Mining and Deforestation Strip Amazon Communities of Water

In the southern Peruvian Amazon, Indigenous Harakmbut resident Erick Tijé describes how illegal mining has diverted and polluted the Inambari River, forcing the Arazaire community to purchase drinking water. Five years ago, the river supported abundant fishing and daily life; today it runs murky and scarce. Across the border, Coreguaje elder Lázaro Ibañez blames cattle ranching and climate change for the drying of water sources in the Jácome Indigenous Reserve. Deforestation to create pasture has left little forest cover, accelerating the loss of water and the spirits that guard these sources. Reporters from Mongabay, El Espectador, and El Correo del Caroní, together with scientists from Brazil’s Serrapilheira Institute, analyzed more than two decades of satellite data to document these changes. The study shows that mining and deforestation are reshaping rivers, eroding traditional livelihoods and forcing communities to rely on external water supplies.