The rise and fall of the Rio Negro water level is one of the most defining forces in the Amazon Basin. Locals refer to it as cheia (flood) and vazante (ebb). Water levels usually begin to rise in December, reaching their peak in June, before gradually falling again from July to November.
This annual rhythm dictates how fish migrate, how families plant and travel, and how the forest itself adapts to cycles of abundance and retreat. For visitors, understanding this pulse helps reveal what makes the Amazon unlike any other place on Earth.
The Flooded Months (December–June)
From December to June, frequent short, intense showers raise the rivers. Most rain comes as powerful bursts with sunshine in between; it is uncommon to have several days of continuous rain. By June, the water is at its highest. Forests become a maze of channels; dark flood marks climb tree trunks; canoes replace pathways. Fish like tambaqui and pirarucu move into the flooded forest to feed on fallen fruits, and many birds nest above the waterline.
Travelers based at Tucan Amazon Lodge or Paroá Amazon Lodge can paddle quietly through igapó (blackwater flooded forest) when the forest floor disappears beneath calm water.
The Dry Months (July–November)
As rainfall decreases, rivers recede and sandbanks and beaches reappear. Even in mid–dry season, strong showers can still arrive, but they are less frequent and usually brief.
Channels become shallower and narrower, and navigation often slows as boats must follow winding routes between exposed sandbanks and low-water passages. The flood marks on tree trunks remain as clear reminders of the high-water months.
On exposed riverbanks, families focus on short-cycle crops that can be planted and harvested before waters return — such as beans and maize. (Longer-cycle crops like banana are typically grown away from the flood belt.)
Rio Negro Water Level
At the Port of Manaus gauge, the highest flood reached 30.02 m on 18 June 2021, and the lowest drought level fell to 12.18 m on 1 November 2024 — a 17.84 m span between historic records. While most years vary by 10–15 m, recent decades show that extremes are becoming more pronounced in both directions: wetter highs and drier lows. Current levels can be checked at the official Rio Negro monitor.
The Amazon’s rhythm is measured in meters of water. It determines when fish migrate, when families plant and travel, and how visitors experience the forest — whether gliding through flooded groves or walking along newly formed beaches. The river is the region’s quiet heartbeat, rising and falling as everything adapts around it.