With the Paraná River rising, deciding in advance when to remove livestock from the islands is key to the safety of the operation. Early planning makes it possible to organize the livestock drive, secure boats and personnel, coordinate loading points, and maintain alternatives in the event of rapid changes in the river level.

The evacuation requires coordinating river transport, the personnel needed to drive the livestock, and the reception of the herd. It also requires planning for land transport, feed at the receiving farm, animal health, possible weight loss, mortality, infrastructure damage, and the return to the island.

According to Matías Martinez, an economics specialist at INTA Paraná, the study compared cases from Villa Urquiza, the islands of Victoria, and an area near Puerto Gaboto. The results confirmed that the same river level does not have the same effects on every farm. The height of the natural levee, the distance to the landing point, access to the pens, boat capacity, and travel time determine how many animals can be removed and when it is safe to do so.

“In Villa Urquiza, for example, the loss of land area begins at around 4,30 meters, and the internal alert level is set at 4,70 meters, according to the Paraná water gauge reference,” said Martínez, comparing this with what happens in Victoria. There, “the surveyed farm loses all of its available land when the Rosario port gauge reaches 4,50 meters. In the case near Puerto Gaboto, the natural levee allows part of the herd to remain until higher levels, provided feed is available,” he said.

“There is no single river height that is valid for decision-making across all the islands,” Martínez stressed, noting that the recommendation is for each operation to link its reference hydrometric station to specific signs in the field, such as loss of usable land, blocked access to the corral, the need for supplementation, and the last safe time to leave.

In this regard, Ernesto Massa, an island livestock specialist at INTA Paraná, explained that evacuating 500 animals in Villa Urquiza was estimated to require 18 river trips, with a capacity of 29 head per trip, and the work of 12 people over three days. The coordinated availability of boats, personnel, and receiving locations is crucial to completing the evacuation within a safe window.

“Time is also a critical variable,” Massa said. In Villa Urquiza, the operation takes about three days to complete. In Victoria, a window of between three and four days was estimated for evacuating the herd, but navigation can take between 4,5 and 6 hours during the flood. “A delay, a lack of boats, or difficulty loading can quickly reduce the safety margin,” he said.

Plan ahead of an emergency

Moving the animals does not put an end to the problem. Once off the island, they need to be supported at a receiving farm with water, personnel, veterinary care, shelter, and forage reserves for the entire duration of the flood.

The duration of the flood is a key variable. “According to the survey, having reserves and prior operational agreements helps ensure the availability of feed, water, animal health care, shelter, and necessary services,” Massa noted.

One of the main recommendations is to define a reference hydrometric station and establish two thresholds of one’s own: one for preparation and another for departure, both before access to the corral or landing stage is lost.

They also recommend updating the inventory by category, weight, and extraction priority; checking the actual capacity of the boats; and coordinating personnel, corrals, trucks, and receiving farms. The report also stresses that decisions should be based on up-to-date official forecasts.