The Rio Santa Cruz is the last large free-flowing river in Argentine Patagonia. Now, its future is under threat.
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In November 2014, filmmakers Leon McCarron and Tom Allen set off for Patagonia to follow the Santa Cruz river across Argentina. Their journey reflected on the past - using the diaries of Robert FitzRoy and Charles Darwin as inspiration for the expedition - yet also, crucially, it explored the uncertain future of the Rio Santa Cruz. |
This year, two huge dams are due to be built on the river. The official rationale for the construction is that Argentina is facing a national power shortfall, and that this project could provide up to 10% of the country's annual requirement. There is also, however, a compelling argument against the dams - at least in the form they are currently planned to take. There has as yet been no pre-impact study and therefore no official analysis of just how badly the dams will affect the valley. It seems clear that they will drastically affect the natural ecosystem, and some predict that construction could affect the level of Lake Argentina - the river's source - and therefore become a threat to the iconic Perito Moreno glacier.
A feature film of the story, and the adventure - the past, present and future of the Santa Cruz river - is currently underway, thanks to the phenomenal support of over 600 Kickstarter backers. Keep an eye out here for the latest news.
A feature film of the story, and the adventure - the past, present and future of the Santa Cruz river - is currently underway, thanks to the phenomenal support of over 600 Kickstarter backers. Keep an eye out here for the latest news.
Recent NewsThe opposition to the dams have taken the issue to the Supreme Court in Argentina. The results of an Environmental Impact Assessment were released in October 2015, but failed to satisfy the doubters. The project's future was then delayed by political upheavals in the country, and what happens next is still anyone's guess...
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