Tapajós River drops to 1.67 meters in Santarém; city hall sends trucks to support riverside residents

With the extreme drought, vessels are no longer able to dock near communities. The vehicles will transport residents and their agricultural production by land to the banks of the Amazon River, where the boats are anchored. The measure aims to guarantee the food supply and income of families who live from agriculture in the floodplain.

Data from the ruler of the National Water and Basic Sanitation Agency (ANA), installed in the port of Companhia Docas do Pará (CDP), show the speed of water descent in recent days:

Since October 1st, when the river was at 2.56 meters, the level of the Tapajós has dropped 89 centimeters.

The current measurement is 1.40 meters below the mark recorded in the same period in 2025. However, the level is still above the historical records of the extreme droughts of 2024 (1.55 meters above) and 2023 (99 centimeters above).

Santarém declared an emergency last Thursday (15). It hasn't rained in the city since July 23rd, which represents almost three months of total drought.

The emergency decree (nº 774/2026) is valid for 90 days and allows the city hall to waive tenders to purchase goods, hire services and carry out works to combat the effects of the drought more quickly.

Civil Defense and the Risk Management Committee continue to monitor the Amazon and Tapajós rivers and map communities in need of humanitarian assistance and drinking water.