Abstract

PANTALENA, Ana Flávia  and  MAIA, Luis Parente. Tracks of anthropic action in the environmental history of the Jaguaribe River, State of Ceará, Brazil. RGCI [online]. 2014, vol.14, n.3, pp.459-470. ISSN 1646-8872.  https://doi.org/10.5894/rgci431.

The Jaguaribe River, which is located in Eastern Ceará is the largest and most important reserve of fresh water for the Brazillian state of Ceará The Rivers, Banabuiú and Salgado, along with the most important tributaries of Jaguaribe, form the Upper, Middle, and Lower Jaguaribe watersheds that cover approximately 80,000 km2, and half of the area of the State. An important Environmental Preservation Area (EPA, also known as Área de Preservação Ambiental (APA) in Brazilian Portuguese) is located at the outfall of River Jaguaribe is located. The Canoa Quebrada EPA is internationally known for its natural beauty and tourism potential. The Jaguaribe River belongs to the Atlantic- Western Northeast Hydrographic Region--named by the National Water Agency (NWA, also known as Agência Nacional de Águas (ANA) in Brazilian Portuguese), the Federal Regulating Agency and manager of water resources in Brazil. It is uniquely important for the water supply of the State capital, Fortaleza, and its metropolitan area as well as to the State Industrial Park. The importance of its water resources is being currently investigated by the Global International Waters Assessment (GIWA) project, UNEP / GEP (hydrographic area known as Brazilian Northeast - 40a, especially since it is located in a semi-arid state, and environmental pressure is being increasingly caused by the regional economic development. Although the Brazilian government monitors the quality of the water and its flow, recent studies on the environmental impact on coastal ecosystems demonstrated a reduced flow of sediments to the sea and changes in their physicochemical characteristics, which cause imbalance and erosion of the coastal zone, besides degradation of mangroves and associated ecosystems. Many impacts, currently perceived on the coast, originate in locations distant from the outfall of the river, or have been caused by activities that occurred in the past, and which continue to affect the entire length of the watershed. Although the irregularity of the river waters of Ceará, which compromises the use of this river as a means of transportation, Jaguaribe had a prominent role in the occupation and economic development of the State. The city of Aracati, located on its outfall, was for long time an important economic, social, and political center of Ceará, in addition to being the main producer and exporter of dried meat (jerky) to sugarcane regions and to having hosted the largest export port of the State (Port of Fortim). Even to this day, some of the most important cities and economic activities of Ceará are located along its banks. The different impacts derived from its occupation, since the beginning of its colonization in the 17th century, until today, were shown and analyzed in this study, together with natural elements, in conjunction with different uses and various economic activities undertaken in the area. Moreover, it was also important to evaluate the environmental impacts in an integrated and systematic manner, considering any potential environmental impacts, residual and / or cumulative, generated separately or by the sum of the activities engaged in the region to propagate the sustainable and rational use of the environment for future generations. This is a qualitative study in which investigation of historical books and documents, simple observations, interviews, and photographic surveys are the main technical procedures. In conclusion, it may be considered that, historically, the occupation of the Jaguaribe River considered only anthropogenic interests.

Keywords : Environmental Impact; Development; Environmental History.

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