9/12/2015

Amazon River
Report
Aqua Waters Organisation

Naomi Lamaury

GESS I&S CLASS E-09C

Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................1.0
River System Overview
Key characteristics ........................................................................................................................... 2.1
Use of river ....................................................................................................................................... 2.2
Map of river system..........................................................................................................................2.3
River System Issues
Identification of key issues .............................................................................................................. 3.1
Who and how are affected by key issues ......................................................................................... 3.2
Management Strategy
Recommmendations........................................................................................................................ 4.1
Conclusion........................................................................................................................................ 4.2
Appendices
Appendix 1 (Action Plan)................................................................................................................... 5.1
Appendix 2 (Capture Sheet) 5.2

1. Introduction
There are approximately two hundreds major rivers on earth with roughly one thousand tributaries
each. River systems are in danger from humans not being considerate about the environment all
over the world. Everyone and everything in the environment of the river is negatively affected by
projects for human uses. Water pollution is done because of laziness, cheapness or neediness and
greediness of resources. There are different types of pollution, for example eutrophication, oil leaks,
urbanisation etc. The Amazon River is a perfect example of being impacted by human activities and
created water pollution. I am writing this report to research and find out how water pollution affects
the Amazon River and creates conflict.

2. River System Overview

2.1 Key Characteristics
The Amazon River flows through Peru, Bolivia, Venezuela, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil. 58% of the
river is located in Brazil and the rivers source is located in the Peruvian Andes as a small tributary of
the Amazon River called Carhuasanta. The Amazon River source is at a height of 5,598 meters, and
the water flows approximately for 6259 to 6712 kilometres long, The main river has roughly 1,100
tributaries. During the dry season, the Amazon River is only four to five kilometres wide, but
throughout the wet season, the river can reach up to fifty kilometres wide. About twenty percent of
the fresh water which eventually flow into the ocean, pass through the Amazon River which leads to
the mouth at the Atlantic Ocean.
The Amazon Rivers current can go up to seven kilometres per hour and discharge approximately
219,000 m3/seconds of water. The river was discovered in 1541 by Francisco de Orellanam, a Spanish
explorer.
2.2 Use of River
The Amazon is home to over one million indigenous inhabitants and over 3000 recognized fish
species. The people use the river daily for bathing, drinking water, to prepare food, fishing and have
been for over two decades. The river is also used for transportation to the inner parts of Brazil and
the northern half part of South America.
2.3 Map of River System

(geology.com, Ref. 2)

(rainforest.mongobay.com, Ref. 1)

3. River System Issues

3.1 Identification of Key Issues
The Amazon River is now in danger from issues, most being caused by us humans: deforestation,
urbanisation, climate change, gold mining, over-harvesting and water pollution. This report is about
the water pollution and as the Amazon River flows through mostly under-developed nations, they
are therefore unable to measure the amounts of pollution affecting the river. One of the biggest
effects which lead to water pollution are improper oil extraction from the ground. Chevron is a
worldwide exportation oil company, they had multiple large sites in Ecuador near the Amazon River.
The issue was, that they were dumping over 68 million litres of oil and toxic waste into the Amazon
forest and river.
The standard and safe way to extract oil is by firstly, creating a pit where the oil waste will be
temporarily kept. Before adding the oil though, a tarp is added on top of the soil to not allow the
toxins to infiltrate into the soil. Next, the oil goes to a separation station, where the oil is refined and
the crude oil is re-injected into the earth and the sludge waste that was in the pit is disposed of in a
safe area. Chevron did not follow any of these procedures; they did not add a tarp, the crude were
transported with pipes into the river and the leftover sludge waste was also disposed of into the
river.
3.2 Who and how are affected by key issues

