Deforestation puts water resources in the Amazon at risk

Deforestation Threatens Water Resources in the Amazon: Help Protect 45 Hectares

Understand how the removal of native vegetation in the Acre River Basin increases the risk of extreme events and impacts the entire population.

Forests are complex ecosystems where trees, rivers, wildlife, and human populations are deeply interconnected. Because of this, the degradation of any single element triggers a chain reaction that destabilizes the entire ecosystem. The sheer scale of the Amazon Rainforest reflects its relevance to global climate balance, and the ongoing loss of its native vegetation is already generating visible and concerning impacts.

The Acre River Basin is located in the Southwestern Amazon and drains into the right bank of the Purus River. Covering a total area of 35,792 km², it flows through 10 municipalities in Acre, including the capital, Rio Branco—accounting for one-fifth of the state's total land area and home to 60% of Acre's population. These numbers demonstrate just how essential the Acre River Basin is for water supply and subsistence in both urban and rural areas.

Studies in the region show that the river basin is undergoing intense clearing of its native forest cover, particularly near its headwaters, primarily to make way for agricultural and livestock activities. The São João micro-basin, a tributary of the Acre River, has suffered severe environmental impacts over the years. By 2007, 235.44 km² of the original vegetation cover had been deforested, accounting for 74.18% of the micro-basin's total area.

Forest loss in river basin areas alters water availability and contributes to the occurrence of extreme events, such as droughts and recurring floods year after year. Geographer Janaína Costa emphasizes the urgent need to protect headwaters and waterways: “With such high deforestation rates (both above 70%), protecting the remaining forests around rivers and springs—known as riparian forests—has become a matter of survival for the region.”

The removal of vegetation brings several consequences, including:

Increased risk of drought during dry seasons. Forests act like sponges, helping rainwater recharge underground aquifers. Without trees, water runs off directly and evaporates.

Siltation of rivers. Plant roots hold the soil along riverbanks. Without trees and their root systems, rain washes mud and sediment into rivers, reducing depth and degrading water quality.

Extreme heat. Water evaporation from rivers, combined with moisture released by trees, helps regulate regional temperatures, preventing extreme heat and ensuring regular rainfall for agriculture.

Impacts on wildlife. Riparian forests along waterways serve as ecological corridors. These remaining forest stretches allow local animals to find water, food, and shelter while moving safely between forest patches.

Global climate imbalance. The Amazon Rainforest functions as a carbon sink, absorbing CO₂ and combating the greenhouse effect. Its importance lies in its role in regulating weather patterns and preventing desertification, making it essential for mitigating climate change and maintaining a cooler, more stable global climate.

Map of deforestation in the São João micro-basin

Between 2008 and 2025, an additional 62.32 km² of deforested land was identified. This means that another 19.64% of the micro-basin's total area has been affected in recent years.

The image on the left shows the area of the São João micro-basin in 2008, which had accumulated 173.12 km² of deforested land. The image on the right illustrates the current situation of the basin, with total deforestation reaching 235.44 km²

A forest that protects and inspires restoration

Amid the degradation of the Acre River Basin, a 45-hectare forest remnant and the SOS Amazônia Nursery represent strategic focal points for initiating environmental regeneration in the Igarapé Preto micro-basin. Opened in 2023, the nursery is located about 14 km from Capixaba and 4 km from BR-317 (the Interoceanic Highway). The micro-basin covers 16.589 km² and, according to historical analysis, has lost 87.28% of its original vegetation cover.

The SOS Amazônia Nursery has the capacity to produce 450,000 seedlings per year.

Highlighted in blue is the forest area near the nursery that we need to ensure is preserved. Surrounding it, the clearing devoid of native vegetation can be seen, corresponding to areas of agricultural and livestock activity.

The region exhibits a high demand for restoration efforts around headwaters and along the banks of numerous tributaries, particularly because it holds one of the largest continuous areas of deforestation set aside for agricultural and livestock expansion, including soybean and corn cultivation.

In this scenario, the forest that remains standing amid such degradation represents a natural heritage to be protected, while the nursery—with a production capacity of up to 450,000 seedlings per year—provides a vital structure to support the recovery of degraded areas. Together, they serve as starting points to drive landscape regeneration and contribute to the conservation of springs and waterways.

Beyond restoring degraded lands, the initiative aims to understand how various actions can foster the regeneration of this territory, generating insights to guide similar initiatives across other micro-basins in Acre.

Miguel Scarcello, geographer and secretary-general of SOS Amazônia, emphasizes that forest restoration is an ongoing, long-term process that begins long before planting takes place. It ranges from raising awareness among both large and small landowners to stages such as soil preparation, seedling production, and planting. This effort extends far beyond the direct benefits to the properties undergoing regeneration, creating a positive domino effect for the entire Acre River Basin—including the urban population that relies on this watershed for its water supply.

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For the residents of Rio Branco, the impacts of reduced water volume in the Acre River during the dry season are already noticeable and directly affect the water supply. With lower water availability, the costs of abstraction and treatment also rise, as the water exhibits higher turbidity and requires a greater quantity of chemicals to reach proper quality standards. If we can improve each micro-basin, step by step, the Acre River will undoubtedly have a larger and higher-quality supply of water.”

Miguel Scarcello, secretary-general and co-founder of SOS Amazônia.

Discover the project and help protect 45 hectares of forest

The “Protect the Amazon Rainforest” project, created by SOS Amazônia on the international platform GlobalGiving, aims to raise funds to acquire and permanently protect a 45-hectare area of native forest in the Amazon.

With the acquisition of this land, SOS Amazônia will be able to ensure the permanent protection of a native forest that harbors an important headwater belonging to the Acre River Basin. The conservation of this territory contributes not only to the protection and availability of water resources, but also to the preservation of biodiversity and the ecosystem services provided by the forest.

Among the main expected outcomes of the initiative are:

Protection of native forest and biodiversity, conserving an area home to a rich variety of species and natural resources;
Headwater conservation and strengthened water security, contributing to the maintenance of resources that supply the local population;
Strengthening of the SOS Amazônia Nursery, whose production of native species seedlings supports forest regeneration initiatives;
Promotion of ecological connectivity, contributing over the long term to the creation and maintenance of forest corridors;
Protection of wildlife, securing habitat and more favorable conditions for the survival and movement of species;
Increased ecosystem resilience, enhancing its capacity to withstand environmental impacts and climate change.

Contribute to protecting this forest

With a donation starting at $12, you help protect the Amazon Rainforest and contribute to the conservation of a 45-hectare area of native forest.

Donate, protect the Amazon, and be part of this movement to keep the forest standing.

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