Potencial poluidor e risco ambiental dos recursos hídricos de bacia hidrográfica do Rio Gramame, Paraíba, Brasil

Abstract

This paper focuses on aspects related to the study of the risk of water bodies’ pollution of the Gramame river basin, ParaíbaState, around the upper and middle river Gramame’s course, upstream of Gramame-Mamuaba reserve. This study applied the Delphi method to assess the degree of pollution’s risk of superficial water in the Gramame river basin,it based on the vulnerability map of the study area prepared by Pedrosa (2008), and about the pollution sources detected from experts’ opinions. The research included georeferenced survey of sources’ pollution from previous studies in the basin, specific conversations with experts and local residents, and the making of the map’s risk contamination. The sequence of activities from application of the Delphi method occurs in three steps: step 1, based on previous studies in the Gramame river basin and through specific conversations with experts and local residents, the pollutant sources relatedwere identified at risk of contamination of water bodies the study area; step 2, the identified pollutant sources underwent assessment of these experts, the pollution potential for polluting source displayed, identified in the area; and, in step 3 we evaluated the contamination’s risk of each potential pollutant associated with the map of the vulnerability from area, where the pollution source is located. The risk contamination map’s risk was made from Delphi method results in the study area. The pollutant sources identified and mapped in the basin that supplies the Gramame-Mamuaba reserve presents pollution potential ranging from moderate to very high. This pollution potential when associated with the vulnerability of the area, indicating the risk of pollution of water bodies, which increases with the degree from this vulnerability. These results can be used in order to provide grant for departments responsible for water resources management and to control actions for problems identified through this study.