Chevron decided not to follow the important procedures because they made a profit, but the
indigenous and the environment suffered from Chevrons decisions. There were increasing rates of
cancer (larynx cancer 30x higher, bile duct cancer 18x higher, stomach cancer 4.6x higher, liver and
melanoma cancer 15x higher and leukemia 2.6x higher), miscarriages, brain damage, respiratory
problems, kidney damage, liver damage, bone marrow damage, blood poisoning, stomach irritation,
skin irritation and death. There is an estimated amount of 1400 people having died from diseases
caused from the oil. The indigenous also often live off agriculture and fishing but so many species in
the river have died, the soil is not fertilised anymore and animals that are used to sell cannot drink
or eat as much because all the water and soil are un-eatable.
Chevrons reputation was ruined since the day the information got out of the oil leakage and lots of
people fought for justice against Chevron, this triggered Chevron to leave the country of Ecuador
immediately. Chevron was forced to pay $40 million dollars in 1998 for the remediation of the river
and soil but they just dumped soil on top of the oil which meant that the oil would continue to
contaminate the soil. According to forest communities, this was less than 1% of the cost that
Chevron should have paid. Later in 2011, Chevron were supposed to pay $19 billion but the cost
were reduced to $9.5 by the Ecuador
Supreme Court. A plaintiffs are going after
Chevrons assets in Canada, Brazil and
Argentina, to try and force Chevron to stop
producing oil. Still now, samples of soil have
been taken and there are high level of toxins
which are extremely dangerous (barium,
benzene, cadmium, chromium, ethyl
benzene, lead, mercury, sulphur dioxide,
sulfuric acid, toluene, vanadium, xylene and
Area operated by Texaco between 1964-1990 (Ref.3)
zinc.

4. Management Strategy
4.1 Recommendations
A mixture of Hexane and Acetone (50% and 50%) creating a solvent makes it possible to extract the
hydrocarbons from the soil. It also removes the resins and asphaltenes which are more than 50% of
the oil pollutants. The solvent was firstly added to the soil and after five minutes the oil had been
dissolved by the solvent. The soil and solvent were then separated by: The contact between the
phases was promoted by magnetic agitation and the separation was done by centrifuging in tubes at
5,000 rpm for 5 min. More than 86% of resins was extracted and more than 60% of asphaltenes. In
conclusion, approximately 95% of TPH (total petroleum hydrocarbon) was removed by using a ratio
of 3:1 (ml:g).
A solution for projects in the future not to go wrong as it did this time, an Environmental Impact
Assessment should be carried out before these project occur. This makes sure that the next
company follows the proper procedures. The potential receptors should be identified, as should the
negative and positive impacts. The resulting effects to the receptors of the impacts and finally a
mitigation strategy (how to lessen the negative impacts that could take place).

4.2 Conclusion
The Amazon River is one of the largest rivers in the world and the strongest but is suffering from
human activities. We make use of the rivers resources without being careful and make the
environment suffer because we dont think about the consequences. Deforestation, pollution,
urbanisation, gold-mining, climate change are all factors which affect the river and are all caused by
us. The indigenous living to who the Amazon River truly belongs to are greatly suffering and so is the
environment and animals. The indigenous are in danger from diseases and theyre income they used
to have from fishing and agriculture is also in danger. Conflict was created between the environment
(and indigenous) and the companies that cause the pollution, There are solutions to these problems
and although they may be expensive, it is worth it to revive the Amazon River.

5. Appendices

5.1 Action Plan

The main research
question
Sub questions
By answering these subquestions, you will
enable yourselves to
answer the main
research question.
Check your task sheet
and brainstorm
additional questions
with your group. Include
them all here.

How does pollution impact the Amazon river basin and create conflict?

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

Where is the river located?

How long is the river?
How deep does the river go?
When was the river created?
What countries does the river flow through?
How many people depend on the river?
Uses of river for humans?
What are the issues?
Why does the pollution occur?
Who is affected by the pollution? Humans/animals/environment?
How are they affected by the pollution?
What did humans do to fix this issue
What more can they do to prevent stuff
Conclusion for research question?

Methods to be used in
the investigation

I will create a capture sheet, with all the sub-questions written on it and in
addition, an extra information part. The information will be recorded with bullet
points but all the detail should be there. Depending on the questions, different
amount of articles or videos will be accessed. I will use around one or two per

introduction sub-questions and for the rest of the sub-questions, I will use two
e.g. describe the capture to three.
sheet. How will it be laid
I then will take all the information and out it in an essay format on Word
out? Will you include
Microsoft, and add a map and a few photos.
your sub-questions?
How many websites will
you access per subquestion? Why?
Identify the relevant
sources/evidence that
you will use
Record the works
cited.

