Economic-Ecological Principles and the Question of Mineral Waters in Brazil

The present study addresses the issue of mineral waters in Brazil, its institutional problem, and the consequences and conflicts arising from its irrational exploitation. As a solution to these problems and conflicts, it is proposed to integrate these mineral waters and their different types in the management of water resources and the application of guiding economic and ecological principles as in the case of the conception of post-normal science and the precautionary principle. To meet the objective, the authors opted for an exploratory and bibliographical research regarding the adopted procedure. It is concluded that the implementation of an institutional change will allow a participative and polycentric management, mainly at the level of the hydrographic basin committees, which will contribute to the application of the two mentioned principles and a sustainable management of this resource. However, there is a need for improvements in the national water resources policy to more effectively cover groundwater in which mineral waters are embedded.

MODEL FOR MANAGEMENT AND PLANNING OF FISHING PLAYFUL-SPORTS IN THE RIVER MOURO HYDROGRAPHIC BASIN

The Institute for the Conservation of Nature and Forests (ICNF) has recently carried out work on planning and management of recreational fishing in the area of ​​the Mouro River drainage basin — a mountain watercourse in the North of Portugal (River Hydrographic Basin). Minho) which is born near the place of Lagarto (Lamas de Mouro, Melgaço), in the Peneda-Gerês National Park (PNPG). The model adopted was initially implemented (2008) to manage that activity in the Olo river basin (BH of the Douro river), and this methodology also served as a foundation for creating in 2020 in the Northeast region of Trás-os-Montes (Mente rivers, Rabaçal and Tuela – Vinhais and Bragança) plus three recreational fishing areas. In this context, 13 sampling stations were set up (12 in the Mouro river and 1 in the Sucrasto river), considered representative of a large part of the habitats that make up this study area, where actions were carried out to monitor the ichthyofauna (electrical fishing) and hydromorphological characterization of habitats (River Habitat Survey, RHS). The monitoring of benthic macroinvertebrates was an additional action, recently introduced in this type of work, aimed at improving the biological assessment of water quality and aquatic ecosystems and which is serving as a basis for the preparation of a Master's Thesis. With this study, data was analyzed concerning age, growth, physical condition of the monitored specimens, as well as their relationship with the different types of habitats where they were captured. To detect spatial distribution patterns underlying biotic (species/abundance and species/ages) and environmental data, multivariate methods can be used. As a result of this work, the Ludic Fishing Zone (ZPL) of the Mouro River (and its tributaries) will be created, with the aim of promoting recreational and sport fishing based on more conservationist principles. With this initiative, ICNF intends to guarantee greater protection and sustainability of endogenous aquaculture resources, with particular emphasis on the case of Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar). This salmonid annually elects a significant part of these continental waters to complete its reproductive phase. However, other studies, in this context, should be developed to better understand the ecology of the species in a country that coincides with its southern limit of distribution in Europe.

Proceedings of X Iberian Symposium on the Minho River Hydrographic Basin

No X Simpósio Ibérico Sobre a Bacia Hidrográfica do Rio Minho, organizado pelo Aquamuseu do Rio Minho/Câmara Municipal de Vila Nova de Cerveira (Portugal) e co-organizado pelo Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental – Universidade do Porto, foram abordados os temas que abrangeram áreas desde a geoquímica de sedimentos e formas erosivas do leito rochoso do rio Minho; as mudanças climáticas numa perspetiva da futura gestão da água e nos efeitos já evidentes ao nível das comunidades biológicas; importância da gestão dos recursos da pesca no rio Mouro pela monitorização e aplicação de regras específicas de exploração; diagnóstico e medidas em curso para a conservação das populações de peixes migradores; a ameaça dos poluentes emergentes; a divulgação de novos registos de invertebrados encontrados no rio Minho (abordagem taxonómica); evidências da colaboração entre pescadores e investigadores para um melhor conhecimento social da comunidade piscatória, da sua atividade e da sua contribuição para o processo de gestão; comunicação de ciência e educação ambiental. No âmbito da mesa-redonda (workshop), em modelo aberto à comunidade, onde participaram pescadores, foram apresentados resultados de trabalhos no âmbito do Conhecimento Ecológico Local (Etnobiologia), em que os próprios tiveram a oportunidade de manifestar as suas opiniões relacionadas com a atividade da pesca. Houve ainda oportunidade de entregar os prémios referentes ao concurso de ilustração científica “Rio Minho, Biodiversidade e Artes de Pesca”, cuja exposição completa esteve patente na Bienal de Cerveira.

Assessment of the Potentiality to the Debris-Flow Occurrence from Physiographic and Morphometrics Parameters: a Case Study in Santo Antônio Basin (Caraguatatuba, São Paulo State, Brazil)

This work aims to evaluate the potential for the debris-flow triggering from Santo Antônio hydrographic basin, located in the Serra do Mar region on North Coast of the State of São Paulo, Brazil, based on physiographic attributes, rainfall data, and morphometric parameters. For this purpose, hydrographic basin techniques were applied, assessing the vulnerability to the debris flow from geomorphological, geological, climatic, and anthropic aspects, and morphometric parameters relevant to the triggering of these processes in watersheds were calculated. Seven physiographic units were identified, which supported the understanding of geological and geomorphological aspects of the basin: coastal plains; river plains; colluvium and talus ramps; escarpments of Serra do Mar; upland of Paraitinga; mountainous relief and hillocks domain. The sub-basins located in steep sections of the relief, with high slopes, valleys, and channels docked, high drainage densities present higher values in the morphometric parameters, indicating a greater potential for triggering and occurrence of debris-flow processes. The joint analysis of physiographic compartmentalization with the identification of relief features, slope, amplitude, valley, slope shapes and morphometric parameters, is extremely relevant to recognize hydrographic basins susceptible to debris flows, as it integrates, and correlates aspects of the physical environment considered to trigger in the occurrence of these processes.

