As transformações na paisagem do Distrito de São Gonçalo em Sousa – PB a partir do Projeto de Integração do Rio São Francisco.

Abstract

The São Francisco River Integration Project - PISF, during almost two decades of construction, constitutes the hope and prosperity of the country people of the Northern Northeast. Who, during all these years, suffered from water crises, hoping for the arrival of water from old Chico, and that water security would be guaranteed to them. Considering that this is a Brazilian mega water project, we sought to analyze the effects and changes that the arrival of these waters caused to the District of São Gonçalo, belonging to the Municipality of Sousa-PB. The district benefits from the project, through the course of the Piranhas River that connects the Eng. Ávidos reservoir to the São Gonçalo reservoir, both belonging to the Northern axis of the PISF that has its final destination in the State of Rio Grande do Norte. With the aim of analyzing the transformations that occurred after the arrival of this Project in the district, this work was developed, with the purpose of presenting, identifying, reporting and analyzing whether the Transposition project can overcome the difficulties caused by lack of water in the São Gonçalo community and also supply to the São Gonçalo Irrigated Perimeter - PISG. For this, a theoretical framework was constructed in order to understand the entire historical context of more than a hundred years involving the PISF, as well as understanding the process of construction of the São Gonçalo dam and the PISG, and their history of combating droughts, through PNRH and National Department of Works Against Droughts- DNOCS. An analysis of the territorial configuration that involves the revitalization of the dam to receive the PISF, as well as presenting the landscape that makes up this configuration, in addition to understanding the influence of power that is exercised through this territory. Then, obtaining data for qualitative and quantitative research, in order to analyze the changes that occurred: through questionnaires aimed at the population, with the aim of identifying whether the water shortage was resolved after the arrival of the water; semi-structured questionnaires for PISG irrigators and an interview with the DNOCS Technical Coordinator. All of these revealed that the PISF involves multiple complexities, in which guaranteeing water for the population depends much more on efficient water management at the State and Municipal levels. Therefore, it was identified that there is an inefficiency in the provision of services by the municipal body: Department of Water, Sewage and Environmental Sanitation of Sousa - DAESA. However, PISF managed to bring about significant changes in the irrigated perimeter, enabling the return of production and exports.