The River That Wasn't There

Forests have many functions. They act as biodiversity hubs and are excellent carbon sinks. They also keep the land in place, stopping erosion, and keep underground water in check. 

Where human activity means mass deforestation, the area is bound to suffer. That's exactly what's happening in many areas of South America, where more and more forests are being removed to make way for agriculture and pasture. The cases of Brazil and Argentina are particularly well-known. But, this time, nature has hit back in a spectacular way.

What would you feel if, one morning, you were to walk out of your house to find a huge, raging river, only a few steps from your door? Earth, trees, cars, all carried away by the furious water stream. Impossible, you say? That's exactly what happened in San Luis province, in Argentina, in 2015.

There wasn't a river, before, but now, the body of water, christened as Río Nuevo (Spanish for New River), stretches over 16 miles (25.7 km) through the province. At its deepest point, it is 25 meters deep, and 60 meters wide. And the Río Nuevo is just the largest of a whole network that keeps expanding, threatening infrastructure and even cities.

The culprits: Soya farming and, to a lesser extent, climate change.

This article is very well written, it hinges on human stories, and is supported by experts on the ground as well as easy explanations. It also links up with the very interesting issue of large farming corporations that are not tied to the land and can simply move away when a plot becomes barren.

The only question left open by this article: The idea of a huge river appearing overnight is so absolutely crazy that one wonders, why haven't we heard about it before?