Procedimentos metodológicos de intervenção para caracterização de comunidades-piloto visando a gestão integrada de reservatórios de hidrelétricas na Amazônia

Abstract

The wide availability of water resources in the Amazon has propitiated the implantation of hydropower plants (HPP), resulting in negative environmental impacts in nature and consequently to society. Currently, there are 17 hydroelectric dams in operation in the Brazilian Amazon, among them the Balbina HPP, located in the municipality of Presidente Figueiredo, Amazonas, whose reservoir flooded 2360 km ² and attracted population to its margins, giving origin to communities. In this context, in order to investigate alternatives of integrated management of hydroelectric reservoirs in the Amazon arises the PIRAHIBA Project (Integrated Planning of Hydroelectric Reservoirs in the Amazon Basin), developed by the Interdisciplinary Core for Energy, Environment and Water of the Federal University of Amazonas. This work presents the methodological procedures for the characterization of pilot communities located around the reservoir of Balbina HPP, from local experiences, of the use of GIS techniques and aiming at integrated management of hydric resource. The studies were carried out in four pilot communities (Vila de Balbina, Fé em Deus, Boa União e Novo Rumo), located in two pilot regions, one downstream and one upstream of dam and far between approximately 100 km, taking into view of the time constraints and resource and the restrictions of use and occupation of land - conservation units and indigenous area. Thus, were developed three modalities of intervention of surveys in loco - high, medium and low, aiming: characterize land and water uses by the pilot communities, identify instruments of integrated and participative management existing on site, and build/update maps of pilot communities. These surveys resulted in the generation of data about the pilot communities, essential to the deployment of a digital database and georeferenced of HPP Balbina Reservoir, in the self-knowledge and in the participation these communities, in the proposal of a model of participatory management of HPP Balbina Reservoir and integrated with the advice of the Environmental Protection Area Cave Maroaga and Biological Reserve Uatumã, the Interinstitutional Committee of integrated Management of HPP Balbina Reservoir (CIGIR BALBINA), where should be proposed and discussed studies, plans, programs, projects and actions related the use of this reservoir and groundwater located in its surroundings, as well as programs in water quality monitoring, regulating and compatibilizing multiple uses, as establishes the National Water Resources Policy and in view of local specificities. It was observed that the pilot communities owned differences between them: while the Vila de Balbina have control and orderly occupation, with standardized lots, 38 communitarian equipment and 14 urban; the Community Fé em Deus is the result of random occupation with only one communitarian equipment and three urban. Thus, to validate the methodological procedures of high, medium and low intervention, the application of GIS techniques and procedures in the characterization of Amazonian realities, and the implantation of CIGIR BALBINA for creation of discussion space and participative and integrated management of water resources in the region. Therefore, it is expected that this methodology can be replicated, making it a powerful tool for management of hydropower reservoirs in the Amazon.