)
Landsat (OLI/TIRS): Deforestation, morphology
Sentinel-1 (SAR): Flood mapping
Remote Sensing Platforms MODIS: NDVI, evapotranspiration
SMAP/GRACE: Soil moisture, groundwater
Rain gauges, flow meters, pressure sensors
Sensor-Based Monitoring AWS (Weather stations)
Multi-parameter probes for water quality monitoring
Spatial DBs: PostGIS, NetCDF
Metadata Standards: ISO 19115, FGDC
Data Storage & Management Open Platforms: CKAN, GeoNode
Cloud: AWS S3, GCP Buckets
Hydrological Models: SWAT, MGB-IPH, VIC
Coding: Python, R, MATLAB
Data Analysis Tools GIS: QGIS, ArcGIS Pro
ML: Random Forest, XGBoost
Google Earth Engine
DETER (INPE): Near real-time deforestation alerts
Real-Time Monitoring SIPAM: Integrates radar, UAVs, fire alerts
ALOS-2: Detects illegal logging via L-band SAR
Protocols: WMS/WFS for map/data services
Standards & Interoperability Open Standards: OGC-compliant systems
APIs: RESTful APIs for third-party integrations
Cloud cover: Solved with SAR data Topography of channels and lakes of the central Amazon floodplain
estimated by satellite images. Credit: Fassoni-Andrade et al. [2020]
Sparse sensors: Use UAVs, crowdsourcing
Technical Challenges Data volume: Managed with GEE, cloud computing
Low connectivity: Offline apps, edge computing
 Objectives of Monitoring & Evaluation Monitoring & Evaluation
Objective Description
Measure uptime, response time, data
of Amazon river Basin
Performance Assessment
accuracy, and sensor health
Evaluate how the system influences Evaluation Methods
Impact Evaluation conservation, deforestation control, and
disaster prevention Method Application
Ensure systems serve local, regional, and
Stakeholder Engagement Evaluate long-term trends in forest cover, rainfall,
global users Time-Series Analysis
hydrology using platform-generated data
Ensure consistency, temporal resolution, and
Data Quality Control
accuracy of datasets
Assess the system’s ability to incorporate Benchmarking
Compare against international standards or other
Scalability and Adaptability new tech, cover new regions, and meet future river basins (e.g., Mekong, Congo)
needs

Common Gaps & Challenges in Monitoring & Evaluation User Surveys & Collect qualitative feedback from field workers,
Interviews indigenous monitors, scientists
Issue Explanation
Lack of integration across national platforms limits full-basin
Data Fragmentation evaluations Technical audits of infrastructure, sensor
System Audits
calibration, software functionality
Sparse in-situ measurements reduce the accuracy of satellite
Low Field Validation data verification
Test system performance under
Inter-agency Barriers Political and institutional boundaries restrict information flow Scenario Simulations drought/flood/illegal logging scenarios using
historical data
Funding Discontinuity Long-term M&E often depends on international donor cycles

Outdated software/hardware hampers continuity in long-term

Technology Obsolescence evaluations
 Practical Implementations
System / Project Description Lead Organization
Real-time satellite-based deforestation detection
DETER (Brazil) and alert system. Used for environmental
policing.
Annual deforestation monitoring system with
PRODES
historical Landsat imagery since 1988.
Multi-country geospatial portal mapping
RAISG Geoportal deforestation, infrastructure, and indigenous
lands.
Integrates UAVs, radars, and environmental
SIPAM – Amazon Protection System sensors for remote forest monitoring and
sovereignty.
Platform mapping land use change and
MapBiomas Amazonía environmental degradation using AI and remote NGOs + Research institutions
sensing.

Open-access hydrological database with river

ANA's HidroWeb
discharge, rainfall, and level time series.

Regional effort to develop a basin-scale

ACTO Amazon River Observatory hydrological observation network across 8
countries.

Local residents use mobile apps and sensors to

Acre Community Monitoring
track river levels and deforestation in real-time.

Amazon-specific application of alert-based

WRI Global Forest Watch Pro monitoring for private sector supply chain
deforestation.
Implementation of Monitoring, Reporting, and
REDD+ MRV Systems Verification platforms for carbon emissions
tracking.
 Awareness and conservation programs

Policy briefs, webinars, and public

Public awareness campaigns, education
communication targeted at decision-
programs for indigenous youth, and
makers and youth.
ecosystem service valuation.

Use global social media campaigns,

Offers public, interactive maps for & documentaries, and influencer
awareness and educational use. partnerships to highlight Amazon
deforestation.

Combines mobile tech with workshops Community radio is vital for reaching
and social media infographics. indigenous and remote populations in
their native languages.

Works closely with indigenous Some Documentaries and

groups on land management, GPS Films are visual narratives
mapping, and traditional medicine. that amplify Amazonian
struggles globally.
 Education
Forest Schools: Teach children of indigenous communities
using both traditional knowledge and modern environmental
science.

Virtual learning tools: Interactive platforms such as Google Earth

Voyager offer guided tours through the Amazon with stories about
deforestation and tribal life.
NGO collaborations: Projects like Amazon Conservation Team (ACT)
train local youth and elders in biodiversity monitoring, GPS mapping,
and ethnobotany.

Ethnobotany Biodiversity monitoring

Communication
Tool
Application Theme Learning Summary

The Amazon holds over 10% of global

Reaches rural areas in native Biodiversity biodiversity.
Radio
languages (Ticuna, Kayapo, etc.)

Forest acts as a major carbon sink; degradation

Climate Regulation flips it into a carbon source.
Social Media
used to reach global audiences Indigenous groups manage large forest areas
Indigenous Knowledge sustainably.

Drones & Satellite Provides visuals of illegal logging and Amazon forests generate their own rain via
Imaging river pollution
River-Forest Relationship evapotranspiration.

Tools like satellites are powerful but need local

Tech + Local Wisdom insights.
Tools like Forest Watcher enable real-
Mobile Apps
time deforestation alerts
Youth education fosters stewardship and
Environmental Education reduces forest crimes.

Story Maps & Blend storytelling with geo-data to

9 countries share the Amazon; policies are
Podcasts raise awareness Regional Cooperation often fragmented.

Eco-tourism, agroforestry, and NTFPs offer

Sustainable Development green alternatives.

Real-time deforestation alerts improve

Early Warning Systems responses.

Ticuna Kayapo
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