Survey of Socio-environmental Indicators of the Irituia River Basin, Pará: a Contribution to the Management of Water Resources in the Brazilian Legal Amazon

Abstract

Socio-environmental inequalities resulting from the inefficiency of the water management models instituted in the Brazilian Legal Amazon compromise biomes and local populations on a daily basis. Based on this context, the objective of this paper was to draw a profile of the current reality of the Irituia River watershed, located in the Northeast of the state of Pará, through a survey of socio-environmental indicators, in order to contribute to discussions about planning, management and water governance in the Amazon region. The methodology used was the Technique of Performance Scale (TED) adapted for watershed analysis. After evaluating nine pressure/impact indicators and three impact/response indicators, it was found that the basin is exposed to high levels of pressure and socio-environmental impact and has low levels of positive responses to such stimuli. It was concluded that there is a need to encourage the implementation of legal instruments and public actions that safeguard the natural characteristics of the springs belonging to the basin, ensure the provision of quality sanitation and supply services to the local population and encourage their effective participation in the management of its waters.