CHALLENGES FOR WATER RESOURCES MANAGEMENT IN A RESERVOIR OF THE SEMI-ARID REGION OF PERNAMBUCO

Abstract

Water security in the semi-arid region is one of the major challenges for water resource management in Brazil. Despite a broad range of legislation addressing the implementation of instruments for effective water management in the country, managing authorities still face many challenges. This study aims to identify the challenges in water resource management at the Nilo Coelho reservoir, located in the semi-arid region of Pernambuco, by analyzing the Pernambuco State Water Resources Plan (PERH-PE), which establishes the State Water Resources Policy (PERH), in addition to other documents available on the website of the Pernambuco Water and Climate Agency (APAC) that address the reservoir’s management. The results highlight weaknesses in the implementation of management guidelines, such as the absence of a hydro-environmental plan for the river basin, gaps in the governance of Reservoir Management Councils, and the discontinuity in water quality monitoring. It is concluded that water resource management in the region faces institutional and operational challenges, requiring greater coordination among managing bodies, strengthening of public policies, and the effective implementation of management instruments to ensure the sustainable use of water for the population.