PANTANAL SEES FIRST MAJOR FLOOD IN FIVE YEARS

For the first time in five years, the Pantanal is experiencing significant flooding. Data from Brazil’s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) shows that between October 2024 and April 2025, the region received 720 millimeters of rain — the equivalent of a full year’s average rainfall.

At the Porto Cercado monitoring station in Poconé, Mato Grosso — one of the oldest in the region — the river level peaked at 3.98 meters. That’s a dramatic turnaround from August 2024, when water levels fell below 45 centimeters, marking the driest year in over 120 years, according to the Brazilian Geological Service.

Experts say the flood was slightly delayed but falls within expected natural patterns. “This year’s flooding is within the normal range, but it arrived later in the cycle,” says Ibrahim Fantim, a water resources specialist and professor at the Federal University of Mato Grosso (UFMT). However, he warns that rainfall isn’t the only factor shaping the region’s flood and drought cycles.

Climate change and the management of the Manso Hydroelectric Dam also play key roles. “The dam holds back the first rains to replenish the reservoir. Only after that does it release water downstream to the Pantanal. In dry years, when the reservoir doesn’t recover, flooding hardly occurs — as we saw in 2020 and 2021,” Fantim explains.

He argues for the adoption of a “conciliation hydrograph” — a water management model designed to balance economic needs with environmental preservation. Fantim also warns that as climate change accelerates, extreme weather events — both floods and droughts — are likely to become more frequent and more severe.

In the Sesc Pantanal Private Natural Heritage Reserve (RPPN), the flooding has brought a wave of benefits for conservation and tourism. “The extended wet season reduces the risk of wildfires and supports the ecosystem,” says Alexandre Enout, an ecologist at Sesc Pantanal. “A flooded Pantanal is part of the region’s identity. The landscape becomes vibrant and green, attracting tourists eager to witness this breathtaking scenery.”