As the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant in the Brazilian Amazon marks 10 years of operation, it faces a contentious environmental license renewal. At the heart of the debate are urgent calls to revise the dam’s discharge into the Xingu River. But by holding back up to 70% of the river flow, water scarcity is pushing traditional fishing communities in the Volta Grande do Xingu region to the limits of adaptation. In this Special Issue, Mongabay explores disputes over the dam’s water management, its impacts on communities along the Xingu, and the science of river flow affected by climate change.
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