Second-order conflicts in the east axis of the são francisco river integration project: An analysis through causal chain methodology

Abstract

Water conflicts are due to water scarcity, especially to the inefficiency of water management. The São Francisco River Basin Integration Project (PISF) has been developed aiming to transfer water to the semiarid region of Brazil. However, the problems in the execution of the PISF works brought, with the arrival of water, second-order conflicts. The research analyzes the consequences of the accelerated arrival of the waters which have been transferred to the East Axis of PISF, in the state of Paraíba, in order to avoid the collapse in the Epitácio Pessoa Reservoir (REP), responsible for supplying the city of Campina Grande and region. Water users upstream of the REP had their supply hampered by the PISF works. Methodologically, the research adopts Causal Chain Analysis to identify the causes of the problem. The solutions point to the need to complete repairs to the reservoirs located upstream of the REP and to protect the affected population.