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The Paraguay-Parana River System is the second-largest river system in South America — second only to the Amazon. More than 100 million people and some of the rarest species on Earth depend on healthy waters of the Paraguay-Parana River system for survival.
But these rivers have become increasingly polluted and altered by development. So The Nature Conservancy is using innovative methods with partners in Brazil and Paraguay — everything from planting seedlings to developing land-use modeling software — to protect 2 million acres of headwaters and more than 440 river miles of the system.
The Paraguay-Parana Conservation Impact
The Paraguay-Parana river system isn't just important for humans — it also provides habitat for more than 800 species of fish and some of the rarest and most magnificent plants and animals on Earth.
The conservation significance and impact of these rivers on people and nature makes them a priority for the Conservancy:
- The source of the Parana river — the Atlantic Forest — harbors a range of biodiversity comparable to that found in the Amazon, including 1,000 species of birds and species such as the brown howler monkey that are found nowhere else on Earth.
- The Paraguay River floods the spectacular Pantanal — the world’s largest freshwater wetland — a habitat for jaguars, giant river otters and 650 species of birds like cormorants, herons and jabiru storks.
- The Paraguay River cuts through the Brazilian Cerrado, a grassland home to more than 10,000 species of plants as well as maned wolves and giant anteaters.
- The Piracicaba-Capivari-Jundiai watershed — just a portion of the entire Paraguay-Parana river system — provides drinking water for one-half of South America’s largest city: São Paulo.
Threats to the Paraguay-Parana River System
But these rivers run through regions with some of the heaviest agricultural use and highest population densities in Brazil. And their health and unparalleled beauty is imperiled by development, pollution and deforestation.
- There are more than 100 dams on the Parana River alone, which alter the river’s natural flow and make the river uninhabitable for many native aquatic species.
- Over one-half of the Brazilian Cerrado has disappeared over the last 40 years, much of which has been converted for agriculture and ranching. Pollution from both industries flows directly into the river system.
- Deforestation along riverbanks for ranching and agriculture is responsible for erosion and an overall reduction in the quantity and quality of the water of the Paraguay-Paraná river system. About 93 percent of the Atlantic Forest has been lost due to land conversion and deforestation.
What the Conservancy is Doing
The Conservancy and its partners are pioneering two methods to protect and preserve the Paraguay-Parana system.
The Conservancy is working on the ground with local landowners in Brazil to maintain and restore riparian zones in the São Paulo watershed. Small-scale farmers will receive annual funds and technical assistance from the Conservancy and partners to incorporate conservation measures such as:
- Planting seedlings along riparian zones on their property;
- Building fences on their property to keep livestock out of the river system; and
- Avoiding deforestation by allowing forests on their land to grow.
The Conservancy also is working with IBM to develop a program that will help governments and corporations predict the potential effects of large land changes on the health of the Paraguay-Parana River system. This computerized decision support tool will:
- Help government and private sector decision makers better understand how large infrastructure and agricultural projects could affect the river system;
- Improve the communication, planning and coordination necessary to develop practical water resource management policies; and
- Improve conservation of biodiversity and identify the best places to create protected areas.
Freshwater Conservation Around the World
Protecting the Paraguay-Parana River system in South America is just one freshwater system that the Conservancy works to conserve everyday. With more than 100 freshwater experts and 500 freshwater sites globally, The Nature Conservancy is a global leader in freshwater conservation.
We work to conserve and protect some of the most important rivers and lakes on the planet through meaningful partnerships, impactful policy measures and innovative tools and conservation methods.
Learn more about the Conservancy’s freshwater conservation work around the world.
(March 2008)
Nature picture credits (top to bottom, left to right): Photo © Scott Warren (Itaipu Dam); Photo © Scott Warren (crop fields and national park on either side of Iguaçu River, part of Parana River system).
