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Abstract The 2023 drought in the Amazon triggered overlapping socioecological impacts across diverse riverine settings. We integrate hydrological indicators, remote sensing-based surface water mapping and media documented testimonies from communities in the Lower Amazon region to examine how environmental context mediates vulnerability. Communities were grouped into six hydro-geomorphic types across major river and floodplain environments. Statements were coded into eleven impact categories and normalized to avoid overweighting. Satellite comparisons between high water and the drought peak revealed surface-water losses of up to 76% in floodplain sectors, exceeding regional biome averages; compared to low-water conditions in a climatically average year (2020), surface-water area was reduced by approximately 23%. A composite impact index and principal coordinates analysis ordination identified two main groups of co-occurring impacts; (i) infrastructure-related impacts (transport, education, water access and health services) and (ii) ecological and socioeconomic impacts (fisheries, agriculture, commercialization and income). These impacts were observed across all environments, with isolation and mobility disruption acting as major amplifying factors. Testimonies highlighted prolonged effects extending into early 2024, even after river levels rose. Results underscore the need for territorialized adaptation strategies that couple environmental settings with lived experience. Priority actions include decentralized water and sanitation solutions, more resilient transport systems and tailored social protection policies (e.g., drought-contingent fishing ban support). By bridging remote sensing, gauge records, and community narratives, this study provides actionable evidence for locally grounded climate-risk governance.