The environmental problems in the Guandu river basin: challenges towards water resources management

Abstract

The environmental problems concerning water resources management are a very important research field for geoscientists. These problems occur in urban or rural areas, involving several aspects related with social dynamics and local hydrology. In the present article, we aim to analyze the environmental problems associated with water resources management and the dynamics of land use in the Guandu River Basin, at metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro. The methodology is based on pieces of information obtained at Sistema Nacional de Informações sobre Saneamento (National System of Sanitation Information - SNIS) and Relatórios e Planos da Agência Nacional de Águas (Reports and Plans at the Waters National Agency - ANA), amongst other sources. Given link difficulties between social agents involved, that we called, institutional weeknesses, the article raises the importance of articulate regional and metropolitan policies with water management, face common environmental risks to municipalities, people, and water users.