The rivers and their watersheds are fundamental elements of socioeconomic activities. In this article, we analyze the hydrographic basin of the Acaraú River, situated in the northeast of Brazil, from its geoenvironmental aspects, based on the perspective of the geosystem. In this perspective, a geoenvironmental picture of the hydrographic basin in question is presented, as well as the environmental problems that characterize it, postulating the need to carry out this type of survey to define the basin as a fundamental planning unit. The Acaraú River basin has particular characteristics, since it is located in a poor and extremely populous semi-arid region, which results in socio-environmental stress, whose main consequence is the environmental degradation of the fluvial course. The regional authorities need to be aware of the geoenvironmental elements raised in order to reverse this framework of socio-environmental degradation of water resources and to allow territorial growth based on sustainable development.