I will be retrieving my information by searching up pollution amazon river on

YouTube and Google to find answers for the sub-questions. Furthermore, we
studied rivers for about 6 weeks, even though the information is not specifically
on the Amazon River, we learnt vocabulary which I will use on this assessment.
DeLeon, Erick. Amazon River Pollution Project. Youtube. 28 May 2012.
Video. 30 Nov. 2015
Garcia, Claudia. A Slippery Decisions Chevron Oil Pollution in Ecuador.
Deutsche Welle. 7 Sep. 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.
Hershaw, Eva. There Is a Consistent Contamination Former Chevron Sites in
the Amazon. Vice News. 20 Oct. 2015. Web. 27 Nov. 2015.

Justicia para Ecuador. The True Story of Chevrons Ecuador Disaster.

Youtube. 13 Aug. 2013. Video. 30 Nov. 2015.
Li, Xingang. Du, Yongliang. Li, Zhongyuan. Wu, Guozhong. Li, Hong. Sui,
Hong. Solvent extraction for heavy crude oil removal from
contaminated soils. Research Gate, 21 Mar. 2012. PDF.
Na; Areas operated by Texaco between 1961-1990. ChevronToxico, n.d.
Web. 27 Nov. 2015. Ref. 3.
Na; Map of Amazon Water Basin. Mongobay.com, n.d. Web. 5 Dec. 2015.
Ref. 2.
Na; World Physical Map. Geology.com, 2007. Web. 5 Dec. 2015. Ref. 1.
What steps will you
follow to address/
answer the research
question?
Develop an action plan
for the main stages of
the investigation. The
action plan should be
framed by the subquestions but should be
treated like a check list
of things- to-do.
Include what needs to
be done and when you
aim to have it
completed by

Insert table that outlines: task, completion date and checklist

TASK

COMPLETION
DATE

Action Plan

23 Nov.

Bullet points capture sheet:

Where is the river?

24 Nov.

How long is the river?

24 Nov.

How deep is the river?

24 Nov.

When was the river created?

24 Nov.

What countries does the river flow

through?

24 Nov.

Amount of people depending on river?

25 Nov.

Uses of River?

26 Nov.

General Issues

26 Nov.

Why does the pollution occur?

27 Nov.

rd

COMPLETE?

th

th

th

th

th

th

th

th

th

th

th

th

Who/what is affected by the pollution? 27 Nov.

How are they affected by the
pollution?

27 Nov.

What did the humans do to fix these

problems, if they did?

29 Nov.

th

th

What more can be done?

29 Nov.

Conclusion

29 Nov.

Form and type essay

2 Dec.

Add a map of river basin

2 Dec.

Add diagrams

2 Dec.

Works Cited

9 Dec.

Hand in essay:

9 Dec.

nd

nd

nd

th

th

I followed my action plan thoroughly and I did this by using my plan with the
steps and dates. This was useful because I stayed organized by following it. All
my sub-questions were answered and used in my essay.

Evaluation
How well did you follow
the Action Plan?

5.2 Capture Sheet

Where is the river located?

1,100 tributaries
Starts in the Peruvian Andes, at a height of 5,598m
Starts as small tributary called Carhuasanta

How big is the river?

carries the second most amount of water in the world

Approximately 20% of fresh water on earth which flows into the oceans go through the Amazon,
to the Atlantic Ocean
During dry season, 4-5km wide
Wet season: up to 50km and current: up to 7km/hr
From 6259-6712km long

Amount of Discharge?

219,000 m /sec of water

When was the river created?

Discovered by Francisco de Orellanam Spanish explorer in 1541

What countries does the river flow through?

Peru, Bolivia, Venezuala, Colombia, Ecuador and Brazil (58%)

How many people depend on the river?

Chevron case, Pablo Fajardo is the voice for more than 30,000 indigenous people
Over 3000 recognized fish species in the river

Over 1 million indigenous in the Amazon

Uses of river for humans?

Transportation to the inner parts of Brazil and the northern half of South America
Bathing and drinking (dangerous for drinking now a days)
Preparing food
Food (fish) have been for 2 decades

What are the issues?