Creation of an environmental protection area in a public supply source: possibilities and challenges in Cianorte - Paraná

This work analyzed the contribution that the creation of Environmental Protection Areas (EPA) may bring to the conservation of hydrographic basins used as public water sources. The object of study of this work was the hydrographic basin of the Ligeiro River which, by 2022 onwards, will be the new source of public supply in the city of Cianorte-Paraná, replacing the hydrographic basin of the Bolívar stream. The latter has environmental impacts caused mainly by the expansion of urban areas and inadequate practice of land use, occupation, and management, which affects the population’s supply, particularly on days with high levels of rainfall. The study area involved the creation of two municipal EPAs in the hydrographic basin of the Ligeiro River, located in the municipalities of Araruna and Cianorte, with areas of 209.76 km² and 219.82 km², respectively. It is believed that the creation of Environmental Protection Areas in the Ligeiro River hydrographic basin will also present challenges, but it will enable the conservation of natural resources and, especially, of water resources, given the quality of the water. It is expected that these actions will help to minimize or even prevent, in the future, the Ligeiro river hydrographic basin from being as or more impacted as the Bolivar stream basin.

Tecnologias descentralizadas apropriadas para tratamento de esgoto doméstico em áreas rurais

A ausência de sistemas de tratamento de esgoto doméstico é uma das principais causas de insalubridade e degradação ambiental, além de ser uma forte ameaça à segurança alimentar das famílias rurais brasileiras. O estudo teve como objetivo fornecer subsídios para a elaboração de um programa de implantação de tratamento de esgoto doméstico na área da microbacia hidrográfica do Córrego do Mato, situado na comunidade rural São Braz, Simonésia, Minas Gerais. Foi investigada a situação do abastecimento de água e do esgotamento sanitário de 67 domicílios. Foi encontrado um cenário preocupante em relação à disposição final do esgoto doméstico, sendo que 96% dos domicílios estão em situação inadequada - disposição in natura em cursos d’água ou fossas rudimentares. Foram propostas alternativas adequadas para o tratamento do esgoto doméstico de acordo com as necessidades e condições locais da área de estudo. As alternativas escolhidas são tecnologias sociais e ecológicas com replicação e já implantadas em outras localidades rurais. Palavras-chave: Águas residuárias. Desenvolvimento rural. Bacia hidrográfica. Decentralized technologies appropriate for treating domestic sewage in rural areas: case study for a rural community in Simonesia - Minas Gerais Abstract The absence of domestic sewage treatment systems is one of the main causes of unhealthy and environmental degradation, in addition to being a strong threat to the food security of Brazilian rural families. The study aimed to provide subsidies for the elaboration of a program for the implementation of domestic sewage treatment in the area of the watershed of the Córrego do Mato, located in the rural community of São Braz, Simonésia, Minas Gerais. The situation of water supply and sanitation for 67 households was investigated. A worrying scenario was found in relation to the final disposal of domestic sewage, with 96 % of households being in an inadequate situation - in natura disposal in water courses or rudimentary cesspits. Appropriate alternatives have been proposed for the treatment of domestic sewage according to the needs and local conditions of the study area. The alternatives chosen are social and ecological technologies with replication and already implemented in other rural locations. Keywords: Wastewater. Rural development. Hydrographic basin.

Studies of meteorological elements and climate change in the Uruçuí river basin/Brazil

The objective is to show the variability of meteorological elements in the hydrographic basin area of the hydrographic basin of the Uruçuí Preto River–PI/Brazil, aiming to contribute to sustainable development in the productive areas of agriculture, laser, and hydrology. The meteorological elements studied are air temperature and relative humidity and their fluctuations, thermal amplitude, wind (intensity and direction), total insolation, cloud cover, evaporation, evapotranspiration, and rainfall. The data were from the 1960-1990 series, acquired by the Superintendency of the Development of the Northeast and by the Technical Assistance and Rural Extension Company of Piauí. The maximum annual temperature is 32.1°C, its minimum 20.0°C, with an average annual temperature of 26.1°C. A climatic classification was used according to the KÖPPEN systems, where two climatic types are distinguished in the Uruçuí Preto/PI river basin, the Aw, tropical hot and humid, with rain in summer and dry in winter; Bsh, warm semi-arid, with summer rains and dry winter. The variation of the thermal amplitude is from 11.9 to 14.9ºC. The average relative humidity of the air was 47 to 79%; the average annual precipitation was 937.7 mm; it was observed that the annual march of relative humidity follows the annual distribution of precipitation because the precipitation was the feeding process from natural sources of water vapor and moisture. Total Sunstroke in the BHRUP area ranges from 2520 to 2750 hours. It is concluded that the maximum annual temperatures increased during the period, which can cause several socioeconomic problems, and human health.