THE BELO MONTE : GREATEST “NATURAL” DISASTER OF OUR GENERATION? BY SHANE PUTHUPARAMBIL

n 1989, in the Brazilian town of Altamira, nearly two decades. However, in 2011, the shallow and traveling at high velocities Ia woman spoke passionately to a Brazilian environmental ministry (IBAMA) are often referred to as “rapids.” The Volta gathering that had been arranged by various granted licenses to Norte Energia—a Grande represents some of the largest and international nonprofits. “We don’t need Brazilian construction consortium—to start most complex rapids on Earth.5 Prior to electricity; electricity won’t give us food,” she construction on a new project. Today, the human development, this bend was home said. “We need the rivers to flow freely—our world’s fourth largest hydroelectric project, to hundreds of freshwater fish species, each futures depend on them. We need our forests known as the , is nearly inhabiting its own unique niche within the to hunt and gather in. Don’t talk to us about complete, and the social and environmental river. In fact, a recent survey collected an relieving our ‘poverty’—we are the richest concerns of the past are now the nauseating astounding 450 species from 48 distinct fish people in . We are Indians.”1 realties of the present. families in the Volta Grande, demonstrating Strong-willed and emotional, the Kayapo the enormous diversity of fish in the river.6 The woman's voice reverberated throughout THE XINGU AND BELO MONTE Belo Monte hydroelectric complex, which is the international community.1,2 Protesting made up of two , was designed to harness the Brazilian government’s plans for several The Belo Monte hydroelectric project the incredible rush of water by redirecting the hydroelectric projects on the , is positioned on the lower Xingu River, in Big Bend through a series of hydroelectric the Kayapo (and other tribes) had forced a particularly fast-flowing region that is turbines.5 This ambitious project would come the World Bank to scrap the loans for the commonly referred to as the Volta Grande with costs: creating a 260-mile , dams and pushed back the building plans for or “the Big Bend.”3,4 Areas where water is submerging approximately 150 square miles of rainforest in water, harming aquatic ecosystems, and displacing about 30,000 ”The project destroyed the balance maintained people.7 In essence, the project destroyed the balance maintained for thousands of years between the indigenous people and their river, between the indigenous people and their wilderness, resulting in the demise of a region resulting in the demise of a region once revered once revered for its cultural and biological for its biological and cultural diversity.” diversity.

10 Berkeley Scientific Journal | FALL 2018 Because many of these fish live only in after the dam’s reservoir was filled in 2016. IMPACTS ON THE XINGU RIVER the Xingu River, projects like the dam can Downstream of the Belo Monte complex, jeopardize the existence of entire species. researchers found that the generalist The new dam will have countless negative Almost all species of rapid-dwelling fish have species, fish that easily adapt to immense effects on the overall biology of the river. The severely diminished in number, particularly changes in the environmental conditions of Belo Monte complex will ultimately harm the due to the decrease in water flow and increase a system, replaced non-tolerant specialist habitats of hundreds of endemic fish species, in surface temperatures. Numerous catfish species.6 The extinction of specialist rapid- primarily affecting specialists, species that of the species Baryancistrus xanthellus were dwelling species, especially in a region where are intolerant to changing environmental found dead in the upstream section shortly divergent evolution is highly active, will be an immense loss not only to science, but also to the fishermen and nearby cities that rely on the ornamental fish trade to drive the local economy.

Figure 1 (left): Rapids typical of the Volta Grande, characterized by the vegetation along the banks and the huge partially submerged boulders. Fishermen find plecos, medium-sized suckermouth catfish, wedged between crevices formed by the rocks and boulders.

Figure 2 (right): The main dam shortly before its completion.

conditions. The dam project will damage each part of the river on which the hydroelectric complex lies: the upper section, middle section, and lower section. Upstream, the dam has already slowed the rapids, and as a result, the substrate—the river bed—will continue to erode significantly. Other effects include an increase in surface temperatures and a lower dissolved oxygen content in the water. Downstream of the powerhouse, the overall water flow will continue to decrease, and the quality of the water will worsen due ”The extinction of specialist rapid-dwelling to the sedimentation, erosion, and increased species, especially in a region where divergent temperatures of the system upstream.6 The construction of the Belo Monte dam raises evolution is so active, would be of immense loss several environmental concerns, as evidenced to not only science, but to the fishermen and by a large decline in the populations of endemic fish. nearby cities who rely on the ornamental fish

