# Raising awareness for the Rio Xingu basin



## rcteem (Mar 24, 2009)

The Belo Monte Dam is a project that was first thought of and planned back in 1975. Its plan/ purpose are to provide Brazil with much need power so they can continue to grow. Its maximum output of power is geared to be around 11,223 mega watts or MW. The finished damage to the region if this dam is built is going to be astronomical. We are talking about thousands and thousands of pristine Amazon being flooded, several plants/animals that could become extinct, along with 20,000 people being forced to move life as they know it will be under water, this isn’t even counting the native that live in this region either. The power created from this dam will mostly be used for corporations that are located in the Amazon nearby that are manufacturing plants of: aluminum, gold, titanium, etc. This project has been stopped once in the 90’s and we can do it again!	

As I am sure many of yall have seen the movie Avatar, directed by James Cameroon; what some of yall might not know though is this movie has a lot of similarities of what is going on in the Rio Xingu area today and this Belo Monte Dam project. James Cameroon himself has become a supporter of a non-profit organization called Amazon Watch. He has made several trips down to the region and has spoken out to the president of Brazil and the public about why this project is so wrong. I have attached a short video below that allows you to hear James’s thoughts on this project.

The main reason why I am posting about this region though is it an area that affects me personally too. This region is where I got my love for dart frogs really and became more serious in the hobby because I found my first wild poison dart frog, a galactonotus. Another reason why this area means a lot to me is because this is my second home basically. I have traveled to this region and lived with the natives here for the past five years off and on throughout that time frame. I have come to fall in love with these people and consider them part of my family.

These natives have lived in this region for thousands of years and they don’t need our help to provide a better life for them. They did fine without our help for thousands of years and if we can help it, they will continue to do so. We would be losing at least three different native tribes to this area and possibly their knowledge of medicinal plants, language, and culture that makes them unique to any other group in the world. We would also be risking the fact that we could see the L-46 pleco, the plant eating piranha, the pink river dolphin, the Xingu dart frog, Allobates Crombiei, possible undiscovered or site specific galactontous morphs, any more species due to the flooding/ altering the rivers flow become permanently extinct or extinct locals of these species disappear before our eyes.

To sum it up there are several ways to stop this project. One, sign the petition found on the Amazon Watch website found below. Two, support sustainable ideas/ projects to protect the wildlife and its people in the Amazon. For example, us as a hobby can support people like Mark Peppers or Kevin Moser for their plans/ actions to help out the wildlife and its people in the Amazon. Lastly, spread the word about what’s going on and help raise support to stop this project. I know us as Americans/ Europeans have not gotten our acts straight either and still destroying our land here, but this is something I feel that will become the domino effect to the disappearance of the great Amazon. 

Amazon Watch


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## rcteem (Mar 24, 2009)

For those of yall wanting to see pictures of the Amazon affected and its people by this project feel free to check out my photobucket album.

Brazil pictures by rcteem - Photobucket


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## PantMan (Dec 10, 2009)

Thanks Chris, I saw the video not too long ago. I also remember the topic being brought up in another thread. More then happy to sign the petition. Maybe I have become too much of a pessimist but it seems like the need of the corporate machine will always win out, at least in the US. Hopefully the brazialian government has more regrad for the natural world but it deforestation is any indicator...


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## NathanB (Jan 21, 2008)

Blogs: Amazon Under Threat | International Rivers
international rivers has more information about the fraud and corruption involved also.


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## rcteem (Mar 24, 2009)

This project has been stopped at least once from what I can tell and we can do it again...there seems to be more cons than pros for this project. It will also only be able to produce 11% of its designed power during the summer when the rivers are at its lowest unless they build more dams to regulate the flow. Also they will have to build two canals through the rainforest that will be bigger than the panama canal.


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## NathanB (Jan 21, 2008)

it wont stop unless the people of Brazil make the government halt. Brazil has been offer free of charge new technology from European country's will will produce more electricity at less cost and preserve most of the area that will be destroyed by the dam. The only problem with that is the construction will not be as profitable for the big company's so the government refused. This whole project is to enrich a few people.


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## rcteem (Mar 24, 2009)

bussardnr said:


> it wont stop unless the people of Brazil make the government halt. Brazil has been offer free of charge new technology from European country's will will produce more electricity at less cost and preserve most of the area that will be destroyed by the dam. The only problem with that is the construction will not be as profitable for the big company's so the government refused. This whole project is to enrich a few people.


I fully agree but at least they have put a hold on it for now to hear sides, though behind everyones back they are doing the zoning for it now as we speak


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## Dendro Dave (Aug 2, 2005)

Signed and added to facebook


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## rodrigo (Jan 3, 2011)

Hello everyone I'm Brazilian
and this depresses me much work in the Xingu
More unfortunately, the money still speaks louder in this country
and more that people want this hard work will be stopped
IBAMA has paralyzed the work several times over the government's always a way around the situation and resume the project.
Unfortunately there are few Brazilians who are concerned with the environment in our country, hence the difficulty to get something like this work withdrawal
unfortunately this is our reality
I hope deeply that with the help of other countries manage to achieve results and stop time with this work that will be a great loss for everyone

sorry for the mistakes they use the translator


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