Impactos ambientais que afetam o açude Epitácio Pessoa na percepção de comunidades ribeirinhas no município de Boqueirão-PB.

Abstract

The management of water resources in Brazil has led to large losses of water flow in large, medium and small hydraulic basins in various regions of the country. The populations surrounding various fountains face major problems both during periods of rainfall and drought. These are people who live with constant expectations in seasonal periods. This study aimed at analyzing the environmental perception of the riverside communities of Campo Redondo, Bredos and Cavaco so as to identify the impacts on the Epitácio Pessoa weir, in the city of Boqueirão, PB. The study was developed through a participatory research from April 2012 to April 2013. The sample consisted of a universe of 50% of residents from each community, open and semi-structured interviews were used as a data collection instrument. We note that they consider creation as made exclusively for humans, feeling isolated from the environment, not interfering with the pollution that happens in their surroundings. We found out that the communities were not aware that they were contributing to the contamination of the weir water through agricultural practices. During the conduction of this work, changes occurred considering that they admit they need to change their habits in order to conserve the hydraulic basin from the Epitácio Pessoa weir. It is concluded that the surveyed riparian participants perceive the negative impacts caused by human action, even though they do not seek alternatives to minimize them. The truth was verified through their lines, their level of awareness and their lack of commitment to the conservation of the weir by the contrasting reality of prevailing attitudes. This confirms the importance of an intervention through an educational process with these communities.