Influence of Anthropogenic Activities on the Water Quality of an Urban River in an Unplanned Zone of the Amazonian Coast

Influence of Anthropogenic Activities on the Water Quality of an Urban River in an Unplanned Zone of the Amazonian Coast

The database on water quality in Amazonian rivers located in unplanned urbanized regions along the Brazilian Amazon Coast is still quite limited. This study addresses these concerns, and the tested hypothesis was that the water quality of the Cereja River has deteriorated in recent years, despite th...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Limnological review (Warsaw, Poland) Vol. 23; no. 2; pp. 108 - 125
Main Authors: Pereira, Luci Cajueiro Carneiro, Sousa, Natália do Socorro da Silva, Silva, Brenda Ribeiro Padilha da, Costa, Ana Lucia Biondo da, Cavalcante, Francielle Raquel Baltazar, Rodrigues, Laiane Maria dos Santos, Costa, Rauquírio Marinho da
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: Torun MDPI AG 06-09-2023
Subjects:
Anthropogenic factors
Bacteria
Data collection
Decision making
Dissolved oxygen
Drinking water
Effluents
Environmental impact
Estuaries
Fishing
Freshwater resources
Human influences
Hydrology
Hypotheses
Image resolution
Microorganisms
Neighborhoods
Pathogenic bacteria
Plant cover
Population
Quality assessment
Quality standards
Rivers
Sanitation
Satellite imagery
Seasons
Urban areas
Vegetation cover
Water quality
Water quality standards
Brazil
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Summary:The database on water quality in Amazonian rivers located in unplanned urbanized regions along the Brazilian Amazon Coast is still quite limited. This study addresses these concerns, and the tested hypothesis was that the water quality of the Cereja River has deteriorated in recent years, despite the efforts of government authorities to mitigate anthropogenic impacts. To assess changes in water quality, seven campaigns were conducted, collecting data at six fixed points during two different periods. High-resolution satellite images were used to document unplanned occupation. Unfortunately, the number of houses along the Cereja River has increased, in violation of the law. This has contributed to the river’s intense trophic condition, lower dissolved oxygen concentrations, higher concentrations of pathogenic bacteria, and loss of vegetation cover. According to national water quality standards, the Cereja is unsuitable for any human use. This is in stark contrast to the scenario a few decades ago when the river was used for leisure, fishing, and other activities. The results obtained confirm the initial hypothesis and can support potential management strategies and decision-making by authorities. The observed scenario can be extrapolated to other rivers located in urban areas in the Amazon region that have similarly regrettably experienced relatively uncontrolled growth.
ISSN:2300-7575
1642-5952
2300-7575
DOI:10.3390/limnolrev23020007