The Paraguay River recorded a new drop in its level, reaching 1.36 meters at the port of Asunción this week. The downward trend, observed for several weeks, keeps the navigation and port activity sectors, fundamental to the country's economy, on alert.
According to the Directorate of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH), the daily reduction was 4 centimeters in Asunción. A similar situation was recorded at other monitoring points, such as Villeta, Puerto Antequera, and Concepción, where levels remain stable but at relatively low levels.
Although current values are above the historical lows recorded in recent years, experts point out that the evolution of the river basin depends directly on the rainfall regime in Brazil and the Pantanal region, the main source area for the Paraguay River.
Commercial navigation is one of the activities most impacted by the low water levels. The country depends on the Paraguay-Paraná waterway to transport the majority of its exports and imports. Significant reductions in the river's draft can limit vessels' cargo capacity and raise logistical costs.
Authorities maintain permanent monitoring to anticipate possible scenarios of restrictions on river traffic. The coming weeks will be decisive to see if the rainfall forecast for part of the basin will manage to stabilize levels or if the downward trend will deepen, testing again the resilience of Paraguay's main logistical corridor.