“The Health of the Negro River” is a multimedia story that follows an unprecedented scientific expedition through the Amazon Basin, documenting the development of the first Water Quality Index (WQI) focused on blackwater rivers in the region. During 12 days and 1,400 kilometers of navigation along the Negro River, in the midst of the historic drought of 2023, scientists from the University of the State of Amazonas (UEA) and Harvard collected and analyzed environmental data at 50 different points along the river.
The Ambiental Media team boarded a custom-designed research vessel to document scientists at workâcollecting and analyzing samples from water, soil, and living organisms, while also visiting fish markets and interviewing fishermen and fish traders. All this work was translated into language accessible to the public through texts, photographs, maps, graphs, and interactive visualizations. The project also highlighted the crucial role of riverside and traditional populations in the conservation of Amazonian rivers, connecting science and ways of life.
Combining field journalism, data visualization, and editorial design, the story promotes public access to fundamental information about water quality and draws attention to the urgent need for sanitation policies and the preservation of water ecosystems in the largest river basin on the planet.
