The Paraná River lowered its height in several ports of Entre Ríos in the first days of 2023, and, although it remains above the levels registered in 2020 and 2021, the National Water Institute (INA) warned that the river course will continue for below their normal levels in the first quarter of the year.
Although there will be “short-term recoveries” when the flow in the upper zones increases, the water levels will remain low during the first quarter, in continuity with the scenario that began in March 2020.
The downspout is the “longest in history” (since 1884) and of extraordinary characteristics due to its “magnitude and persistence”, warned the INA, and it does not have an end or a definitive return to normality due to the weather conditions for the next months.
Added to this is a drought described as “historic” and “the worst in the last 60 years according to provincial records”, with “devastating” effects; and few or no rains throughout the Entre Ríos territory since 2021.
The historic downspout began in March 2020, a year later it had an upward trend without reaching normality, but it fell again at the end of 2021, and caused notorious changes in the environmental, economic, productive and social life of Entre Ríos.
The fish fauna was affected by leaving the floodplain dry (where fish take refuge, feed, reproduce and grow); it produced inconveniences in the irrigation of crops and complicated the industrial productions that need to capture water.
It also increased the problems of fires on the islands and those of water pollution, since the dilution capacity of crude or industrial tributaries was reduced.
The lack of influence of the river in the streams and watercourses of the province affected the irrigation of the crops, generating smaller plants, delays in nitrogen fertilization, delayed growth, and even partial and total losses.
Animal production, with anticipated animal sales and a drop in cattle body condition, and derivative sectors such as dairy added to the affected economies.
In Paraná, the provincial capital, the river descended to only 17 centimeters in height, below the low water level (2.30) and 2.83 meters less than its average height in January (3 meters).
In the northwest of Entre Ríos, in La Paz, the Paraná River reached a height of one meter today, behind its low water limit (3.20 meters) and the 4.17 that the Argentine Naval Prefecture (PNA) recorded as an average between 1996 and 2021 this month.
Where there was also a strong drop in the height of the river was in the port of Diamante, further south on the Entre Ríos coast, with a level of 40 centimeters, below the 2.40 meter low water limit and the average. historical of 3.41 of the last 25 months of January.
On the other hand, in Victoria, the Paraná river is at 1.06 meters, and like the rest of the coast, it remains distant from its measurements that alert low waters (2.60), and from what is registered as average for this month (3.68).
In addition, the INA foresees an improvement for the coming weeks, reaching 0.57 meters in Paraná; 1.26 in La Paz; 0.85 meters in the port of Diamante; and 1.90 meters in Victoria, about 80 kilometers further south. (Telam)
