Monitoring erosion, sediment transport, and sedimentation processes in the rivers of the Amazon Basin is a pivotal strategic action outlined in the Strategic Action Program (SAP) for Integrated Management of Amazon Water Resources. Consequently, the Amazon Basin Project is set to embark on the development of a comprehensive monitoring program tailored to track suspended sediment flows within the region’s rivers, integrating them into the broader Integrated Water Resources Monitoring System.

The initial phases of this program entail evaluating the methodologies employed by member countries to formulate suspended matter flow balances, a process often marked by significant costs and resource intensiveness. Additionally, there’s an assessment underway regarding the viability of leveraging satellite technologies to monitor suspended sediment flows within the basin’s rivers. While satellite technology offers insights into surface-level fluxes, a notable challenge lies in complementing this data with auxiliary techniques capable of gauging fluxes across the entire water column. This integration will be crucial for achieving a comprehensive understanding of sediment dynamics within Amazonian waterways.