Unseasonal Low for the Amazon River

To our surprise, the water level of the Amazon River is receding!

Normally this time of the year we have an intense rising of floodwaters filtering into the flooded forest. There has been a drop since two weeks ago and has no sign of stopping!

 The flood levels here in Iquitos depend on snowmelt and rain falling on the eastern slopes of the Andes Mountain range. The lack of snow pack greatly affects the river levels during the summer melt in the mountains.

dipping river levels

We bet on the river level each year for easy access into the Fossil Creek Reserve. We have blazed a 7km trail transecting the southernmost varzea forest where the Napo River and the Amazon River meet. Each year we have to clean out the fallen trees from the sides of the trail. Generally a minimum of ten trees per year fall over our trail blocking passage. Veteran woodsman like Rojelio Macahuachi set out on the still dry trail to cut into pieces the otherwise blockaded trail.

We can only hope for a decent window of access to the Reserve. For now though, it seems we are high and dry!