FALL 2018 | Berkeley Scientific Journal 11 fish has notably declined. In addition, the and the full, long-term consequences of its IMPACTS ON FISHERMEN decreased water levels exposed key fishing construction will not be known for years to grounds along Volta Grande to overfishing. come. Scientists have been making extensive Besides the impacts on the ecological and Hence, fishermen have to collect fish in efforts to document the effects of the dam geological structure of the Volta Grande, the deeper parts of the river where the current on the Xingu River, with the hope that this Belo Monte hydroelectric complex will also is stronger. Consequently, it often takes information can persuade governments cause great harm to the ornamental fishing significantly more time to collect a sellable to pursue sustainable means of energy industry. Ornamental fishermen collect quantity.8 The ornamental fishery as a whole generation and to avoid making the same the colorful fish from the Xingu River to is becoming increasingly insufficient to mistakes again.5 With other megadams export for the global pet trade, but after the support the families of the fishermen, so being planned for construction on other

Figure 3: Several different species of rapid- dwelling pleco catfish found in or near the Volta Grande, including the Gold Nugget pleco (Baryancistrus xanthellus).

international rivers such as the Mekong, the Congo, and the Tapajos, the question arises: given the effects of damming on both people and biodiversity, should these dams be constructed? From what we have seen so far, the construction of dams in areas of exceptional biodiversity bears a large burden, yet the recent election of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro, a pro-dam advocate, has made construction of the dam, the number of fish much so that many decide to go and work the development of alternatives unlikely. That trading companies dropped from 25 to 4. in construction or cattle ranching elsewhere. being said, it becomes even more clear that in This illustrates the challenge that ornamental This adds to the snowball effect often induced order to preserve the Amazon, a new, truly fishermen endured before eventually going by environmental destruction, as activities sustainable and renewable energy source, is bankrupt and leaving the industry. In 2014, such as ranching, farming, and construction greatly needed. Van Hall Larenstein University conducted often involve clearing forests and damaging a survey of the remaining fishermen. The other natural resources. researchers found that the abundance of the The Belo Monte Dam has cost the wildlife collectable fish and the overall health of these and people of the Xingu River considerably,

12 Berkeley Scientific Journal | FALL 2018 Figure 4: Daniel, a young fisher in training, holding some gold nugget plecos that he collected.

REFERENCES 5. Perez, M. (n.d.). Where the Xingu Fact Sheet [Brochure]. Author. Bends and Will Soon Break. Retrieved Retrieved November 8, 2018, from 1. Belo Monte dam marks a troubling November 8, 2018, from https://www. https://amazonwatch.org/assets/files/ new era in Brazil’s attitude to its americanscientist.org/article/where- 2011-august-belo-monte-dam-fact- rainforest. (2017, November 17). the-xingu-bends-and-will-soon-break. sheet.pdf. Retrieved from https://theecologist. 6. Fitzgerald, D. B. et al. (2018). Diversity 10. Winemiller, K. O., Mcintyre, Pb. org/2011/aug/15/belo-monte-dam- and community structure of rapids- B., & Castello, L. (2016). Balancing marks-troubling-new-era-brazils- dwelling fishes of the Xingu River: hydropower and biodiversity in the attitude-its-rainforest. Implications for conservation amid Amazon, Congo, and Mekong. Science, 2. Fearnside, P. M. (2006). Dams in the large-scale hydroelectric development. 351(6269), 128-129. doi:10.1126/scien Amazon: Belo Monte and Brazil’s Biological Conservation, 222, 104-112. ce.aac7082. Hydroelectric Development of the doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2018 .04.002. Xingu River Basin. Environmental 7. Fearnside, P. (n.d.). How a Dam Special thanks to Michael J. Tuccinardi for Management, 38(1), 16-27. Building Boom Is Transforming providing the stunning photographs for use doi:10.1007/s00267-005-0113-6. the Brazilian Amazon. Retrieved in this article. 3. XINGU Rising. (n.d.). Retrieved from November 8, 2018, from https:// https://www.reef2rainforest.com/2016 e360.yale.edu/features/how-a-dam- /04/01/1328147/. building-boom-is-transforming-the- 4. Brum, E. (2018, February 06). They brazilian-amazon. owned an island, now they are urban 8. Diemont, R. (2014). Belo Monte and poor: The tragedy of Altamira. the local Dependency on Ornamental Retrieved from https://www.theguar Fish. Velp: Van Hall Larenstein. dian.com/cities/2018/feb/06/urban- Retrieved from http://edepot.wur. poor-tragedy-altamira-belo-monte- nl/327098. brazil. 9. Amazon Watch. (2011). Belo Monte

FALL 2018 | Berkeley Scientific Journal 13