Mapeamento da pegada hídrica total: nas sub-bacias do Estado da Paraíba.

Abstract

This research aims primarily to map the total water footprint in the sub-basins of the State of Paraiba, to analyze the pattern of water consumption in the sectors of water supply, irrigated agriculture, livestock and sanitation. The water footprint, despite being a new theme and of great relevance for the management of water resources, should be disseminated and evaluated through accurate and easy-to-use methods that take into account the water consumers of a particular region, since water is a strategic natural resource and of great interest to various sectors of society. Based on this context, the total water footprints by sub-basins were mapped through a geotechnology called QGIS, which allowed the creation of precise maps, based on the data and estimation that fed the table of attributes that are linked to the analyzed features. For this purpose, the total water footprint is calculated by summing up all estimates of the blue, green and gray components of the main waterusing sectors. This research used the methods of qualitative-quantitative and deductive investigation. Within the results obtained, it was evident that the sub-basin of the Paraíba River presented the largest water consumption of the state, due to the largest number of people, the largest irrigable area and the largest herd. However, considering that water consumption is necessary to carry out human activities and product development however it should not exceed the balance of the volume stored in the available reservoirs in operation in the State of Paraiba. As the total water footprint takes into account all the water used in the development of life and in the production of inputs, the estimated value of this indicator in the state of Paraiba reaches approximately 732,304,197,396.39 m³/year, if it were not for the annual precipitation, the contribution of groundwater we would be in scenario of environmental unsustainability.