Deforestation
Urbanization
Water pollution (nations which river flows through are still developing, therefore unable to measure
the pollution amounts)
Climate change > change in hydrological cycle
Gold mining
Over-harvesting

Why does the pollution occur?

waste pool of mercury overflowed into the amazon river

oil company called Chevron was dumping toxic legacy and oil into the Ecuadorean art of the river
dumped more than 68 billion liters of oil and toxic waste for 25 years
old Chevron barrels in hundreds of oil pools because barrels were not sealed properly therefore
letting the chemicals to flow out of the barrels
cheaper
normally, pit is created to temporarily store the oil waste and a tarp is put onto the soil which is highly
resistant
prevents toxins from entering the soil from the oil
then oil goes to separation station, crude oil is refined and waste is reinjected into the ground
at the end, sludge in the pit is disposed of and the holes are re filled
Chevron: 1. Did not reinject waste but add ippes to transport waste into the rivers and streams
2. They didnt add a tarp in the pit which caused toxins to be absorbed into the ground
3. Instead of disposing the sludge, they disposed it also in the rivers and streams

Who is affected by the pollution? Humans/animals/environment?

All of the above

How are they affected by the pollution?

Increasing rates of cancer, miscarriage, brain damage, respiratory problems, kidney damage, liver
damage, bone marrow damage, blood poisoning, stomach irritation, skin irritation and death
Cancer rates: 30 times higher for larynx, 18 times higher for bile duct, 4.6 times higher for
stomach, 15 times higher for liver cancer and melanoma and 2.6 times higher for leukemia
(children)
Liquid oil on jungle floor, water, absorbed by soil which is used for farming
People living off agriculture and fishing, is hard for them
Agriculture for like cows, they die because of the water and plants
Estimated 1400 people died from oil caused diseases

What did humans do to fix this issue?

$40 billion paid by chevron to fix areas which were affected 1998
$19 billion in 2011 was first owed by the Lago Agrio, but was reduced to $9.5 billion by Ecuador
Supreme Court
banned from Ecuador 1992
Plaintiffs (person that brings an a case against another in court) are going after Chevrons assets
in Canada, Brazil and Argentina

What more can they do to prevent stuff

Government can create donation site to fund way to extract the oil from the soil and research
Remediation of soil
Solvent extraction: technique to remove dangerous chemicals in polluted materials
For treating soils which have a lot of resins and asphaltenes and are heavy fractions
10 grams of contaminated soil was added to different amounts of solvents (ml:g-2:1, 3:1, and
6:1)(=60ml, 90ml, 180ml)
The contact between the phases was promoted by magnetic agitation and the separation was
done by centrifuging in tubes at 5,000 rpm for 5 min.
Both were mixed for 20minsm separated by
Solvent was then removed from samples
6:1 ratio was the best
Oil dissolves in solvent
After 0.5min, removal of resins and asphaltenes reached 86.9% and 60.5%

Extra:

For 9 years, chevron fought so that the case would be in Ecuador not the united states so that
they could cheat their way
Paid 40 million dollars but just duped soil on top of oil which continued contaminating the soil
Less than 1 percent of the cost than a good clean up should have been according to the forest
communities
Paid 5.3 million dollars to pressure us government to cut trade preferences to Ecuador
This is for revenge for the Ecuadorian government to have let the citizens make a case against
Chevron
Chevron had paid experts to make proof of no cancer
61 scientists worldwide are against chevron and their scientific study
Diego Borja was chevron consultant and was caught trying to bribe judge
Chevron moved him to an incognito location in the us and paid to do nothing
Military official was pressured in Ecuador (manuel bravo) to write fake report to stop inspection
in one of chevrons most dangerous toxic waste sites
Samples of soils have been taken and high levels of toxins are still included (barium, benzene,
cadmium, chromium, ethyl benzene, lead, mercury, particulates, sulfur dioxide, sulfuric acid,
toluene, vanadium, xylene and zinc)
Chevron videos leaked of chevron technicians trying to find spots in the soil where crude oil
hadnt touched but they had to try 4 times where the oil should not have attained
This was to give clean samples of soil to submit to the court as evidence, acting as if it was just
a random spot.