Análise de múltiplos aspectos da governança da água em sistemas hídricos locais.

Abstract

Most water crises are attributed to water governance problems, which suggest the need for constant governance improvement and analysis. Since it is a complex phenomenon, there can be many aspects to be investigated. Therefore, this research aims to propose a methodological approach capable of analyzing multiple aspects associated with water governance in the local water system composed of the Epitácio Pessoa Reservoir, in the State of Paraíba, Brazil. The aspects chosen were governance monitoring, water allocation, systemic dynamics, the relationships between different levels of planning and the governance adaptive character. To reach our objective, we suggested ways to improve the application of consolidated tools, such as the heuristic structure of the adaptive cycle, making the analysis qualitative and quantitative; the use of recent tools, such as the governance monitoring protocol created by Observatório das Águas (→ater Observatory); and investigation based on the exploration of available data and information, using a document analysis and content analysis. Each methodological tool used a different time scale. Governance monitoring proved to be important to identify gaps to be corrected. The systemic dynamics and the history of interactions between the macro and micro systems allowed us to find fast and slow variables that affect the Epitácio Pessoa Reservoir and point to the possibility of governance based on learning. The investigation also made it possible to identify an adaptive character in the legal and institutional dimension of the water governance and that the characteristics that favor adaptation are distributed among the various planning levels that affect the analyzed local water system. In addition to these results, it can be noted that the negotiated water allocation has assumed a crucial role in strengthening the governance of the investigated reservoir. Finally, we believe that the methodological arrangement presented and the results achieved will serve to enable new analyses of water governance in other systems and point to the need to consider local water systems as a level of strategic planning.